Austria Triumphs at Eurovision 2025: United Kingdom Steers Clear of Zero Points Embarrassment
Austria's JJ secures the win in Eurovision 2025 with his captivating performance of "Wasted Love"! A storm-tossed ship backdrop was the perfect setting for this operatic ballad, which, interestingly, bears some resemblance to last year's winner, Nemo[1].
As for the runner-up, that title goes to Israel's resilient singer Yuval Raphael. Her profound piano ballad, "New Day Will Rise," was sung in Hebrew, French, and English, showcasing her versatility. However, Yuval's performance was disrupted by two pro-Palestinian protesters who tried to storm the stage[2]. Luckily, they were stopped before any serious harm could be caused.
Israel has won Eurovision a total of four times, with their latest win being in 2024. Last year, they finished fifth with Eden Golan's "Hurricane." Despite the disturbances during her performance, Israel put up a valiant fight, coming incredibly close to clinching the title[1].
Meanwhile, the UK's act, Remember Monday, managed to avoid the dreaded "nil points" with their catchy tune "What The Hell Just Happened?" However, for the second consecutive year, the UK failed to secure any points from the public[1]. The UK has had five wins at Eurovision but has struggled to place high in recent years.
The grand final took place in Switzerland's St Jakobshalle arena, with the winner chosen through a combination of public voting and national juries. The four-hour-long show was hosted by Hazel Brugger, Michelle Hunziker, and Sandra Studer. Apart from the much-anticipated performances, there were also appearances by previous runners-up such as Croatia's Baby Lasagna and Finland's Kaarija[1].
Sweden was widely favored to win with their unique sauna-themed entry, "Bara Bada Bastu (Just Sauna)," but ended up finishing fourth. Ukraine, who stole the show in previous contests, came in ninth place[1].
It's worth mentioning that the UK broadcaster received a warning from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) for political statements during the competition[3]. The EBU made it clear that commentators are expected to remain neutral during the broadcast[4]. Meanwhile, Spanish broadcaster shared a message of Palestinian support, causing a bit of a stir[3].
Next year's competition will take place in Austria, marking the 70th anniversary of Eurovision. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting event!
[1] Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-59179816[2] Source: https://www.standard.co.uk/entertainment/tv/eurovision-2025-final-results-what-time-is-it-on-tv-b940167.html[3] Source: https://www.eurovision.tv/eurovision-news/eurovision-song-contest-2025-european-broadcasting-union-ebu-statement-political-statements-936053[4] Source: https://www.eurovision.tv/eurovision-news/eurovision-song-contest-2022-rtve-statement-broadcaster-speaks-out-ahead-of-final-935594
War and entertainment intertwined at the Eurovision 2025 grand final, as pro-Palestinian protesters attempted to storm the stage during Israel's resilient singer Yuval Raphael's performance of "New Day Will Rise." Meanwhile, music continued to play a significant role in the competition, with Austria's JJ securing the win with his captivating performance of "Wasted Love," a ballad that shares some resemblance with last year's winner, Nemo's "What The Hell Just Happened?" from the UK.
