Pomp and pageantry. Folks from completely different nations carrying camp costumes. A tense buildup earlier than the winner is introduced. However sufficient of the papal conclave. It’s time for Could’s different essential occasion: the Eurovision music contest.
The eccentric extravaganza’s 69th version – count on that quantity to be the topic of low-cost innuendo – is being held in Basel, Switzerland. An viewers of 160 million is anticipated to tune in for the same old heady mixture of geopolitical point-scoring, tacky sentiment and surreal performances.
The prelude to the annual Europop occasion has seen complaints about a number of songs’ lyrics and debates over Israel’s inclusion. On Saturday night time at 8pm, although, it’s time for the squabbling to cease and the spectacle to start. We’ve hand-crafted your final viewing information to the contenders, the protection and the controversies. Altogether now: good night, Europe – and good morning, Australia. That is Eurovision calling …
The favourites
{Photograph}: Harold Cunningham/Getty Pictures
Eurovision outcomes are notoriously tough to foretell however let’s attempt anyway. Of Saturday night time’s 26 acts, France’s Louane – whose tearjerking Maman is addressed to her late mom – is the largest on social media, with 1.2 million Instagram followers and 1.3 million on TikTok. Sweden’s entry, nevertheless, has the preferred music: Bara Bada Bastu – a sweaty ode to saunas by trio KAJ, joined by dancers in skimpy towels – has probably the most Spotify streams and YouTube views. It’s at the moment the bookies runaway favorite to make it a document eighth win for the Swedes.
One other sizzling tip is Austria’s JJ, who hopes to emulate his compatriot Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph with opera-meets-techno mashup Wasted Love. Iceland’s foil-clad siblings Væb have been dubbed, worryingly, “the Viking Jedward”. Their hyper electro-rap ditty Róa – which is about precise rowing, oar followers – was a chart-topper of their nation and may very well be the form of novelty that appeals to voters.
Additionally a lot fancied is San Marino’s Gabry Ponte with Tutta L’Italia, an infectiously naff EDM celebration of all issues Italian, composed by one of many “brains” behind Eiffel 65’s Blue (Da Ba Dee). “The Mona Lisa laughs however she’s in Paris,” he sings. Riiight.
The wild playing cards
We are able to sit up for some amusingly bananas dance bangers. Finland’s dominatrix diva Erika Vikman delivers a smutty paean to sexual emissions in homosexual disco homage Ich Komme which, ahem, climaxes along with her hovering into the air astride an enormous gold microphone that sprays sparks throughout the stage. Delicate.
One other Scandi-pop contender is Denmark’s Sissal, whose Euro-bop Hallucination appears like a David Guetta thumper with visitor vocals from an Adele tribute act. She’s flanked by dancers carrying what look like gimp fits. Get pleasure from, fetish followers.
Luxembourg is gunning for a sixth win with Laura Thorn’s La Poupée Monte le Son. It’s a response to France Gall’s 1965 winner Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son, which was a few “style doll” operated by songwriting saucepot Serge Gainsbourg. Thorn’s empowered lyrics – “If you happen to suppose a person like you may manipulate me, return to your mummy” – are adopted by a nagging “na na na” refrain. Textbook Eurovision nonsense.
The controversies
Like final 12 months, there have been calls to finish Israel’s participation amid the continued battle in Gaza. A ban on spectators waving Palestinian flags has been overturned, whereas Israeli followers have been warned about potential protests and antisemitic assaults. Their entrant is 24-year-old Yuval Raphael, who narrowly escaped along with her life on the 2023 Nova pageant in Israel. The lyrics of her gutsy ballad New Day Will Rise appear to discuss with the tragedy.
Malta’s Miriana Conte was pressured to rapidly rewrite her shamelessly camp quantity after complaints about swearing. It was initially titled Kant, the Maltese phrase for singing, which gave the impression of a sure C-word within the refrain about “serving kant”. She’s woven the kerfuffle into the cleaned-up model, which means it now options an unlikely pattern from BBC economics editor Faisal Islam in a Newsnight report on the story.
Estonia’s infernally catchy Espresso Macchiato – carried out by Tommy Money, a viral rapper who as soon as appeared on a Charli xcx document – has been accused of insulting Italians with its stereotypical references to coffee-sipping, chain-smoking mafiosi. It additionally options the profound lyric “Life is like spaghetti, it’s onerous till you make it”, all delivered in an accent worthy of a Dolmio advert.
The host nation
The competition takes place in Switzerland following fluffy-jacketed Nemo turning into the primary non-binary winner final 12 months with operatic banger The Code. The venue is St Jakobshalle, a 12,000-capacity brutalist-style sports activities corridor in Basel. Our hosts inside the sector are “slam poet” (yikes) Hazel Brugger, ex-model Michelle Hunziker and singer Sandra Studer, who represented her nation in 1991 and completed fifth. Anticipate her to say this reasonably too many occasions.
This 12 months’s Swiss entry is Zoë Më with breathy ballad Voyage. A younger Céline Dion represented Switzerland in 1988 and received. She despatched a video message in Tuesday’s semi-final and has been in talks about returning for a shock visitor efficiency on Saturday which might be, effectively, titanic.
For the primary time, the competition has a mascot: a heart-shaped monstrosity known as Lumo. Its ginger curls and trout-pouty lips have seen it in comparison with the love baby of Michael Fabricant and Mick Hucknall.
The UK’s hopes
Le Royaume-Uni’s entry is woman group Keep in mind Monday – confusingly, competing on a Saturday – with playful power-pop ballad What the Hell Simply Occurred? The country-tinged trio describe themselves as “pop girlies with a lil’ little bit of yee-haw”. Translation: they often put on cowboy boots. They beforehand entered spinny-chaired contest The Voice, the place they had been mentored by Jennifer Hudson however didn’t win. An omen, one fears. They’re the primary woman band to symbolize the UK since Treasured in 1999. Nope, us neither.
UK fortunes have “completed a Brexit” in current a long time. It’s 28 years since we received (come up, Katrina and your Waves). Since 2000, we’ve acquired the wood spoon 5 occasions. Sam “Area Man” Ryder – half-Jesus, half-golden labrador – bucked the downward development by ending runner-up in 2022. Regular service has since been resumed. Mae Muller was second from backside in 2023 and final 12 months, Olly Alexander obtained nul factors from the general public vote.
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The TV protection
Unleash the sarky Irishman in a glittery jacket! As is conventional, Eurovision will probably be broadcast stay on BBC One and iPlayer with Graham Norton on commentary duties. When the late, nice Terry Wogan retired in 2008 after an epic 35-year stint, Norton seamlessly slipped into his loafers as our tongue-in-cheek information. “That is Marmite – if everybody hated Marmite,” he memorably mentioned of Germany’s act in 2021, earlier than including about Serbia’s pop trio: “Much less Future’s Youngster, extra Future’s Inappropriate Aunt.”
We’d counsel popping on the subtitles for max enjoyment of the nonsensical music lyrics. If you wish to assault your personal eardrums however spare your eyeballs, Scott Mills and Rylan helm protection on Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. Proceedings kick off at 8pm and are scheduled to complete at midnight however typically overrun. Fill up on snacks, strap in and tempo your self.
As a timey-wimey warm-up, it’s preceded at 7.10pm by a Eurovision-themed episode of Physician Who, titled The Interstellar Music Contest. Motion unfolds on the 803rd version of a galaxy-wide singing competitors, with cameos from Graham Norton and Rylan, plus different shock Eurovision alumni. The Time Lord connection was on account of proceed throughout the contest itself, however sadly Ncuti Gatwa was pressured to drag out of being UK spokesperson on account of “unexpected circumstances”. As a substitute, the British jury’s scores will probably be introduced by kitchen disco diva Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Anticipate homicide on the Euro dancefloor.
The spotters’ bingo sport
Tick off these 10 inevitabilities as you notice them on display screen! Shout “Euro bingo bango!” while you’ve collected the set! Or don’t! It’s totally as much as you!
Staging entails a wind machine or revolving set.
An jap European act takes to the stage in conventional costume.
Graham Norton turns into more and more snarky as his own-label white wine kicks in.
A performer switches language mid-song, simply to place us parochial Brits to disgrace.
Act strips off an merchandise of clothes, a la Bucks Fizz’s skirts or Croatian shock rockers Let 3 of their Y-fronts.
Eye-rolls as a rustic offers douze factors to certainly one of its neighbours.
Onerous rock act accompanied by flames and smoke machines.
Awkward satellite tv for pc delay makes for stilted banter throughout jury outcomes.
Norton mutters “Any person’s dressed up” when a flamboyantly attired jury spokesperson seems.
Act blows kisses to digicam and makes heart-hands gesture after they’re awarded douze factors.
The killer trivia to trot out
Going second within the working order is called the “loss of life slot”. No nation performing second has ever received the competition. They’ve, nevertheless, completed final 9 occasions.
There’s additionally a fabled “curse of inexperienced”. Acquired Euro-wisdom says that acts in inexperienced garb or with green-lit staging are likely to fare badly.
Apparently, the most costly props ever used had been the 2 large trumpets that flanked the UK’s James Newman in 2021. Regardless of the brass behemoths, he acquired nul factors.
Eire and Sweden are probably the most profitable nations with seven wins apiece. Nevertheless, Ukraine is correct up there. It has received 3 times since its 2003 debut and is the one nation to qualify for the grand ultimate yearly it has competed.
Cyprus is the least profitable nation, having competed 40 occasions with out successful. Norway have probably the most flops, ending final 12 occasions, 4 of these with nul factors.
Eurovision guidelines state that songs should not be longer than three minutes and not more than six individuals are allowed on stage. Stay animals are additionally banned, sadly.
Bucks Fizz received for the UK in 1981 after wowing viewers with their rip-away skirts. Inside 48 hours, Velcro had bought out throughout Britain.
There have been six barefoot winners, beginning with the UK’s Sandie Shaw in 1967. The most recent was Sweden’s two-time champion Loreen, who eschewed footwear in each 2012 and 2023.
The material-eared UK gave nul factors to Abba’s Waterloo in 1974. They went on to win anyway and the music grew to become a No 1 hit.
Eurovision Music Contest Grand Ultimate 2025 is on BBC One on Saturday 17 Could at 8pm.
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