Music. Eurovision 2025: Austria wins, France's Louane finishes in seventh place
The suspense is over! And the winner is... Austria, for the third time in its history. After 1966 and 2014 (and Conchita Wurst's remarkable performance), the country won the 2025 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest this Saturday evening.
Countertenor JJ, who was among the favorites, won over the jury and the audience with "Wasted Love," a song about wasted love. His performance, enhanced by a black and white Harcourt studio shot, earned him the iconic crystal trophy.
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JJ, aka Johannes Pietsch, a 24-year-old Austrian-Filipino, collected 436 points, ahead of Israel's Yuval Raphael (357 points) and Estonia's Tommy Cash (356 points). He succeeds Nemo, the Swiss representative who won in 2024 .
JJ is the big winner of Eurovision 2025. Photo Sipa/AP/Martin Meissner
Representing France, Louane gave a highly acclaimed performance with her song "Maman ," a tribute to her late mother, intensely performed with a restrained set design symbolizing the passing of time in an hourglass. She scored a total of 230 points, securing a frustrating seventh place.
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Swedish comedy trio KAJ, predicted by bookmakers to win, finished in fourth place.
The song contest, held this year in Basel, Switzerland, celebrated its 69th anniversary. Music, kitsch, competition, a high-definition LED wall, and plenty of pyrotechnics vied for the attention and votes of some 160 million viewers across Europe and beyond. The 26 contestants in the final this Saturday night were decided by votes: the jury's and a separate vote from viewers in each of the 37 participating countries, with equal weight. Viewers from the rest of the world also added to the mix.
Celine Dion's arrival was hoped for
Mystery surrounded Celine Dion's possible participation in the event . The timing was indeed opportune for the Quebec star, who, in 1988 in Ireland, gave Switzerland its second Eurovision victory. The singer, who is suffering from a serious illness, was indeed in Basel this Saturday according to the Swiss commentator. But she did not appear on stage. A video of the singer had been shown during rehearsals this week.
In the early evening, a brief clash between police and pro-Palestinian protesters took place far from the Sankt Jakobshalle where the competition was taking place. Police used pepper spray but no water cannons on site. An Israeli and American flag were burned. Organizers feared that Israeli participation would attract the crowds seen last year in Malmö marching against the war in Gaza, as Israel intensified its offensive in the Palestinian territory . But the turnout has been low so far.
In the venue where the final took place, whistles were heard as Israeli singer and survivor of the October 7 attack, Yuval Raphael, performed " New Day Will Rise ." The 24-year-old, who survived by pretending to be dead under a pile of corpses during the massacre perpetrated by Hamas, wanted to send a universal message of "hope and solidarity," and despite calls to boycott Israel, the artist had seen her popularity rise over the weeks. She finished on the podium, in second place.
L'Est Républicain
