The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 starts in Basel, Switzerland. It will be held in three stages: the first semi-final on May 13, the second on May 15, and the grand final on May 17.
Last year, the contest was hosted by Malmö, Sweden. The winner was Swiss singer Nemo Mettler (Nemo).
Semifinalists of the first stage
The participants of the first semi-final include representatives of 15 countries. The list of participants is as follows:
- Iceland: Væb with the song “RÓA”
- Poland: Justyna Steczkowska with the song “GAJA”
- Slovenia: Klemen with “How Much Time Do We Have Left”
- Estonia: Tommy Cash with the song “Espresso Macchiato”
- Ukraine: Ziferblat with the song “Bird of Pray”
- Sweden: KAJ with “Bara bada bastu”
- Portugal: Napa with the song “Deslocado”
- Norway: Kyle Alessandro with the song “Lighter”
- Belgium: Red Sebastian with the track “Strobe Lights”
- Azerbaijan: Mamagama with the song “Run With Us”
- San Marino: Gabry Ponte with the song “Tutta l’Italia”
- Albania: Shkodra Elektronike with the song “Zjarrm”
- Netherlands: Claude with the track “C’est La Vie”
- Croatia: Marko Bošnjak with the song “Poison Cake”
- Cyprus: Theo Evan with the song “Shh”
In addition, the Eurovision Song Contest will feature representatives of the Big Five countries that automatically qualify for the final, as well as Switzerland, last year’s contest winner.
Semifinalists of the second stage
The second semi-final will not be without some outstanding performers. Here’s who will make it through this stage:
- Australia: Go-Jo with “Milkshake Man”
- Montenegro: Nina Žižić with “Dobrodošli”
- Ireland: Emmy with the song “Laika Party”
- Latvia: Tautumeitas with the song “Bur man laimi”
- Armenia: Parg with the track “SURVIVOR”
- Austria: JJ with the song “Wasted Love”
- Greece: Claudia with the song “Asteromata”
- Lithuania: Katarsis with the track “Tavo akys”
- Malta: Miriana Conte with the song “SERVING”
- Georgia: Mariam Shengelia with the song “Freedom”
- Denmark: Ciccaa with the track “Hallucination”
- Czech Republic: ADONXS with the song “Kiss Kiss Goodbye”
- Luxembourg: Laura Thorne with the song “La poupée monte le son”
- Israel: Yuval Raphael with “New Day Will Rise”
- Serbia: Prince with the song “Mila”
- Finland: Erika Wikman with “ICH KOMME”
Who is already in the final?
The participants from the Big Five countries and the winner of Eurovision 2024 automatically made it to the final:
- Spain: Melody with the song “ESA DIVA”
- Italy: Lucio Korci with the track “Volevo essere un duro”
- Switzerland: Zoë Me with the song “Voyage”
- United Kingdom: Remember Monday with “What the Hell Just Happened?”
- France: Luan with the track “Mama”
- Germany: Abor & Tynna with “Baller”
Who will not participate
Eurovision 2025 will be held with the participation of 37 countries, some countries withdrew due to financial difficulties. Moldova, Andorra, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Morocco, Romania, North Macedonia and Slovakia refused to participate.
Not the first time in Switzerland
Switzerland is an iconic place for Eurovision. The country hosted the first contest in 1956, which Swiss singer Liz Assia won. That year’s contest was organized in Lugano, where Italian is spoken. In 1989, Switzerland hosted the contest again in Lausanne, thanks to Celine Dion’s victory in the previous Eurovision Song Contest.
New rules
This year’s Eurovision also introduced new rules for announcing the finalists. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has announced that the changes will occur during the first semi-final, which will begin on May 13 at 22:00.
The hosts will now first name the three candidates for the final, after which the cameras will focus on them, and the corresponding images will be broadcast on the big screens. After a short pause, one of the three will be announced as finalists. This process can be repeated for each participant no more than three times if their name is not called on the first attempt. This format is designed to increase tension and focus attention on the performers, not the hosts. The last, tenth finalist will be announced in the traditional format to keep the element of surprise until the very end.
Bookmakers forecasts
Therefore, bookmakers are actively updating their forecasts of potential winners. The Swedish band KAJ, Austrian singer JJ, French singer Luan Emera, Israeli singer Yuval Raphael, and Dutch singer Claude are considered the leading contenders for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.