All the participants • First Semi-Final • Second Semi-Final • Grand Final
1.🇦🇺 Australia • 2.🇲🇪 Montenegro • 3.🇮🇪 Ireland • 4.🇱🇻 Latvia • 5.🇦🇲 Armenia • 6.🇦🇹 Austria • 7.🇬🇷 Greece • 8.🇱🇹 Lithuania • 9.🇲🇹 Malta • 10.🇬🇪 Georgia • 11.🇩🇰 Denmark • 12.🇨🇿 Czechia • 13.🇱🇺 Luxembourg • 14.🇮🇱 Israel • 15.🇷🇸 Serbia • 16.🇫🇮 Finland
Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest. Armenia has an impressive record of producing top 10 finishes since (and including) their debut participation in 2006.
Sirusho (2008) and Aram MP3 (2014) have delivered their nation’s best placements, finishing fourth, but it’s Rosa Linn (2022) who is responsible for Armenia’s biggest hit song.
Her entry Snap went viral on TikTok shortly after the Contest in Turin, leading to critical acclaim and topping charts all over the world. It became the second Eurovision entry (after Duncan Laurence’s Arcade) to reach a billion streams on Spotify, and was the fastest to do so.
Though Armenia has yet to win the Eurovision Song Contest, they have won and hosted Junior Eurovision twice thanks to Vladimir Arzumanyan (2010) and Maléna (2021).
- Participations: 18
- Victories: None
- Contests Hosted: Yet to host the Eurovision Song Contest
🇦🇲 Armenia: PARG – “SURVIVOR” (Alex Wilke / Armen Paul / Benji Alasu / Eva Voskanyan / Jon Aljidi / Joshua Curran / Martin Mooradian / PARG / Peter Boström / Thomas G:son – Alex Wilke / Armen Paul / Benji Alasu / Eva Voskanyan / Jon Aljidi / Joshua Curran / Martin Mooradian / PARG / Peter Boström / Thomas G:son). Photos PARG | Armenia 2025
PARG. PARG (Pargev Vardanian) is an artist known for blending traditional Armenian elements with modern soundscapes.
Hailing from the picturesque town of Hayravank, he is a genre-bending force, constantly reinventing himself through folk, electronic and alternative sounds.
The artist’s music is deeply rooted in Armenian culture, yet forward-thinking and innovative, positioning him as a trailblazer in modern Armenian pop music.
In 2021 he released his debut single, Ginin u Grely, introducing audiences to his distinctive sound. His most recent single, Araj, was nominated for Best Music Video at the Armenian Music Video Awards.
| PARG |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ Ladaniva (2024) • PARG (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Pargev Vardanyan (Պարգեւ Վարդանյան; born 1994 or 1995), known professionally as Parg (Armenian: Պարգ; stylised in all caps), is an Armenian singer and songwriter based in Yerevan. Parg released his debut single, “Ginin u grely”, in 2021. Parg is set to represent Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Survivor”.
Early life and career. Parg was born in 1994 or 1995 to Armenian parents in Hayravank, Geghargunik, Armenia. Parg and his family moved to Volgograd, Russia, when he was still young, where he attended the Volgograd State Institute of Theater and Cinema and graduated with a degree in Theater Arts & Acting, where he also co-founded a band called The Edge Chronicles. Between 2017 and 2019, the band toured local venues in Armenia, Russia, Georgia, and Ukraine.
Parg moved back to Armenia in 2022. In June of that year, Parg opened for Zaz at the HAYA Festival in Yerevan. Ever since, he’s covered songs by artists like Rosa Linn and collaborated with Brunette.
He’s nominated for an Armenian Music Video Award 2024 for his song “Araj”. His latest single, “Kanchum em”, received critical acclaim.
Parg competed at Depi Evratesil 2025 with the song “Survivor”. receiving the second most points from national and international juries and first place in televote, ultimately winning the competition and receiving the right to represent Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel.
Personal life. As of 2024, Vardanyan has been married to Nana Vardanyan.
Discography.
Extended plays.
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Theatre Session (Live Edition) |
|
Singles.
| Title | Year | Album or EP |
|---|---|---|
| “Tell Me” | 2020 | Non-album singles |
| “Sareri hovin mernem“ | ||
| “Kuzes“ | 2021 | |
| “Ginin u grely“ | ||
| “Snap” | 2022 | |
| “Snap” (with J-Marin) | ||
| “Araj“ | 2023 | |
| “Arev es” (with Brunette) | 2024 | |
| “Qo mot“ | ||
| “Kanchum em“ | ||
| “Es nor tarin“ | ||
| “Survivor” | 2025 |
| “SURVIVOR” (Վերապրած) |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “Jako” (2024) • “SURVIVOR” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “Survivor” is a song by Armenian singer and songwriter Parg. The song was revealed on 9 February 2025 and was written by himself alongside nine other songwriters. The final version was officially released on streaming services on 21 March and will represent Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Background and composition. “Survivor” was written by Parg, Alex Wilke, Armen Paul, Benjamin Alasu, Eva Voskanian, Jon Aljidi, Joshua Curran, Martin Mooradian, Peter Boström, and Thomas G:son.
Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Depi Evratesil 2025. Depi Evratesil 2025 was the fourth edition of Depi Evratesil, the national final organised by AMPTV in order to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. The competition took place on 16 February 2025 at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concerts Complex in Yerevan. The show was broadcast on Armenia 1, as well as online via the broadcaster’s website 1tv.am and internationally via the Eurovision Song Contest’s official YouTube channel. The final took place on 16 February 2025 and the winner was selected a combination of votes from an international jury, a national jury and a televote.
Parg was one of twelve finalists were selected by a jury following an audition round and revealed on 6 February 2025, while his song “Survivor”, originally to be unveiled on the day of the final, was released on 9 February 2025. The song received the second most points from national and international juries and first place in televote, ultimately winning the competition and receiving the right to represent Armenia in Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel.
At Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025. During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, Armenia was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the first half of the show.
Lyrics of SURVIVOR (English)
I got my bad shades on,
Jet-black am in ma zone,
I’m sick of the news,
I’m sick of the views,
I’m sick of the lies they’ve told,
Come on and shine the light,
Come on and shine on me,
Guess you can see,
I don’t believe,
Anything they told me
Letting me down,
Lifting me up,
Keeping me slow, but I can’t stop
It’s tearing me apart, I’m alive
Tryna look up, atop of a rock
Climbing these heights, man
I can’t stop at all
I’m standing tall
I’m a survivor,
Stay aliver,
Do or die in my prime,
I’m a fighter,
I’m a survivor,
Won’t be tied up,
Break from the pain
Take your place, I’ll remind ya
I’m a survivor
RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
SUR-VI-VOR!
RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
SUR-VI-VOR!
RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
SUR-VI-VOR!
Break from the pain,
Take your place, I’ll remind ya!
Kicking me, breaking me,
But I won’t stop,
Pushing me, pulling me,
I will get up,
Hitting me, mocking me,
Stabbing me, crushing me,
Tearing me, burning me,
I’ll never stop,
I could have lost my way,
I could have made mistakes,
I bled a lot, more than you thought,
But I didn’t fade away,
Say you’ll break me down,
And bring me to my knees,
You can do it,
Can you prove it?
But you ain’t got shiz on me!
(Ha-ha-ha)
I’m a survivor
RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
SUR-VI-VOR!
RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
SUR-VI-VOR!
RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
SUR-VI-VOR!
Break from the pain,
Take your place, I’ll remind ya!
Breathe in breathe out it’s all done,
Never forget who you are,
Breathe in breathe out it’s all done,
Never forget who you are
I’m a survivor (I’m survivor),
Stay aliver (stay aliver),
Do or die in my prime, I’m a fighter,
(I’m a fighter)
I’m a survivor (I’m survivor),
Won’t be tied up (won’t be tied up),
Break from the pain,
Take your place, I’ll remind ya
I’m a survivor
RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
SUR-VI-VOR!
RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
SUR-VI-VOR!
(I’m a survivor)
RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA-RA
SUR-VI-VOR!
Break from the pain, take your place
Break from the pain, take your place
Break from the pain, take your place
I’m a survivor
Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest. The Australian love affair with the Eurovision Song Contest goes back several decades, with SBS having broadcast the show every year since 1983 – despite the time difference with Europe!
In fact, a number of high profile Aussies competed in the Contest for other nations before the country was officially invited to join the party at Vienna 2015 as part of the show’s 60th anniversary celebrations.
Their best result so far is courtesy of Dami Im who finished second in 2016 with Sound of Silence; a song which won the Marcel Bezençon Award for composition, as well as the jury vote.
Australia holds the distinction of being the first nation to compete remotely using a ‘live-on-tape’ performance, as COVID-19 travel restrictions in 2021 meant that Montaigne (and the rest of their delegation) could not travel to Rotterdam.
- Participations: 11
- Victories: None
- Contests Hosted: Yet to host the Eurovision Song Contest
🇦🇺 Australia: Go-Jo – “Milkshake Man” (Amy Sheppard / George Sheppard / Jason Bovino / Marty Zambotto – Amy Sheppard / George Sheppard / Jason Bovino / Marty Zambotto). Photos Go-Jo | Australia 2025
Go-Jo. Go-Jo is the music project of artist Marty Zambotto.
The magnetic musician, who can play guitar and unicycle at the same time, is now based in Sydney after being raised off-grid in rural Western Australia.
A social media powerhouse, Go-Jo has amassed over 1.4 million followers across TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. In 2023, Go-Jo was the 9th most streamed Australian artist in the world. He’s toured across Australia, Europe, United States and Southeast Asia, and shared the stage with some of the biggest artists in the world.
You may well have heard Go-Jo’s previous hit single Mrs. Hollywood, after it was shared around the world at an incredible speed, with over 60 million digital streams and one billion views across all platforms.
| Go-Jo |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ Electric Fields (2024) • Go-Jo (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Marty Zambotto (born 25 November 1995), known professionally as Go-Jo, is a French and Australian singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is set to represent Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Milkshake Man”.
Biography. Zambotto grew up on a remote, self-sustaining estate near Manjimup, Western Australia, which helped to develop his musical style and artistic identity. His father is French and he is a dual national of Australia and France.[1] He received his first guitar at the age of 13, initially writing and producing songs for other artists before moving to Sydney to pursue his own solo career.
Zambotto is known for his guitar-centric original songs and covers. His cover of the Goo Goo Dolls’ song “Iris” has received over 3 million streams on Spotify. A video of him performing his song “Mrs. Hollywood” at Bondi Beach has been viewed over 6 million times, with the song reaching one billion views across all video platforms.
On 25 February 2025, SBS announced that Zambotto would represent Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel with the song “Milkshake Man”.
Discography.
Charted singles.
| Title | Year | Chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS Indie |
||
| 2023 | “Mrs. Hollywood” | 18 |
| “Milkshake Man” |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “One Mikali (One Blood)” (2024) • “Milkshake Man” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “Milkshake Man” is a song by Australian singer and songwriter Go-Jo. It was written by Go-Jo alongside Amy Sheppard, George Sheppard, and Jason Bovino. The song was released on 25 February 2025 and will represent Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Background and composition. Milkshake Man was written by Go-Jo alongside Amy Sheppard, George Sheppard, and Jason Bovino, all current or former members of the band Sheppard, which competed in the first edition of Eurovision – Australia Decides in 2019 with “On My Way”. The song, characterised by synth pop sounds, aims to be a “motivational push” for the listener, encouraging them to discover “the most colourful version of themselves and feel confident”. In addition to its positive message, the lyrics play on subtle double entendres, suggesting more daring and provocative nuances behind the playful and light-hearted facade. The song contains some lyrics in French, which Go-Jo said was included due to his French nationality. “Milkshake Man” samples “Greensleeves”, which is a chime commonly used by ice cream vans in various countries.
Music video. The music video for Milkshake Man, directed by Josh Harris, was made available to coincide with the single’s release through Go-Jo’s YouTube channel. In the video, the singer, along with a group of women, is busy making milkshakes inside a traditional ice cream truck, while the atmosphere is charged with a festive energy and strobe effects.
Promotion.
To promote “Milkshake Man” before the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, Go-Jo announced his intent to participate in various Eurovision pre-parties. It was first announced that he will be performing at Eurovision in Concert 2025 to be held at AFAS Live Arena in Amsterdam on 5 April 2025. He also confirmed to be participating at the London Eurovision Party 2025 on 13 April 2025 to be held at Here at Outernet.
Eurovision Song Contest.
Internal selection. On 25 February 2025, public broadcaster SBS announced that it had internally selected Go-Jo with the song “Milkshake Man” to represent Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel. The single was made available digitally from the same day.
At Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025. During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, Australia was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the first half of the show.
Release history.
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 25 February 2025 |
|
|
Lyrics of Milkshake Man (English)
Come and take a sip from my special cup
I heard that you could use a little pick me up
What can get you high when you’re oh so sad?
It’s the milk from the milkshake man
Ahhh
Well I’ve got chocolate, vanilla, and lactose free
Ahhh
And a caramel banana, that you have got to see
You can call me the milkshake man
I wanna shake and make the whole world dance
They drink my milk all across the land
I can tell you want a taste of the milkshake man
Sh-sh-shake me good
Sh-sh-shake me good
I can tell you want a taste of the milkshake man
Sh-sh-shake me good
Sh-sh-shake me good
I can tell you want a taste of the milkshake man
The shake is not a drink – it’s a state of mind
Like a secret super power you were born to find
Drink it every day and before you know it
You’ll be bigger… and stronger… with harder bones!
Ahhh
Well I’ve got mango, mojito, a fruit ballet
Ahhh
And did you see the naughty special on my crème brûlée?
You can call me the milkshake man
I wanna shake up all the milk I can
They know my name all across the land
I can tell you want a taste of the milkshake man
Sh-sh-shake me good
Sh-sh-shake me good
I can tell you want a taste of the milkshake man
Sh-sh-shake me good
Sh-sh-shake me good
I can tell you want a taste of the milkshake man
Excusez-moi monsieur, avez-vous du lait pour moi?
When I say sweet sweet, you say yum yum
Sweet sweet – yum yum
When I say sweet sweet, you say yum yum
Sweet sweet – yum yum
Sh-sh-shake me good
Sh-sh-shake me good
I can tell you want a taste of the milkshake man
Sh-sh-shake me good
Sh-sh-shake me good
I can tell you want a taste of the milkshake man
Sh-sh-shake me good
Sh-sh-shake me good
I can tell you want a taste of the milkshake man
Sh-sh-shake me good
Sh-sh-shake me good
I can tell you want a taste of the milkshake man
Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest. Austria debuted in Frankfurt at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957, where they were represented by Bob Martin.
His song, Wohin, Kleines Pony (‘Where, Little Pony?’), was the last to cross the line, finishing tenth in a field of 10.
It would take until 1965 for broadcaster Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF) to win hands down when, on his third Contest participation, Udo Jürgens triumphed with the ballad Merci, Chérie (‘Thank You, Darling’).
A second Austrian victory came in 2014 courtesy of drag artist Conchita Wurst, who dedicated their win to ‘everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom’, continuing: ‘We are unity and we are unstoppable!’
- Participations: 58
- Victories: 2014 (Conchita Wurst), 1966 (Udo Jürgens)
- Contests Hosted: Vienna 2015, Vienna 1967
🇦🇹 Austria: JJ – “Wasted Love” (Johannes Pietsch / Teodora Spiric / Thomas Turner – Johannes Pietsch / Teodora Spiric / Thomas Turner). Photos JJ | Austria 2025
JJ. A countertenor with a distinctive voice that can reach soprano heights, JJ has already made a name for himself in the classical music world.
The singer, whose real name is Johannes Pietsch, was born in Vienna in 2001 and grew up in Dubai before returning to Vienna in 2016.
Music fans may recognise JJ from the TV talent show Starmania, where he showcased his extraordinary voice and range, making it to the finals of the show in 2021. Currently, the Austrian-Filipino artist performs at the Vienna State Opera and has participated in numerous productions, including Die Zauberflöte, Von der Liebe Tod and Tschick.
Offstage, he continues to refine his craft by studying classical music at the renowned Music and Art Private University of Vienna (MUK).
| JJ |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ Kaleen (2024) • JJ (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Johannes Pietsch (born 29 April 2001), known by his stage name JJ, is an Austrian singer-songwriter. He is set to represent Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Wasted Love”.
Biography. Pietsch was born in Vienna to an Austrian IT specialist and a Filipino cook and grew up in Dubai. In 2016, the family returned to Austria. In 2020, he took part in the ninth series of The Voice UK after missing the deadline for The Voice of Germany. The following year, he took part in the fifth season of Starmania, where he made it to the first final show. He also attends the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna after visiting the opera school of the Vienna State Opera.
On 30 January 2025, “Wasted Love” performed by Pietsch, under the stage name JJ, was announced by ORF as the Austrian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 during the radio show Ö3-Wecker, aired on Ö3. “Wasted Love” was co-written by JJ, Austrian 2023 representative Teodora Špirić and Thomas Thurner, and was released on 6 March 2025.
Musical style. Pietsch’s musical style combines elements of opera and pop. As a “soprano” type of countertenor with a range reaching into high soprano heights, he explores both genres through an intense and expressive vocal and interpretative approach.
Personal life. In addition to his native German, Pietsch also speaks English, French and Tagalog.
Discography.
Singles.
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album or EP |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUT |
|||
| “Wasted Love” | 2025 | 24 | Non-album single |
| “Wasted Love” (Verschwendete Liebe) |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “We Will Rave” (2024) • “Wasted Love” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “Wasted Love” is a song by Austrian singer JJ. The song was released on 6 March 2025 and was written by JJ himself alongside Teodora Špirić and Thomas Thurner. It will represent Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Background and composition. Wasted Love was written by Pietsch himself, Teodora “Teya” Špirić and Thomas Thurner, the latter also responsible for the production together with Pele Loriano. Fusing pop and lyrical elements in a crescendo that flows into techno sounds, the song explores the torment of an unrequited love: the protagonist, overwhelmed by an “ocean of love”, watches the person he loves move away for fear of being overwhelmed by it. Despite the attempt to cling to the past, he ends up adrift in an emotional abyss, unable to fill the void left by the breakup.
Music video. The music video, directed by Viennese filmmaker Vesely Marek, was made available in conjunction with the single’s release via the Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel. According to Marek, the video “aims to be a visual journey into the deep abyss of unrequited love, emphasized by dramatic elements”.
Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Internal selection. Austria’s broadcaster for the Eurovision Song Contest, Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF), officially announced their intentions to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 on 7 September 2024, deciding their representative via an internal selection In October 2024, it was reported by Austrian media that eight entries from seven artists, including Dodo Muhrer who previously represented Austria at Eurovision in 2015 as part of The Makemakes, as well as Johannes Pietsch, Kayla Krystin, Nnoa and Philip Piller, had been shortlisted following a live casting round at the ORF studios. On 30 January 2025, “Wasted Love” performed by Pietsch, under the stage name JJ, was announced by ORF as the Austrian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 during the radio show Ö3-Wecker, aired on Ö3. “Wasted Love” was selected from the eight shortlisted entries by a panel of 30 local and international music industry and Eurovision experts as well as nearly 30 international OGAE fan club representatives from five countries and the ORF Eurovision Song Contest Team.[3] The song was released on 6 March 2025.
At Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025. During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, Austria was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the first half of the show.
Credits and personnel.
Musicians.
- Johannes Pietsch – lead vocals
- Teodora Špirić – background vocals
- Thomas Thurner – synthesizer, drums, piano
- Paul Sams – programming
- Wojciech Kostrzewa – programming
- Budapest Scoring Orchestra – orchestra
- Zoltán Pad – orchestra conductor
Technical.
- Mischa Janisch – mastering
- Michael Höchtl – mixing
- Denes Redly – recording
- Pele Loriano – production
- Thomas Thurner – production
- Wojciech Kostrzewa – production
Charts.
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 24 |
Lyrics of Wasted Love (English)
I’m an ocean of love
And you’re scared of water
You don’t want to go under,
So you let me go under.
I reach out my hand,
But you watch me grow distant
Drift out to the sea
And far away in an instant
You left me in the deep end
I’m drowning in my feelings
How do you not see that?
Now that you’re gone
All I have is wasted love
This wasted love
Now that you’re gone
Can’t fill my heart with wasted love
This wasted love
When you let me go,
I barely stayed afloat
I’m floating all alone
Still I’m holding on to hope
Now that you’re gone
All I have is wasted love
This wasted love
Now that you’re gone
Can’t fill my heart with wasted love
This wasted love
Wasted love
This wasted love
Wasted, wasted, wasted, wasted
Wasted, wasted, wasted, wasted, love
Wasted love
Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest. Greece debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton in 1974, where they were represented by songstress Marinella with ‘Krassi, Thalassa Ke t’ Agori Mou’ (‘Wine, Sea, and My Boyfriend’).
Before the Hellenic Republic entered in its own right, several Greek singers competed for other participating countries with great success; notably representing Luxembourg were global superstars Nana Mouskouri (in 1963) and Vicky Leandros (in 1967 and 1972) who would win with her second attempt Après Toi (‘After You’).Bro
adcaster Elliniki Radiofonia Tileorasi (ERT) would have to wait until 2005 for a victory of their own, which came when Helena Paparizou stole the show in Kyiv, winning with her dancefloor filler My Number One.Stil
l a firm fan favourite, Helena performed as a Contest special guest at Rotterdam 2021 and Malmö 2024.
- Participations: 46
- Victories: 2005 (Helena Paparizou)
- Contests Hosted: Athens 2006
🇬🇷 Greece: Klavdia – “Asteromáta” (Arcade – Arcade / Klavdia). Photos Klavdia Ι Greece 2025
Klavdia. Klavdia won the very first edition of ‘Ethnikós Telikós’ in Greece, with the prize being the opportunity to represent her country at the Eurovision Song Contest.
The artist has gone from reaching the final of The Voice of Greece (where she was mentored by Eurovision winner Helena Paparizou) to releasing platinum-selling singles. She has also amassed a huge following on social media, due to her unique interpretations of pop classics.
Hits like Haramata and Vasanizomai helped her win Best Newcomer at the Super Music Awards in Cyprus in 2023. And Lonely Heart became her first number 1 on the Shazam Discovery List.
In her relatively short time in the spotlight, Klavdia has already appeared on stage alongside some all-time-great artists, such as Dionysis Savvopoulos, at the Mad Video Music Awards with Konstantinos Argyros, and in concerts with Giorgos Sampanis.
| Klavdia |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ Marina Satti (2024) • Klavdia (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Klavdia Papadopoulou (Κλαυδία Παπαδοπούλου; born 18 August 2002), also known mononymously as Klavdia, is a Greek singer. She is set to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Asteromata”.
Early life. Klavdia Papadopoulou was born on 18 August 2002 in Aspropyrgos. She is of Pontic descent.
Musical career. Klavdia rose to prominence in 2017, at the age of 15, when she auditioned for the fifth season of Greece’s Got Talent performing Michael Jackson’s song “Billie Jean”. In 2018, she took part in the fifth season of The Voice of Greece on Skai TV. During the auditions, she performed the song “Roxanne” by the Police, winning the approval of all four judges, and becoming part of Helena Paparizou’s team. She continued her journey until the final stage of the program, but failed to qualify for the final three.
Shortly after her experience on the talent show, Klavdia signed a record deal with the Greek label Arcade Music and Panik Records, with which she released her first singles written by Arcade, including “Haramanta”, certified double platinum by IFPI Greece for 40,000 units, and “Vasanizomai”. In late 2022, she applied to represent Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. Despite being selected among the finalists, Greece’s public broadcaster ended up choosing Victor Vernicos as the national representative in Liverpool. In 2024, she released her self-titled debut EP Klavdia.
On 10 January 2025, Greek broadcaster ERT announced Klavdia as one of the participants in Ethnikos Telikos, the new selection to decide Greece’s representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, with the song “Asteromata”. The national selection, which took place on 30 January at the Christmas Theatre in Galatsi, saw Klavdia perform as the fifth contestant out of twelve. Thanks to her performance, she won first place in the overall vote of the international juries and televoting, thus triumphing in the singing competition and earning the honor of representing Greece on the Eurovision stage in Basel.
Discography.
Extended plays.
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Klavdia |
|
Singles.
As lead artist.
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album or EP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRE |
|||||||
| “Lonely Heart” | 2022 | — | Non-album singles | ||||
| “Edo gyrnao“ | — | ||||||
| “Haramata“ | 2023 | 37 | IFPI GRE: 3× Platinum | Klavdia | |||
| “Holy Water” | — | Non-album single | |||||
| “Vasanizomai“ | 2024 | — | Klavdia | ||||
| “Movin’ Too Fast” (with Playmen) | — | Non-album singles | |||||
| “Nyxta mou megali” (with Oge and Arcade) | 46 | IFPI GRE: Gold | |||||
| “Asteromata“ | 2025 | 3 | IFPI GRE: Platinum | ||||
| “—” denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||
As featured artist.
| Title | Year | Album or EP |
|---|---|---|
| “Se alli agkalia (Menak wla meni)” (Natasha Kay featuring Klavdia) | 2021 | Non-album singles |
| “Fire in the Sky” (Valeron featuring Klavdia) | 2023 | |
| “Touch Me” (Playmen and Valeron featuring Klavdia) | 2024 |
| “Asteromáta” (Αστερομάτα, Starry Eyed Girl) |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “ZARI” (2024) • “Asteromáta” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “Asteromata” (Αστερομάτα, Starry Eyed Girl), also spelled “Asteromáta”, is a song by Greek singer Klavdia, written by Arcade and Klavdia with production handled by Arcade. It was released on 31 January 2025 and will represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. It peaked at number three in Greece and was certified platinum by IFPI Greece.
Background and composition. “Asteromata” was written by Klavdia Papadopoulou alongside Arcade.
The song talks about Greek, and other, refugees and that special bond between them and their home land, which they never forget, wherever they are. A metaphorical dialogue is being formed between a mother and her missing child, which comforts her and viceversa.
In an interview, Klavdia, who is of Pontic Greek descent, explained that the message of the song intends to honor those who were forced to abandon their homeland, transmitting a message of hope and resilience.
Eurovision Song Contest.
Ethnikós Telikós 2025. Ethnikós Telikós 2025 was organised by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) to select its entry for that year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
On 10 January 2025, during the ERT1 show Proian se eidon, it was announced that Klavdia would compete in the Greek national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, dubbed Ethnikós Telikós 2025, with the song “Asteromata” (Αστερομάτα). The song won Ethnikós Telikós on 30 January 2025, where it came in first place overall by the national and international jury, as well as the audience votes, thus qualifying the song to represent Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest.
At Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025. During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, Greece was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the first half of the show.
Charts.
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Greece Local (IFPI) | 3 |
Certifications.
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming | ||
| Greece (IFPI Greece) | Platinum | 2,000,000† |
| † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history.
| Country | Date | Format(s) | Version | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 10 January 2025 |
|
Original | Panik Records | |
| 12 March 2025 | Playmen and Valeron remix |
Lyrics of Asteromáta (Greek Ι English)
Asteri mou,
Asteri mou,
Glykia mou mana mi mou klais
Mavra ki an sou foroune
To xethoro to soma mou
Floges den to nikoune
Ta chelidonia tis fotias
Thalasses ki an pernoune
Tou rizomou ta chomata
Pote den lismonoune
Asteromata mou mikri
Gyre na se filiso
Sta agia sou ta dakrya
Ta cheili mou na sviso
Asteromata mou mikri
Gyre mou na se piaso
Ta xechasmena mou ftera
Sterna na xapostaso
Ah Asteri mou
Tzivaeri mou
Glykia mou mana mi mou klais
Karavi ein’ i zoi mou
Pou psachnei gia ton gyrismo
Agera to pani mou
Asteromata mou mikri
Gyre mou na se piaso
Ta xechasmena mou ftera
Sterna na xapostaso
Ah Asteri mou
Tzivaeri mou
Asteri mou…
–
My star,
My star,
My sweet mother, do not weep,
Though they dress you in mourning black.
This faded, weary body of mine,
No flame can ever crack.
The swallows born of fire’s embrace,
No matter how far they roam,
Shall never forget the sacred earth
That once they called their home.
Oh, my little starry-eyed one,
Lean, let me kiss you.
Upon your holy tears of light,
Let my parched lips rest anew.
Oh, my little starry-eyed one,
Lean, let me hold you.
Let these weary, forgotten wings
Find their last breath upon you.
Ah, my star, my precious light…
My sweet mother, do not weep,
My life’s a vessel, drifting free,
Forever searching for its home,
The wind, its sail at sea.
Oh, my little starry-eyed one,
Lean, let me hold you.
Let these weary, forgotten wings
Find their last breath upon you.
Ah, my star, my precious light…
Ah, my star, my precious light…
My star…
Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. Ireland first entered the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965 and has set a number of records along the way.
Famously, Johnny Logan became the first person to win the competition twice, finding success with What’s Another Year? (1980) and Hold Me Now (1987), before the ‘Emerald Isle’ celebrated an astonishing 4 victories over the space of 5 years thanks to Linda Martin (Why Me? 1992), Niamh Kavanagh (In Your Eyes 1993), Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan (Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids 1994), and Eimear Quinn (The Voice 1996).
Since the first Irish triumph in 1970 courtesy of Dana and All Kinds of Everything, the country has totalled 7 victories – a record number of wins unmatched for 27 years until Sweden finally equalled their tally in 2023.
Dublin has hosted the Eurovision Song Contest on 6 occasions (more than any other city), taking place at Point Theatre three of those times.
- Participations: 59
- Victories: 1996 (Eimear Quinn), 1994 (Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan), 1993 (Niamh Kavanagh), 1992 (Linda Martin), 1987 (Johnny Logan), 1980 (Johnny Logan), 1970 (Dana)
- Contests Hosted: Dublin 1997, Dublin 1995, Dublin 1994, Millstreet 1993, Dublin 1988, Dublin 1981, Dublin 1971
🇮🇪 Ireland: EMMY – “Laika Party” (Emmy K. Guttulsrud Kristiansen / Erlend Guttulsrud Kristiansen / Henrik Østlund / Larissa Tormey / Truls Marius Aarra – Emmy K. Guttulsrud Kristiansen / Erlend Guttulsrud Kristiansen / Henrik Østlund / Larissa Tormey / Truls Marius Aarra). Photos EMMY Ι Ireland 2025
EMMY. EMMY is a 24-year-old singer-songwriter from Norway. She was born and raised in a family that loves music and she has been singing her whole life.
Her career got a kick-start in 2015 when, aged 15, she participated in Melodi Grand Prix Junior, one of the biggest music competitions in her country. 6 years later, in 2021, she participated in Melodi Grand Prix, Norway’s pre-selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. The song she performed was Witch Woods and it made it to the final of the competition.
Today, she is especially known for singing on TikTok, and has a profile with 1.2 million followers from around the world. She has also been working with big-name producers such as K-391 and Braaheim.
In 2024, she was in Los Angeles, Latvia and France taking part in various songwriting sessions composing more hits. Emmy is also a freelance graphic designer.
| EMMY |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ Bambie Thug (2024) • EMMY (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Emmy Kristine Guttulsrud Kristiansen (born 13 September 2000), known mononymously as Emmy, is a Norwegian singer-songwriter. She is set to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Laika Party”.
Biography. Kristiansen comes from the village of Sande in Holmestrand Municipality. As a child, she sang in a choir. In 2015, at the age of 14, she participated in the youth music show Melodi Grand Prix Junior with the song “Aiaiaiai”; her older brother Erlend had previously participated in the contest in 2011.
In 2021, Emmy took part in Melodi Grand Prix 2021, the Norwegian national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with her entry “Witch Woods”. She qualified from the third semi-final to make the final, but did not advance to the gold final of the competition.
Emmy was a part of Norway’s Jury for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.
At Melodi Grand Prix 2024, Kristiansen was involved as a songwriter on the song “Woman Show” by Mathilde SPZ, Chris Archer and Slam Dunk. In addition to her work in Norway, she also gained an audience outside her home country through her TikTok account, where she eventually gained over a million followers.
In January 2025, Emmy was announced as a participant in Eurosong 2025, the Irish national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Laika Party”, written by Emmy in collaboration with one Irish and three Norwegian songwriters. The song had initially been submitted to Norway with the hope of competing in Melodi Grand Prix 2025, but had been rejected by Norwegian broadcaster NRK. At the national final, she won both the national jury voting and the televote, earning the right to represent Ireland.
Emmy also was involved as a songwriter for Citi Zēni’s song Ramtai which finished 3rd at Supernova 2025 the Latvian National Final for Eurovision.
Discography.
Singles.
- 2015: “Aiaiaiai”
- 2016: “Bjørnar”
- 2016: “Frightened of Lightning”
- 2018: “Jeg ser at du har ringt”
- 2019: “The Little Boy”
- 2019: “Er det du som har tatt den?”
- 2020: “Gunnar”
- 2020: “If Only”
- 2021: “Witch Woods”
- 2021: “Collection”
- 2021: “Brilleskille” (with Ole Hartz)
- 2021: “Some Say”
- 2022: “Venus (Why Don’t We Run)”
- 2022: “Juliet”
- 2022: “Dear Sandman”
- 2022: “Dear Santa”
- 2023: “Just a Ghost”
- 2023: “DotA” (with J.O.X)
- 2023: “She”
- 2023: “Haunting You”
- 2024: “Vil ha dig” (with Unge Lama)
- 2024: “Lose My Love”
- 2024: “Dancing Alone”
- 2024: “Om du var min” (with J.O.X)
- 2024: “Ain’t Nobody” (with Braaten)
- 2024: “The Hanging Tree” (with Braaheim and Ilyaa)
- 2024: “Boten Anna” (with J.O.X and Hubbe)
- 2024: “Behind Blue Eyes” (with Braaheim and Ilyaa)
- 2024: “Say You Love Me” (with Braaheim and Ilyaa)
- 2024: “Lie to Me”
- 2024: “Monster”
- 2024: “Left Outside Alone”
- 2025: “Mom Is Home” (with K-391 and Nick Strand)
- 2025: “Laika Party”
| “Laika Party” |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “Doomsday Blue” (2024) • “Laika Party” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “Laika Party” is a song by Norwegian singer and songwriter Emmy. It was written by herself, Erlend Guttulsrud Kristiansen, Larissa Tormey, Truls Marius Aarra and Henrik Østlund, with production handled by Østlund and Jonas Jensen. The song was released on 20 January 2025 and will represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Background and composition. Laika Party was written and composed by Emmy Kristine Guttulsrud Kristiansen, Erlend Guttulsrud Kristiansen, Larissa Tormey, Truls Marius Aarra and Henrik Østlund, the latter also responsible for the production together with Jonas Jensen. The song was written at the Rena Song Fest songwriting camp in Norway, where Emmy and Tormey met. The song is a tribute to Laika, the Soviet dog who in 1957 became the first living being to orbit the Earth. The idea for the lyrics came after Emmy accidentally discovered her tragic story, prompting her to imagine an alternative fate in which the animal, instead of dying, experiences an endless party in space.
Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Eurosong 2025. Eurosong 2025 was the national final format developed by RTÉ in order to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. It was held on 7 February 2025, once again during a special edition of The Late Late Show, broadcast on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player. The final of Eurosong 2025 took place at the RTÉ Television Centre on 7 February 2025. The results were determined by a combination of votes from a national jury, an international jury and a televote – each awarding sets of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 points – with the latter taking precedence in the event of a tie in the first place.
After initially being rejected from the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix, “Laika Party” received a second chance on 23 January 2025, when it was announced as an entry for Eurosong, Ireland’s selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. At the national final, the song won both the national jury voting and the televote, earning the right to represent Ireland.
At Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025. During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, Ireland was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the first half of the show.
Charts.
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland (IRMA) | 49 |
Lyrics of Laika Party (English)
(Ready for take-off)
You have probably heard
About this brave little girl
All we know is that she saved the world
She got sent away
But she wasn’t afraid
Though she was alone in the dark, big space
Left the cheering crowd
Went above the clouds
Rocket going high
Then they said goodbye
She still wonders why
But she loves to fly
I hope Laika never died and that she spins around us still
And that she has a party in the air and always will
I hope that she is dancing every night among the stars
I hope Laika is alive
Laika party in the sky
Laika party in the sky
Bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam
Bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Through the comets and the stones
She is howling for her bones
Singing along to the stars and sun
And if she didn’t fly
Nor would you and I
A forever hero for human kind
Left the cheering crowd
Went above the clouds
Rocket going high
Then they said goodbye
She still wonders why
But she loves to fly
I hope Laika never died and that she spins around us still
And that she has a party in the air and always will
I hope that she is dancing every night among the stars
I hope Laika is alive
Laika party in the sky
Laika party in the sky
Bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam
Bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Laika party in the sky (ooh)
Laika party in the sky (ooh)
Bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam bam bam
Ba ra ram bam bam bam
Laika party in the sky
Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest. Latvia made its debut at the Eurovision Song Contest that took place in Stockholm in the year 2000.
Their first participating artist was the popular indie band Brainstorm who placed third on the scoreboard with their song My Star.
The country’s only victory (so far) came soon after in 2002, when Marie N won the Contest with her latin pop number I Wanna. She gave a memorable performance that saw the gradual removal of several items of clothing to reveal a long dress that had been concealed by a white suit and trilby hat.
When Latvia hosted the next Contest in Riga in 2003, Marie N returned alongside Brainstorm lead-singer Renārs Kaupers to co-host the show.
- Participations: 26
- Victories: 2002 (Marie N)
- Contests Hosted: Riga 2003
🇱🇻 Latvia: Tautumeitas – “Bur man laimi” (Asnate Rancāne / Aurēlija Rancāne / Gabriēla Zvaigznīte / Laura Līcīte – Asnate Rancāne / Aurēlija Rancāne / Elvis Lintiņš / Laura Līcīte). Photos Tautumeitas | Latvia 2025
Tautumeitas. Tautumeitas are a 6-member ethno-pop group that blend the traditional with the contemporary, transforming Latvia’s folk heritage into an electrifying experience for listeners.
The band have become a huge force in the Latvian music scene, gaining widespread recognition for their unique sound. Their latest album, Skrejceļš, was celebrated with a 17-date tour and performances at Glastonbury (United Kingdom), Eurosonic (Netherlands), Rudolstadt (Germany) and Festival Du Bout du Monde (France).
Their live shows are immersive experiences; with a background in ethnomusicology, the band channel the energy of ancestral chants while weaving traditional Latvian folklore into their performances.
In Latvian culture, a ‘tautumeita’ represents beauty, feminine power and cultural pride; qualities that perfectly embody the spirit of the band, made up of Asnate Rancāne (vocals, violin), Aurēlija Rancāne (vocals, drums), Laura Līcīte (vocals, violin), Gabriēla Zvaigznīte (vocals), Annemarija Moiseja (vocals, melodica, percussion) and Kate Slišāne (vocals, mandolin, clarinet).
| Tautumeitas |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ Dons (2024) • Tautumeitas (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Tautumeitas are a Latvian folk/world music band formed in 2015. The band consists of six vocalists and instrumentalists. They are set to represent Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Bur man laimi”.
History. In 2017 Tautumeitas, together with Auļi released a 13-track album ‘Lai māsiņa rotājās!’ dedicated to engagements and weddings, and it draws on Baltic folk musical traditions. The album received Annual Latvian Music Recording Award as the Best Folk music album of 2017. Lai māsiņa rotājās! also reached position No. 26 in the 2018 World Music Charts Europe, as well as No. 38 in the April 2018 and May 2018 Transglobal World Music Chart. In 2018 Tautumeitas released their self-titled debut album.
On 2 June 2021, Tautumeitas announced on their official Instagram account that Lauma Bērza would leave the group in the summer.
On 20 November 2024, it was announced that Tautumeitas was selected as a semi-finalist in Supernova 2025 with the song “Bur man laimi”. The show is used to determine Latvia’s representative for the Eurovision Song Contest.
On 8th February 2025, Tautumeitas won Supernova 2025 with their song “Bur man laimi“, earning the right to represent Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Members.
Current members.
- Asnate Rancāne – violin, vocals
- Aurēlija Rancāne – drums, vocals
- Annemarija Moiseja – percussion, vocals
- Laura Marta Līcīte – percussion, violin, vocals
- Gabriēla Zvaigznīte – vocals
- Kate Slišāne – vocals, mandolin, clarinet
Past members.
- Ilona Dzērve — accordion, vocals
- Lauma Bērza – violin, vocals
- Laura Bužinska
Discography.
- Lai māsiņa rotājās! (2017; with Auļi)
- Tautumeitas (2018)
- Dziesmas no Aulejas (2019)
- Skrejceļš (2022)
Charted singles.
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album or EP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAT |
LAT Air. |
LAT Dom. |
LAT Dom. Air. |
|||
| “Bur man laimi“ | 2024 | 18 | 8 | 9 | 1 | Non-album single |
| “Bur man laimi” (Bring me happiness) |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “Hollow” (2024) • “Bur man laimi” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “Bur man laimi” (Bring me happiness) is a song by Latvian folk/world music band Tautumeitas. It was written by Asnate Rancāne, Aurēlija Rancāne, Elvis Lintiņš, Laura Līcīte, and Gabriēla Zvaigznīte, with production handled by Tautumeitas. The song was released on 4 December 2024 and will represent Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. It is the first song written entirely in Latvian to represent the country since 2004.
Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Supernova 2025. Supernova 2025 was the tenth edition of the national final format used to select Latvia’s entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. The competition commenced on 1 February 2025 with a semi-final and concluded with a final on 8 February 2025. The format of the competition consisted of two shows: a semi-final and a final. The semi-final, held on 1 February 2025, featured nineteen competing entries from which the top ten advanced to the final. A professional jury also had the opportunity to advance a wildcard act to the final from the remaining non-qualifying entries in the semi-final, but opted against doing so. Results during the semi-final and final shows were determined by the 50/50 combination of votes from a jury panel and a public vote, with both the jury and public vote assigning points from 1–8, 10 and 12 based on the number of competing songs in the respective show. Ties were decided in favour of the entries that received higher points from the public. Viewers were able to vote via telephone or via SMS.
On 20 November 2024, it was announced that Tautumeitas was selected as a semi-finalist in Supernova 2025 with the song “Bur man laimi.” The song won the contest in the final. Therefore, they will represent Latvia in the upcoming Eurovision 2025.
At Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025. During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, Latvia was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the first half of the show.
Charts.
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Latvia (LaIPA) | 18 |
| Latvia Airplay (LaIPA) | 8 |
| Latvia Domestic Airplay (LaIPA) | 1 |
| Latvia Domestic Streaming (LaIPA) | 9 |
Lyrics of Bur Man Laimi (Latvian Ι English)
Bur man, bur man, bur man, bur man
Nevar manis izpostīt
Bur man, bur man, bur man, bur man
Nevar manis izpostīt
Nevar, nevar, nevar, nevar
Nevar manis izpostīt
Nevar, nevar, nevar, nevar
Nevar manis izpostīt
Ļaudis dara vara tiltu
Es ozola darināj, ļaudis dar’
Vara tiltu es ozola darināj
Ļaudīm vara sarūsēja
Ozoliņa salapoj, ļaudīm var’
Sarūsēja ozoliņa salapoj
Bur man, bur man, bur man, bur man
Nevar manis izpostīt
Bur man, bur man, bur man, bur man
Nevar manis izpostīt
Nevar, nevar, nevar, nevar
Nevar manis izpostīt
Nevar, nevar, nevar, nevar
Nevar manis izpostīt
Ļaudis dara vara tiltu
Es ozola darināj, ļaudis dar’
Vara tiltu es ozola darināj
Ļaudīm vara sarūsēja
Ozoliņa salapoj, ļaudīm var’
Sarūsēja ozoliņa salapoj
Laimi savu nezināju
Laimi savu nezināju
Līdz satiku nelaimīt
Bur man, bur man, bur man, bur man
Nevar manis izpostīt
Bur man, bur man, bur man, bur man
Nevar manis izpostīt
Nevar, nevar, nevar, nevar
Nevar manis izpostīt
Nevar, nevar, nevar, nevar
Nevar manis izpostīt
Nevar, nevar, nevar, nevar
Nevar manis izpostīt
Nevar, nevar, nevar, nevar
Nevar manis izpostīt
Nevar, nevar, nevar, nevar
Nevar manis izpostīt
Nevar, nevar, nevar, nevar
Nevar!
Bur man, bur man, bur man, bur man
Nevar manis izpostīt
Bur man, bur man, bur man, bur man
Nevar manis izpostīt
Nevar, nevar, nevar, nevar
Nevar manis izpostīt
Nevar, nevar, nevar, nevar
Nevar manis izpostīt
Nevar, nevar, nevar, nevar
Nevar manis izpostīt
Nevar, nevar, nevar, nevar
Nevar manis izpostīt!
–
Curses and hexes
Never can they ruin me
Never never never
Never can they ruin me
Others are making a bridge of steel
I’m helping an oak to grow
The bridge of steel turns to rust
My oak grows ever green
Curses and hexes
Never can they ruin me
Never never never
Never can they ruin me
Others are making a bridge of steel
I’m helping an oak to grow
The bridge of steel turns to rust
My oak grows ever green
I didn’t know my own happiness
Until I met my misery
Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest. Lithuania debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994 with singer Ovidijus Vyšniauskas performing his ballad ‘Lopšinė Mylimai’ (‘Lullaby For My Lover’).
That first outing resulted in the dreaded ‘nul points’ and Lithuania would sit the next four Contests out, returning in 1999 when songstress Aistė fared slightly better with her Samogitian-dialect number Strazdas (‘Blackbird’).
As of 2024, the most successful Lithuanian entry is LT United’s We Are The Winners, a tongue-in-cheek football terrace style chant that celebrated Lithuania’s ‘inevitable’ victory at the 2006 competition. It placed 6th.
After Estonia’s victory in 2001 and Latvia’s in 2002, Lithuania is the only Baltic nation yet to win the Eurovision Song Contest, though they have qualified from the Grand Final on more occasions than either of their neighbours.
- Participations: 26
- Victories: None
- Contests Hosted: Yet to host the Eurovision Song Contest
🇱🇹 Lithuania: Katarsis – “Tavo akys” (Lukas Radzevičius – Lukas Radzevičius). Photos Katarsis | Lithuania 2025
Katarsis. Katarsis are an experimental rock band from Lithuania, known for their distinctive sound and emotionally-charged compositions.
Made up of Lukas Radzevičius (vocals), Alanas Brasas (guitar), Emilija Kandratavičiūtė (bass guitar) and Jokūbas Andriulis (drums), the band debuted with Vasara Galvoj Minoras, a track that has gone on to become their signature song.
Blending elements of alternative rock, post-punk and indie, Katarsis are known for exploring themes of pain, longing and personal liberation in their music; songs which come to life via the group’s powerful performances.
2024 saw the release of their first EP, Dausos, which allowed Katarsis to further push the artistic boundaries their fans love to hear them explore.
| Katarsis |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ Silvester Belt (2024) • Katarsis (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Katarsis is a Lithuanian alternative rock band formed in 2020 in Vilnius consisting of Lukas Radzevičius (vocals, guitar), Alanas Brasas (lead guitar), Emilija Kandratavičiūtė (bass), and Jokūbas Andriulis (drums). They are set to represent Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Tavo akys”.
Discography.
Extended plays.
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Dausos |
|
Singles.
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LTU |
|||||||
| “Niekas“ | 2020 | — | Non-album singles | ||||
| “Vasarą galvoj minoras“ | 4 | ||||||
| “Rasa“ | 2022 | — | |||||
| “Des“ | — | ||||||
| “Ėda“ | 2023 | — | |||||
| “Būsi“ | — | ||||||
| “Praradau tave“ | — | ||||||
| “Pamiršau žiūrėt į paukščius“ | 2024 | — | Dausos | ||||
| “Dingo“ | — | Non-album singles | |||||
| “Tavo akys“ | 2025 | 1 | |||||
| “—” denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||
| “Tavo akys” (Your eyes) |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “Luktelk” (2024) • “Tavo akys” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “Tavo akys” (Your eyes) is a song by Lithuanian alternative rock band Katarsis. It was written by Lukas Radzevičius and produced by Jurgis Masilionis. The song was released on 31 January 2025 and will represent Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Eurovizija.LT 2025. Eurovizija.LT 2025 was the national final format organized by LRT to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. It was held between 11 January and 15 February 2025. The competition saw 45 entries compete across five semi-finals, held between 11 January and 8 February 2025, and a final on 15 February 2025. A 50/50 combination of jury and public vote determined the ranking in each phase, with the top two entries from each semi-final (out of the nine total) qualifying for the final; the top three entries from the final moving on to a final televoting round selecting the winner. In case of a tie in any of the previous stages, the jury ranking would take precedence. The score system was the same used at the Eurovision Song Contest: the top ten entries from each of the jury vote and the televote are assigned 1–8, 10 and 12 points.[4] Performances for the semi-finals were pre-recorded, while they were delivered live in the final.
On 11 December 2024, Katarsis was announced as one of the forty-five contestants in the competition with the song “Tavo akys”. On 1 February 2025, Tavo akys advanced to the semi-final stage, thus managing to advance to the final two weeks later. At the final of the event, Tavo akys was one of the three songs with the most votes received by the jury and at home, advancing to the superfinal, where the televote crowned it the winner and Lithuanian representative on the Eurovision stage in Basel.
At Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025. During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, Lithuania was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the first half of the show.
Charts.
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Lithuania (AGATA) | 1 |
Lyrics of Tavo Akys (Lithuanian Ι English)
Tuščios kalbos tik didina ugnį
Dega namai, jie pradeda griūti
Iš akių ji didžiausią liūtį
Visko pamatai, jau pradėjo pūti
Tik saugot ją
Tavo akys mato skausmą
Mano akims tik duoda jausmą
Tu nebijok, tavo sapnuose verkiu
Tik tavo sapnuose verkiu
Tavo, tavo, tavo, tavo…
–
Empty words only fuel the fire
The houses are burning, they start to collapse
From her eyes, the greatest downpour
The foundations of everything have already begun to rot
Just to protect her
Your eyes see pain
For my eyes, it only gives a feeling
Don’t be afraid, I cry in your dreams
Only in your dreams, I cry
Yours, yours, yours, yours…
Montenegro in the Eurovision Song Contest. Montenegro debuted as an independent nation at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007; previously they had participated as part of Yugoslavia and also as one half of the union between Serbia and Montenegro.
The first time Montenegro qualified for the Grand Final was in 2014 when Sergej Ćetković took Moj Svijet (‘My World’) to 19th on the scoreboard.
Their most successful participation came the following year in Vienna when Knez finished in 13th place with the ballad Adio (‘Farewell’).
Coincidentally, 13th place is also the highest position they’ve achieved at Junior Eurovision, thanks to Jana Mirković with her 2015 song Oluja (‘Storm’).
- Participations: 13
- Victories: None
- Contests Hosted: Yet to host the Eurovision Song Contest
🇲🇪 Montenegro: Nina Žižić – “Dobrodošli” (Boris Subotić / Violeta Mihajlovska Milić – Boris Subotić / Darko Dimitrov). Photos Boris Subotić / Darko Dimitrov
Nina Žižić. A singer and songwriter with a career spanning over two decades, Nina Žižić’s participation at Basel 2025 marks the artist’s second appearance on the Eurovision stage.
Nina featured alongside Montenegrin hip-hop duo Who See at Malmö 2013, performing Igranka; a song which has gone on to become a cult favourite in the Eurovision Song Contest fan community.
The singer first rose to fame as a member of the group Negre. Nina left to embark on a solo career that has included the release of numerous singles and exciting collaborations, achieving notable success with hits such as Strogo Povjerljivo, Rijeka Suza and Zabranjujem.
A highly-regarded live performer, Nina has appeared at festivals such as Europjesma and Sunčane Skala, and received critical acclaim for her performance at the inaugural edition of Montesong in 2024.
| Nina Žižić |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ Vldana (2024) • Nina Žižić (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Nina Žižić (Нина Жижић, born 20 April 1985) is a Montenegrin singer. She began her career in 2004 with the group Negre. She represented Montenegro in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 alongside Who See and is set to represent the country again in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Career. In December 2012, RTCG announced that Who See would represent Montenegro in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 held in Malmö together with a “secret artist”, who was later revealed to be Žižić. Their entry was the song “Igranka”. The song was performed in the first semi-final on 14 May 2013, but came 12th with 41 points, failing to qualify for the final.
In 2021, Žižić was a member of the internal jury to select Montenegro’s entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.
Žižić participated in Montesong 2024, the Montenegrin national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, with the song “Dobrodošli“, finishing second to Neonoen with “Clickbait”. However, Neonoen withdrew on 4 December 2024 due to having previously performed their entry in 2023, a violation of the rules. On 8 December 2024, Žižić was announced to be chosen as the Montenegrin representative in the contest instead.
Discography.
Singles.
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| “Rijeka suza” | 2006 | Non-album singles |
| “Potraži me” | ||
| “Strogo povjerljivo” | 2007 | |
| “Druga u meni” | 2008 | |
| “Sve što želim” | ||
| “Ja te moliti neću” | 2009 | |
| “Zabranjujem” | 2011 | |
| “Odlazi” | 2012 | |
| “Sama kriva” | 2013 | |
| “Klik” (with Wikluh Sky) | ||
| “Kiss you, goodbye” | 2016 | Music for the movie Too Many Coincidences |
| “Paranoičan” | 2023 | Non-album singles |
| “Dobrodošli” | 2024 |
Guest appearances.
| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Igranka” | 2013 | Who See | Non-album singles |
| “Common Dreams” | 2023 | Dolce Hera |
| “Dobrodošli)” (Добродошли, Welcome) |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “Breathe” (2022) • “Dobrodošli” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “Dobrodošli” (Добродошли, Welcome) is a song by Montenegrin singer Nina Žižić. It was written by Boris Subotić and Violeta Mihajlovska Milić, with production handled by Darko Dimitrov. The song will represent Montenegro in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Background and composition. Dobrodošli was written by Boris Subotić and Violeta Mihajlovska Milić and produced by Darko Dimitrov. During an interview with the online newspaper Wiwibloggs, Žižić described the song as “how a woman can be strong at times of challenge”. The title created by Subotić was unexpected for the singer herself, as she was not expecting a ballad, but a dance song with less serious lyrics. According to Žižić, the suggestion to participate in Montesong came from Mihajlovska Milić. After a brief hesitation, she finally decided to take part in it.
Eurovision Song Contest.
Montesong 2024. On 10 October 2024, Radio and Television of Montenegro (RTCG) announced that it had selected “Dobrodošli” performed by Nina Žižić as one of the songs to compete in Montesong 2024, the national final that it would organise to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. On 27 November 2024, the song won first place among the judges and fourth place among the audience in the competition, placing it in second place overall, one point behind the winning song “Clickbait”, performed by the band Neonoen. However, on 4 December 2024, Neonoen withdrew from Eurovision due to having previously performed their entry in 2023, a violation of the rules of the international contest. On 8 December, RTCG announced that the song placed second in Montesong 2024, “Dobrodošli” would represent Montenegro at Eurovision performed by Nina Žižić.
At Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025. During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, Montenegro was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the first half of the show.
Track listing.
Digital download/streaming.
- “Dobrodošli” – 3:00
Digital download/streaming – live version.
- “Dobrodošli” (Live) – 3:42
Release history.
| Region | Date | Format | Version | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 10 November 2024 |
|
Original | RTCG | |
| 27 November 2024 | Live | ||||
| 10 March 2025 | Eurovision | Dimitrov |
Lyrics of Dobrodošli (Montenegrin Ι English)
Budi se noć koja je kriva,
Umorne oči trlja bez stida.
Hoće li doć il’ će da sniva,
Zora rujna rane da vida?
Gdje su sad svi? Iza su medja,
Pletu vijenac od cvijeca.
Nasmij se, izdrži sve, proći će,
Izdrži sve, proći će, nasmij se,
Proći će, nasmij se, izdrži sve,
Nestaće, prestaće. A kada će?
Dobrodošli meni vi,
Na predstavu o ljubavi.
Kako si ti, da li si dobro?
Gdje su sad svi,
čisti pred Bogom?
Ko da su nijemi,
Stoje bez riječi,
Oni što tu su u zlu i u sreći.
Lica su im crvena,
Tugom krpljena, a ko mi je kriv.
Nasmij se, izdrži sve , proći će
Izdrži sve, proćiće, nasmij se,
Proći će, nasmij se, izdrži sve,
Nestaće, prestaće. A kada će?
Dobrodošli meni vi,
U hotel mojih slabosti.
Dobrodošli meni svi,
Na predstavu o ljubavi.
–
Slowly creeps in the night that bears all the blame,
Shamelessly wiping the tired eyes away,
Is the ruddy dawn coming at all,
To put balm on the wounds,
Or is it just dreaming,
Where’s everyone now? They are behind the walls,
Braiding flowery wreaths.
Put a smile on your face, endure it all, it’ll pass
Endure it all, it’ll pass, put a smile on your face
It’ll pass, put a smile on your face, endure it all.
It’ll disappear, it’ll be gone. Yeah, but when?
Welcome, ye all
To this staging of love.
How are you hon, are you alright?
Where’s everyone now, is their conscience clean before God?
They just stand here speechlessly, as if mute,
The same ones that should be here in both good and evil.
Their faces are blushing
Patched up with sadness. Still, nobody’s fault but my own
Put a smile on your face, endure it all, it’ll pass
Endure it all, it’ll pass, put a smile on your face
It’ll pass, put a smile on your face, endure it all.
It’ll disappear, it’ll be gone. Yeah, but when?
Welcome ye all
To the hotel of my weaknesses
Welcome, ye all
To this staging of love.
Czechia in the Eurovision Song Contest. Czechia, then better known as the Czech Republic, debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki in 2007.
It wasn’t until their fifth attempt in 2016 that they qualified for their first Grand Final thanks to songstress Gabriela Gunčíková, who finished 25th at the Contest in Stockholm.
Better results were just around the corner, with Mikoláš Josef finishing 6th in Lisbon (Lie To Me, 2018) and the all-female folk band Vesna taking 10th place in Liverpool (My Sister’s Crown, 2023).
Away from the Eurovision Song Contest, violinist Daniel Matejča won the EBU’s classical music competition Eurovision Young Musicians for Czechia in 2022.
- Participations: 14
- Victories: None
- Contests Hosted: Yet to host the Eurovision Song Contest
🇨🇿 Czechia: ADONXS – “Kiss kiss goodbye” (Adam Pavlovčin / Adriano Lopes Da Silva / Inés Coulon / Michaela Charvátová – Adam Pavlovčin / Adriano Lopes Da Silva / Inés Coulon / Geargo Masters-Clark / Lorenzo Calvo / Michaela Charvátová / Ronald Janeček). Photos ADONXS Ι Czechia 2025
ADONXS. As well as a successful career in music, ADONXS has also worked as a professional dancer and model.
The multi-talented performer rose to fame as the winner of SuperStar Czech-Slovakia in 2021 and has since released a string of singles, as well as his debut album Age of ADONXS.
ADONXS grew up listening to music legends such as Queen, Depeche Mode, Elton John and Prince, and has cited Troye Sivan, Mahmood, RAYE and Conan Gray as some of his current influences.
In 2022, the artist won ‘Singer of the Year’ and ‘Musical Discovery’, courtesy of Czech radio station Evropa 2.
| ADONXS |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ Aiko (2024) • ADONXS (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Adam Pavlovčin (born 13 September 1995), known professionally as Adonxs (stylised in all caps), is a Slovak singer. The former lead singer of the London-based alternative band Pace, he released his debut solo studio album Age of Adonxs in 2022, earning him numerous accolades including Album of the Year, Best Male Artist or Best New Artist in Slovakia. He is set to represent Czechia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Kiss Kiss Goodbye”.
Early life. Born Adam Pavlovčin in Myjava and raised in Senica, Adonxs took an interest in dancing and singing at an early age, inspired by his older sister. Following in her footsteps, he joined a junior dance crew, took singing lessons and began learning the piano. In his teenage years, however, he experienced a significant voice change associated with puberty, which caused him to lose his vocal range, with his voice dropping from tenor to basso profondo, the lowest bass. As a result, he quit singing.
Focusing on dancing instead, he performed with professional dance crews and went on to win the Slovak Championship in the IDO street dance disciplines five times in both junior and adult categories. When he was fifteen, he moved away from his family to Bratislava to attend C.S. Lewis Bilingual High Schoo and took acting classes at an academy located in the New Scene theater. At 16, he signed with a modeling agency.
Subsequently, he rediscovered singing and moved to Prague to be classically trained by renowned opera singer Hana Peckova, whom he credits with expanding his bass vocal range up into his pre-teen tenor. He made a living as a freelance artist in Prague for a year before moving to London to pursue a career in music.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in Songwriting and Creative Musicianship at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute in London, United Kingdom, graduating with first class honours.
Struggling to pay for tuition and living expenses while pursuing a degree, he took on various jobs, including working as a server at a gay bar, to make ends meet. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, he said: “Often times I would finish my night shift at the bar at 3 a.m. and start my singing class at 9 a.m.” Adonxs, who came out as gay to his parents two weeks after “falling madly in love” with a boy at 18, has described his college years in London as the time of “complete liberation” and “self discovery”, with a profound impact on his songwriting, on developing his style and stage persona.
At 18, Adonxs wrote his first song “Speechless Boy” and released a low budget music video that served as his public coming out.
Career.
Music.
2015–2020: Lead singer of Pace. While still in high school, Adonxs formed the “genre-bending” music group PACE with his classmate, now film music composer Adrián Čermák. After moving to London, the duo were joined by two other musicians, a guitarist from Monaco and a drummer from Greece.
In early 2018, the multicultural formation released their debut EP titled Keeper, an alternative, predominantly baroque pop record that incorporates elements of symphony orchestra, while its lyricism speaks of Adonxs as a “man trapped in his desires and visions”. A year later, PACE released the single “Hunt Me Down”, followed by “Fallen” in 2020. They went on to play London’s venues, British festivals, Pride parades, and were an opening act for British singer Grace Carter before their remaining scheduled performances were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following the pandemic restrictions on live music venues in the United Kingdom, Adonxs moved back to Prague, Czechia to embark on a solo career in 2021.
2021: Winner of SuperStar. In 2021, Adonxs rose to prominence in his native country and Czechia after winning SuperStar, the seventh season of the joint Czech-Slovak version of Idols. Approached by producers to go on the show, an invitation he declined multiple times in the past, Adonxs stirred controversy with his performances in gender nonconforming outfits (including a translucent dress), to which he responded with “Clothes have no gender”. He is the first openly queer winner of the joint singing competition and has described his victory as a “huge step forward” for the Czech and Slovak society. In an interview with ELLE, which pointed out his popularity as a queer artist in a conservative society, Adonxs reflected on the impact of his success: “I believe my victory has helped pave the way for other queer entertainers, actors, or politicians to come out and not be afraid to be their authentic, queer selves.”
2022–present: Solo career. Following the win, he signed with Warner and began writing and recording his debut album at Lavagance Studios with producers Oliver Fillner, Marek Rakovicky and Tom Lobb. In January, he received a nomination for Best New Artist at the 2021 Ruka Hore Awards, despite not having officially released any solo material yet. In Slovakia, Forbes honored him in Forbes 30 Under 30.
On 20 May, he released his debut solo single “Moving On” under the mononymous stage name Adonxs (the gender-fluid ‘x’ is pronounced /ɪ/, as in Adonis). The alter ego Adonxs refers to a Greek mythological figure, the Greek god of beauty and desire Adonis, who, though a symbol of masculinity, was feminized in Ancient Greek literature, and depicted as sexually ambiguous, androgynous. Adonxs came up with the concept of his alter ego during his studies in London to liberate himself on stage and overcome his then “tremendous” fear of performing in front of audience. The song reflects on closing the door on his past toxic, stagnant relationship, and celebrates entering a new, liberated era. Prior to release, he world premiered the song with a live performance on Let’s Dance on 24 April. In the music video for “Moving On”, Adonxs is wearing a custom skintight garment adorned with hand-sewn crystals by Preciosa, a look he previously teased on Let’s Dance. The debut solo single marked his first number one on the SK Top 50 Chart.
On 4 June, he premiered an unreleased duet version of “Moving On” with Celeste Buckingham. On 11 June, as the only Slovak artist in the lineup, Adonxs played at Lovestream Festival headlined by Dua Lipa, where he premiered his upcoming singles “Game” and “Cold Summer”. On 19 August, Adonxs released his second single “Game”, which he had announced as the “most mainstream song on the album”. The song marked his second number one on the SK Top 50 Chart, where it reigned atop for eight consecutive weeks. The accompanying music video featuring an authentic Adonxs Barbie doll was described as “slightly creepy”, “kinky” and “very queer”, while Adonxs explained that the doll play analogy in the video depicts the parallel between manipulation in romantic relationships and the way the entertainment industry treats a new artist. The video received a nomination at the 2023 Berlin Music Video Awards. On 18 October, he released his third single “Cold Summer”, a piano ballad. His debut solo album Age of Adonxs was released in November 2022. Musicserver rated it as the best album of 2022 in Slovakia. In early 2023, he received two Evropa 2 Music Awards for Best Male Artist and Best New Artist, as well as a nomination for Best Song with “Moving On”. At the 2022 Ruka Hore Awards, he earned a nomination for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and received the Europa 2 Song of the Year award. In the Czech Republic, the album Age of Adonxs was prenominated for the Anděl Award for the best Slovak album of 2022.
In May 2023, Adonxs was announced to perform at the Sziget Festival in Budapest on 13 August. On 8 July, he performed at the Pohoda festival. On 28 July, he released his fourth single, “No Common Measure”. On 22 November, he released “Overthinker”, stylized as OVRTHNKR for the single version, as the fifth single from the album. In the music video, Adonxs raises awareness on the Adonis complex, a term used in psychology to describe the “anxiety and insecurity experienced by boys and men about their appearance or body images”, which can lead to body dysmorphic disorder. In 2024, Adonxs was nominated for the 2023 Crystal Wing Award in the pop music category. He released his first song in Slovak language, “Sám”, on 15 March.
In December 2024, Czech Television announced that it had internally selected Adonxs to represent Czechia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, which will be held in Basel, Switzerland.
Dancing, modeling, acting. Apart from his music career, Adonxs is a professional dancer specializing in street dance, lyrical jazz, Latin dance. He is a five-time Slovak Champion in the IDO street dance disciplines, both in junior and adult categories. He was a member of the RDS Company, performed with the likes of Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger or Leona Lewis, and trained with renowned choreographers including Keone Madrid, Camillo Lauricella and Ian Eastwood.
Adonxs began modeling professionally at age 16. As a runway model, he walked for Alexander McQueen in Milan, as well as in London Fashion Week, and has been featured in campaigns for fashion designers that reject gender stereotypes of masculinity and femininity. He has garnered attention for supporting upcycling and sustainability. In 2022, he has become the face of Adidas Originals in Czechia. In August 2022, Adonxs hosted the 2022 Elite Model Look World Final.
He stars in the music video for “Euphoria” by NobodyListen, and also appears in the video for “The Riddle” by French singer Silly Boy Blue and in “24/7” by German artist MELINA. He plays the role of Bobby, one of the Kit Kat Club boys, in Joe Masteroff’s jazz musical Cabaret, and the role of a heron in BURKICOM’s Island! that reflects on environmental issues.
In November 2022, he finished second in the Slovak version of Your Face Sounds Familiar.
Activism. Adonxs is the face of the award-winning ad campaign Every Love Is Love that features scenes of him kissing a man before turning to the camera, paraphrasing 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, a biblical text about love frequently read during wedding ceremonies. The Constitution of the Slovak Republic bans same-sex marriage and civil unions. “If I’d seen an ad like this in Slovakia as a little boy, I’m sure it would’ve had a very positive effect on my growing up.” Speaking in late 2021, Adonxs said he had never considered himself an activist, but “my actions made me one”.
In addition to the campaign, Adonxs has called for an official change of the definition of the word “love” (láska) in the Slovak dictionary, to make it inclusive of all sexual and gender identities. The current edition of the dictionary defines love as “an affection of an individual of one gender for an individual of another gender”. In comparison, the Merriam-Webster dictionary of English language defines love (noun) as “a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person”. The initiative has yielded a result as the linguistic scientists who authored the dictionary agreed to a change of the definition.
In March 2022, he participated in Artists for Ukraine, an initiative to raise funds for NGOs that provide humanitarian aid and shelter for refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a neighboring country of his native Slovakia.
Adonxs performed at Pride parades in Brighton, Bratislava, and Prague. On 14 October, Adonxs performed at a protest march in memory of two queer victims of the 2022 terrorist attack outside an LGBT bar in Bratislava, Slovakia, carried out by a “radicalized” teenager with anti-LGBT and antisemitic beliefs. Addressing the crowd, Adonxs urged the public to “sow love, empathy and humility”.
In early 2023, Adonxs was recognized for his LGBTQ+ activism with the Cena Inakosti Award.
Artistry. Adonxs is a natural basso profondo, the deepest bass, while possessing a vocal range that extends up into tenor, which gives him a distinctive timbre in the upper register. He has been working on his voice with an opera singer for over a decade. His vocals have been described as “haunting”, “deeply soulful”, “heart-wrenching”, “breathtaking”, the timbre of his voice as “silky”, “recognizable”.
His songwriting style is narrative, following themes of self-love, lust, confusion, attachment, heartache, moving on from the past, or loneliness. Composing all of his songs on the piano, he considers the songwriting process a therapeutic tool and “medicine” for a broken heart.
Influences. Adonxs grew up listening to Queen, Depeche Mode, Elton John, Seal, Prince, and has cited AURORA, Sevdaliza, Josef Salvat, Sufjan Stevens, London Grammar, Lorde, Dua Lipa, Birdy, Florence + the Machine as some of his musical influences, while mentioning Woodkid as the key inspiration in his career beginnings.
Performance style. Elle dubbed Adonxs “the queer king”, while Musicserver compared him to James Blake and Woodkid. He has garnered attention for his fashion style, widely described by media outlets as “eccentric”. In an interview with Esquire, Adonxs defined his style as “London queer pop culture influenced”. He described his trademark androgynous silhouette as having “broad shoulders, high waist, and legs for days”, and has cited Damiano David, Sevdaliza, Prince, Freddie Mercury, and David Bowie as some of his influences in onstage fashion. He is known for his pre-show rituals such as painting his nails for good luck.
Personal life. His sister Radka is an actress and singer based in Prague, Czechia. His mother is the critically acclaimed visual artist Monika Sabo and his stepfather CPT Marián Sabo is a paramedic. He is estranged from his biological father.
Adonxs is a fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
He lives in Prague.
Discography.
Studio albums.
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SVK |
|||||||
| Keeper |
|
— | |||||
| SuperStar 2021 |
|
— | |||||
| Age of Adonxs |
|
88 | |||||
| “—” denotes an album that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||
Singles.
As lead artist.
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album or EP | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SVK Air. |
CZE Air. |
||||||
| Moving On” | 2022 | 31 | 15 | Age of Adonxs | |||
| “Game” | 9 | 74 | |||||
| “Cold Summer” | —[A] | — | |||||
| “No Common Measure” | 2023 | 37 | 20 | Non-album single | |||
| “Overthinkr” | — | — | Age of Adonxs | ||||
| “Sám“ | 2024 | 28 | — | Non-album singles | |||
| “Intergalactic Rodeo” | — | — | |||||
| “Kiss Kiss Goodbye” | 2025 | 47 | — | ||||
| “—” denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||
As part of Pace.
| Title | Year | Album or EP |
|---|---|---|
| “Hunt Me Down” | 2019 | Non-album singles |
| “Fallen” | 2020 |
Filmography.
Music videos.
| Year | Title | Role | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | “24/7” | man | MELINA |
| 2021 | “The Riddle” | man | Silly Boy Blue |
| 2021 | “Euphoria” | main character | NobodyListen |
Television.
| Year | Title | Episode |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | The Voice Česko Slovensko | series 1, episode 2, 6 |
| 2021 | SuperStar | series 7, episode 5, 8, 12 – 16 |
| 2022 | Snídaně s Novou | episode 20. 12. |
| 2022 | Teleráno | episode 21. 12. |
| 2022 | TALK! | episode 11. 1. |
| 2022 | Reflex | episode 16. 2. |
| 2022 | Chart Show | series 7, episode 6 |
| 2022 | Krištáľové krídlo | 25th edition |
| 2022 | Život ve hvězdách | episode 30. 4. |
| 2022 | Let’s Dance | series 7, episode 8 |
| 2022 | Neskoro večer | episode 28. 5. |
| 2022 | Social Awards Slovakia | 3rd edition |
| 2022 | Tvoja tvár znie povedome | 7th series |
Tours.
Headlining.
- Adonxs On Tour (2022)
Awards and nominations.
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Ruka Hore Awards | Best New Artist | Himself | Runner-up | |
| 2022 | Forbes 30 Under 30 | Music | Included | ||
| Social Award for Music | Runner-up | ||||
| Evropa 2 Music Awards | Best Male Artist | Won | |||
| Best New Artist | Won | ||||
| Song of the Year | “Moving On” | Runner-up | |||
| Anděl Awards | Best Slovak Album | Age of Adonxs | Nominated | ||
| Cena inakosti | Recognition for LGBTQ+ activism | Himself | Won | ||
| Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||||
| Album of the Year | Age of Adonxs | Nominated | |||
| Evropa 2 Song of the Year | “Game” | Won | |||
| 2024 | Crystal Wing Awards | Award for Pop Music | Himself | Nominated | |
| Berlin Music Video Awards | Best Performer | Second place | |||
| 2025 | Best Performer or Actor | Pending |
Dancing results.
Slovak Championship.
| Season | Age division | IDO Street Dance discipline | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | C | Disco Dance formation | 2 |
| 2006 | C | Disco Dance solo male | 3 |
| 2006 | C | Disco Dance formation | 2 |
| 2007 | J | Disco Dance formation | 1 |
| 2007 | J | Disco Dance formation | 1 |
| 2009 | J | Disco Dance duo | 2 |
| 2009 | A1 | Disco Dance group | 1 |
| 2010 | A1 | Disco Dance group | 1 |
| 2010 | A1 | Disco Dance formation | 1 |
| 2010 | A1 | Street Dance Show group | 2 |
World Championship.
| Season | Age division | IDO Street Dance discipline | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | C | Disco Dance formation | 3 |
Slovak Cup.
| Season | Age division | IDO Street Dance discipline | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | J | Disco Dance solo male | 1 |
| 2008 | J | Disco Dance solo male | 2 |
| 2009 | J | Disco Dance duo | 3 |
- J = junior
- A = adult
Notes.
- a^ “Cold Summer” did not enter the Rádio – Top 100 chart, but peaked at No. 28 on the Slovak Local Rádio Top 50 chart.
| “Kiss Kiss Goodbye” |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “Pedestal” (2024) • “Kiss Kiss Goodbye” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “Kiss Kiss Goodbye” is a song by Slovak singer-songwriter Adonxs. It was written by Adonxs, George Masters-Clark, Ines Coulon, Lorenzo Calvo, Michaela Charvátová and Ronald Janeček. The acoustic version was first presented on 4 February 2025 while the studio version was released on 7 March. It will represent Czech Republic in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Eurovision Song Contest.
Internal selection. On 11 December 2024, ČT announced that Adonxs, would represent Czechia in Basel, while the song “Kiss Kiss Goodbye” was announced as the Czech entry on 31 January 2025. Adonxs and the song were selected in various rounds by a ten-member international jury consisting of music professionals and former Eurovision entrants, a demoscopic jury consisting of 900 members from three countries, and a focus group. An acoustic version of the song was presented to the public on 4 February 2025 during the first semi-final of the 2025 Maltese national final, while its studio version was released on 7 March.
At Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025. During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, the Czech Republic was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the second half of the show.
Charts.
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Slovakia (Rádio Top 100) | 47 |
Lyrics of Kiss Kiss Goodbye (English)
Blow me a kiss goodbye
I don’t want my tears to dry
One kiss of love
One kiss of desperation
In a moment two of us collide
There’s no other place to hide
Only one survives when the night arrives
Will you be my ride or die
You
You seem so holy
It almost fooled me
Truly
When you said you loved me
It almost moved me
KISS KISS GOODBYE
KISS KISS GOODBYE
NOW KEEP YOUR
HALF APOLOGIES
DRUNK IN APATHY
OVER AND OVER AGAIN
KISS KISS
Caught in the motion you’re wearing me out
Tainted devotion heart on the ground
Only one survives when the night arrives
Will you be my ride or die
You
You seem so holy
It almost fooled me
Truly
When you said you loved me
It almost moved me
KISS KISS GOODBYE
KISS KISS GOODBYE
NOW KEEP YOUR
HALF APOLOGIES
DRUNK IN APATHY
OVER AND OVER AGAIN
Blow me a kiss goodbye
See how my tears run dry
One kiss of love
Won’t feel the same tonight
YOU
YOU
NOW KEEP YOUR
HALF APOLOGIES
DRUNK IN APATHY
OVER AND OVER AGAIN
KISS KISS
🇩🇰 Denmark: Sissal – “Hallucination” (Chris Chordz / Line Spangsberg / Linnea Deb / Malthe Johansen / Marcus Winther-John / Melanie Wehbe / Sissal Johanna Nordberg Niclasen – Chris Chordz / Line Spangsberg / Linnea Deb / Malthe Johansen / Marcus Winther-John / Melanie Wehbe / Sissal Johanna Nordberg Niclasen). Photos Sissal | Denmark 2025
Sissal. Sissal lives in Copenhagen but is originally from Tórshavn in the Faroe Islands, where she performed for the first time on stage at the age of 10.
Since moving to Denmark, she’s played at festivals, voiced a role in the Danish dub of a Disney film, and even performed for the King of Denmark!
The artist is inspired by Nordic electropop from the likes of Dagny and Robyn, and is also a big fan of the Eurovision Song Contest, describing it as a world that she feels right at home in.
As a mother, Sissal has faced prejudice about her pop career, but refuses to let that define her. She aims to show that women can have thriving careers and make music after having children – a concept rarely questioned of men.
| Sissal |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ SABA (2024) • Sissal (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Sissal Jóhanna Norðberg Niclasen (born February 1995), known mononymously as Sissal, is a Faroese singer. She is set to represent Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Hallucination”.
Early life. Sissal was born in Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands, and is the daughter of Faroese artist Mikkalina Norðberg.
Career. Sissal rose to prominence in 2005, when she won the Faroese children’s singing competition Nósa Barnaprix with the song “Summarið er komið”. In 2010, she won the annual singing competition Ársins Songrødd.
Sissal released her first EP Hear Me Now in 2025. In February 2025, she was announced as one of the eight participants in the annual Dansk Melodi Grand Prix with the song Hallucination. The combined jury and public vote ensured her victory and, consequently, the chance to represent Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel. She is the second Faroese artist to represent Denmark in Eurovision after Reiley in 2023.
Musical style. Sissal cites Norwegian singer Dagny and Swedish singer Robyn among her musical inspirations.
Personal life. In 2020, Sissal moved to Copenhagen to launch her international music career. She has two daughters.
Discography.
Extended plays.
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Hear Me Now |
|
Singles.
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album or EP |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEN Air. |
|||
| “Summarið er komið” | 2005 | — | Non-album singles |
| “Na Na Na” | 2016 | — | |
| “Anyone Better” | 2017 | — | |
| “Stop Thinking” | 2020 | — | |
| “Vanilla Spread” | — | ||
| “Deep End” | 2024 | — | Hear Me Now |
| “Far from Sober” | — | ||
| “Hear Me Now” | — | ||
| “Hallucination” | 2025 | 8 | Non-album single |
| “—” denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||
| “Hallucination” |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “Sand” (2024) • “Hallucination” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “Hallucination” is a song by Faroese singer-songwriter Sissal. Described as an experience of encountering someone with a great connection, it was released on 6 February 2025 through Virgin. It was written by Sissal, alongside Chris Rohde-Frisk, Lina Spangsberg, Linnea Deb, Malthe Johansen, Marcus Winther-John, and Melanie Gabriella Hayrapetian. The song will represent Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Background and composition. “Hallucination” was composed and written by Sissal, together with Lina Spangsberg, Linnea Deb, Marcus Winther-John, Melanie Gabriella Hayrapetian, Chris Rohde-Frisk, and Malthe Johansen, with the latter two and Joy Deb producing the song. As described by Sissal, the song is about “meeting a person where the connection feels so real that it almost seems unreal.” Wiwibloggs called the dance song “EDM-inspired”.
Credits and personnel.
Musicians.
Sissal Jóhanna Norðberg Niclasen – vocals
Joy Deb – programming, bass, keyboards, drums
Malthe Johansen – programming, bass, keyboards, drums
Christopher Rohde-Frisk – keyboards
Linnea Deb – background vocals
Melanie Gabriella Hayrapetian – background vocals
Technical.
Holger Lagerfeldt – mastering
Joy Deb – mixing, production
Christopher Rohde-Frisk – production
Malthe Johansen – production
Eurovision Song Contest. Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2025. Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2025 was the national final format organised by the broadcaster Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) to select the Danish representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. For 2025, the contest saw eight entries competing in a televised final held on 1 March 2025. The winner was determined over two rounds of voting. In the first round, open between 24 and 28 February 2025 and again during the live final of 1 March, the top three songs qualified to a superfinal, where a second voting round determined the winner. The results of both rounds were based on the 50/50 combination of votes from the public and a jury panel, consisting of 10 international members and 10 Danish members.
Sissal was officially announced to compete in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2025 on 6 February 2025. In the final, the song moved on to the superfinal along with two other entries, namely “The Unluckiest Boy Alive” by Adel the Second and “Proud” by Tim Schou. The song eventually won the superfinal, garnering 20 points from the jury and 18 points from the televote, for a combined total of 38 points, ultimately winning the contest and the Danish spot for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
At Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025. During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, Denmark was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the second half of the show.
Charts.
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Denmark Airplay (Hitlisten) | 8 |
Release history.
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Version | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 6 February 2025 |
|
Original |
|
Lyrics of Hallucination (English)
You show me more
More than meets the eye
You open all the doors inside my mind
I see colours
I never saw before
A thousand shades of light come to life
Making me question
All that I thought true
All that I’m seeing through you
My vision’s blurry
But I can see clearly
Baby, I’m losing control
You’re my hallu-
Hallucination
Hallu-
Hallucination
I’m paranoid
Slipping from reality
You’re leading me into another fantasy
Making me question
All that I thought true
All that I’m seeing through you
My vision’s blurry
But I can see clearly
Maybe, I’m losing control
You’re my hallu-
Hallucination
Hallu-
Hallucination
A new revelation
Hallu-
Hallucination
Worlds are changing, darkness fading
I follow you to the end and now I’m changing (now I’m changing)
It’s a new sensation, ooh
(Worlds are changin’)
(Darkness fading)
(My Hallucination)
Hallucination
(Worlds are changin’)
(Darkness fading)
(My Hallucination)
You’re my hallu-
Hallucination
Hallu-
Hallucination
Hey yeah-yeah-yeah
Hey yeah-yeah-yeah
Hallucination
You’re my hallu-
Hallucination
Hallu-
Hallucination
🇫🇮 Finland: Erika Vikman – “ICH KOMME” (Christel Roosberg / Jori Roosberg – Christel Roosberg / Jori Roosberg). Photos Erika Vikman | Finland 2025
Erika Vikman. One of the brightest stars in the Finnish pop world, Erika Vikman, started her career in the entertainment industry at a very young age.
In the early stages of her career, she performed at summer theatres and various TV programmes and, in 2016, Vikman became famous among Finnish people by winning the popular Tangomarkkinat festival.
In 2020, the boundary-pushing artist had her big breakthrough hit with the 2x platinum-selling Cicciolina, and the following year, she released her self-titled debut album, which reached the top of the Finnish album charts.
Many more hits have followed, including the 3x platinum smashes Syntisten Pöytä and Ruoska, a collaboration with Eurovision Song Contest 2023 runner-up Käärijä.
| Erika Vikman |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ Windows95man (2024) • Erika Vikman (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Erika Susanna Vikman (born 20 February 1993) is a Finnish singer and songwriter. Beginning her career as a Finnish tango singer, Vikman first received recognition after winning Tangomarkkinat in 2016. She later received further nationwide attention following the release of the single “Cicciolina” in 2020, which became her first top five hit in Finland. Her debut self-titled studio album was released the following year, and topped the charts in Finland. Vikman will represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Ich komme”.
Early life and education. Vikman was born on 20 February 1993 in Tampere. She later grew up in Lempäälä and Pori. Her mother was also a singer, who sang Finnish tango music and competed in Tangomarkkinat. She has a sister named Jennika, who is also a singer. Vikman began singing as a teenager, and won the girls’ division in the 2008 Junior Tango Competition. She later also participated in the 2010 Tampere Springboard Competition.
Vikman attended Tampere Coeducational High School, and graduated with her upper secondary school diploma in 2013. Afterwards, she also studied pop-jazz vocals at Pirkanmaa Music College.
Career.
2013–2019: Tango career and Tangomarkkinat 2016. Vikman began her professional career in 2013, after she was selected to be a contestant in season seven of the Finnish version of Idols. She was selected as one of the twelve finalists, and was later eliminated during the 7 November 2013 episode, placing ninth. She later was brought back as a wildcard on the 28 November episode, but was eliminated again that week, ultimately placing seventh.
Following her departure from Idols, Vikman established herself as a Finnish tango singer. She competed in Tangomarkkinat in 2015, where she finished in second place. Vikman later returned to the competition the following year and won, being crowned the Tango Queen of Finland for 2016.[11] Following the competition, Vikman later signed with Sony Music, and released her first single with the label, “Ettei mee elämä hukkaan”, in 2017. The song saw Vikman experimenting more with electropop music.
2020–present: “Cicciolina”, mainstream success and Eurovision.In 2020, Vikman signed with Warner Music Finland and was confirmed by Yle to be competing in Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2020, the Finnish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. In the competition, she performed the song “Cicciolina”, written about the Hungarian-Italian pornographic actress Ilona Staller, who performed under the stage name Cicciolina. Vikman competed in the competition final on 7 March 2020 in Tampere, where she placed second; she received the most votes from the Finnish public, but the professional jury ranked her only third. Despite only placing second, the song went on to become a hit in Finland, becoming her first top five single. Following the success of “Cicciolina”, Vikman later released the follow-up single “Syntisten pöytä”, which became her second top five hit, and later first number one radio hit. Also in 2020, Vikman placed third in season one of Masked Singer Suomi, competing as “The Wasp”.
Vikman released her debut self-titled studio album in August 2021. The album went on to peak at number-one in Finland, becoming Vikman’s first number-one album. In May 2022, it was announced that Vikman would appear in season thirteen of Vain elämää, the Finnish version of The Best Singers.
In 2025, it was confirmed that Vikman would compete at Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2025 with the song “Ich komme”. She later won and will represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Personal life. From 2016 until 2020, Vikman was in a relationship with Finnish singer Danny. The relationship was controversial due to their age gap, with Danny being 50 years Vikman’s senior. They resided together in Kirkkonummi until their separation. She came out as bisexual in 2020.
Discography.
Albums.
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| FIN |
||
| Erika Vikman |
|
1 |
Singles.
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album or EP | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIN |
|||||||
| “Etkö uskalla mua rakastaa” | 2015 | — | Non-album singles | ||||
| “Ettei mee elämä hukkaan” | 2017 | — | |||||
| “Säännöt” | — | ||||||
| “Jos osaisin sanoa ei” | — | ||||||
| “Cicciolina” | 2020 | 5 | Erika Vikman | ||||
| “Syntisten pöytä” | 3 | ||||||
| “Häpeä” | 2021 | 15 | |||||
| “Tääl on niin kuuma” (with Arttu Wiskari) | 6 | ||||||
| “Huonoja ideoita” (with Antti Tuisku) | 12 | Non-album singles | |||||
| “Elizabeth Taylor” | 2023 | 46 | |||||
| “Ruoska” (with Käärijä) | 2024 | 1 | People’s Champion | ||||
| “Aivan sama” (with Janna and F) | 42 |
Non-album singles | |||||
| “Myynnissä” | 34 | ||||||
| “Ich komme” | 2025 | 2 | |||||
| “—” denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||
| “ICH KOMME” (I’m coming) |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “No Rules!” (2024) • “ICH KOMME” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “Ich komme” (I’m coming) is a song by Finnish singer Erika Vikman, and was written and produced by Christel Roosberg and Jori Roosberg (Roos+Berg). The song was released through Warner Music Finland and Mökkitie Records on 16 January 2025 and will represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. It reached number two on the Finnish Singles Chart.
Background and composition. “Ich komme” was written and produced by Christel Roosberg and Jori Roosberg (Roos+Berg). and combines Finnish disco and electronic music. The lyrics reflect “the joyous message of pleasure, ecstasy and a state of trance” and its structure reflects sexual pleasure and reaching orgasm.
Promotion. To promote “Ich komme” before the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, Vikman announced her intent to participate in various Eurovision pre-parties. It was first announced that she will be performing at the London Eurovision Party 2025 on 13 April 2025 to be held at Here at Outernet. Further, Vikman will be performing at Eurovision in Concert 2025 to be held at AFAS Live Arena in Amsterdam on 5 April 2025. She also confirmed to be participating at PrePartyES 2025 on 19 April 2025 to be held at Sala La Riviera in Madrid.
In addition, Vikman is conducting a promotional tour for her participation in the contest, having done press events in Sweden in March and Italy in April.
Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2025. Finland’s broadcaster Yleisradio Oy (Yle) organized a seven-entry competition, Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2025 consisting of a singular grand final to select its entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 on 8 February 2025. The edition was the 14th iteration of the contest. The winner of the final was selected by a 75/25 combination vote of televoting and juries, respectively.
Vikman was announced to competed in Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2025 on 8 January 2025, while her music video was released on 17 January. The song later ended up winning this contest and gets to represent Finland in Eurovision 2025, the 69th edition of the contest. It was one of two songs in the contest to be about ejaculating, the other being “Milkshake Man” by Australia’s Go-Jo.
At Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025. During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, Finland was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the second half of the show.
Charts.
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) | 2
|
Lyrics of ICH KOMME (Finnish / German Ι English / German)
(Ich komme)
On yö, sydän lyö
Hän loveen lankeaa
Kuu nousee, maa kaartuu
Mun portit aukeaa
(Hei) Mä oon Erika, tervetuloa
Sä oot ku ihana trance – Jumala
Oo tääl ku kotona
Tee ku haluut ja ku tuut
Tuun sun mukana
(Ich komme, ich komme)
Ja ennen ku tulee, se huutaa mulle
(Ich komme, ich komme)
Ja siihen mä kajautan kovaa: “Ich komme”
(Ich komme, ich komme)
Ja me yhessä tullaan ja ollaan sillee
(Ich komme, ich komme)
Et tälläst se on ku loveen lankee
(Wunderbar!)
Mä oon Erika, hauska tavata
Ja tanssin sun kaa vaik häävalssin, mut nakuna
Mä oon Erika
Sus on staminaa
Iske mut uudestaan
Käy kii mun pakaraan
Ja ku haluut taas lovee, huuda: “Encore”
Ja, baby, ich komme
(Ich komme, ich komme)
Ja jälleen ku tulee, se huutaa mulle
(Ich komme, ich komme)
Enkä mä voi ku vaa parkuu: “Ich komme”
(Ich komme, ich komme)
Ja me yhessä tullaan ja ollaan sillee
(Ich komme, ich komme)
Tälläst se on ku loveen lankee
Let go ja anna tapahtuu
Baby, anna ittes ja mukaan tuu
Tähdet sun silmis, ja mä sun pääl
Baby, ansaitset kaiken hyvän tääl
Let go ja anna tapahtuu
Baby, voit viel ittees rakastuu
Tähdet sun silmis ja mä sun pääl
Baby, ansaitset kaiken hyvän tääl
(Ich komme, ich komme) Ich komme
(Ich komme, ich komme) Loveen lankee
(Ich komme, ich komme) Hei, baby
(Ich komme, ich komme) Ja tälläst se on ku loveen lankee
–
Nightfall
Heart beats
Into the trance
The moon rises
The earth arches
The gates open
Hey!
I am Erika
Welcome
What a wonder you are
A trance deity
Make yourself at home here
Do as you wish
Wish you were there
I will wish along with you
ICH KOMME
ICH KOMME
And before we’re there
It calls to me
ICH KOMME
ICH KOMME
I call to you
ICH KOMME
ICH KOMME
ICH COMME
And together we spin
Reach for it
ICH KOMME
ICH KOMME
Isn’t this just how it is?
When you fall to the lust trance
(Wunderbar)
I am Erika
How lovely to meet you
And how lovely I will dance with you
Even a wedding waltz
But uncovered
I am Erika,
All eros and stamina,
Over and over and then once more
Hold on to me tight
And if you want love
Shout Encore
Baby
ICH KOMME
ICH KOMME
Over and over
Scream it for me
ICH KOMME
ICH KOMME
Surrender,
Yelling;
ICH KOMME
ICH KOMME
ICH KOMME
We will get there together
Crying out;
ICH KOMME
ICH KOMME
This is how it is
When you fall to the lust trance
Let go
And let it happen
Surrender and join
Stars in your eyes
And me in authority
Baby you deserve everything
Good in here
Let go
Let it happen
Baby, you can still fall in love with oneself
Stars in your eyes
And me in authority
Baby you deserve everything
Good in here
ICH KOMME
ICH KOMME
Falling into the lust trance
ICH KOMME
ICH KOMME
Hey baby
This is how it is
When you fall to the lust trance
🇬🇪 Georgia: Mariam Shengelia – “Freedom” (Buka Kartozia – Keti Gabisiani). Photos Mariam Shengelia Ι Georgia 2025
Mariam Shengelia. From a small town in Georgia to the grand stage of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, Mariam Shangelia’s journey can be seen as a testament to her talent, perseverance and sheer determination.
Without formal training or industry connections, the artist has managed to build her career from the ground up, proving that hard work and raw talent can defy any odds.
Mariam first gained national recognition on The X Factor Georgia, where her distinctive voice and emotional depth set her apart. Determined to push her artistry even further, she later competed on The Voice Georgia, captivating audiences with her powerful performances and undeniable stage presence.
Beyond her solo career, Mariam is also a member of Mixtura, a band known for its fusion of diverse musical influences. Performing in a group setting has expanded her artistic range and strengthened her ability to command the stage.
| Mariam Shengelia |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ Nutsa Buzaladze (2024) • Mariam Shengelia (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Mariam Shengelia (მარიამ შენგელია; born 14 May 2002) is a Georgian singer. She will represent Georgia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Freedom”.
Shengelia is a member of the Georgian music band Mix2ura.
Early life. Shengelia was born on 14 May 2002 in Mingrelia, Georgia, but until age of 10 was raised in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia. Then with her family she moved to the city of Zugdidi. She developed an interest in singing and performing during her childhood years. Shengelia attended the Tbilisi State Conservatoire, where she studied vocal performance and music theory. Her early musical influences included a variety of genres such as pop, soul, and jazz.
Career. In 2018, Shengelia gained national recognition as a semi-finalist on X Factor Georgia. A year later, she finished sixth in the Geostar, which selected Georgia’s representative for the ultimately cancelled Eurovision Song Contest 2020. In 2020, she was scheduled to be a backing vocalists for Tornike Kipiani’s song “Take Me as I Am,” which was set to represent Georgia at Eurovision Song Contest 2020. In 2021, she reached the semi-finals of the fourth season of The Voice Sakartvelo, and in 2025, she finished in second place on Tsekvaven Varskvlavebi, the Georgian version of Dancing with the Stars.
On 14 March 2025, Georgian Public Broadcaster announced that Shengelia would represent Georgia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel with the song “Freedom”.
Political views. Shengelia has been criticised for publicly supporting Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, and participating in commercials and concerts that support it. Shengelia said that by her participation in the concerts she wants to spread her main message, which is peace. According to media reports, she originally took part in protests against the party in 2023 and shared a post via her Facebook account in 2022 proclaiming that she apologized for the actions of the Georgian government in the face of Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Discography.
Singles.
| “Freedom” |
| . |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “Firefighter” (2024) • “Freedom” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “Freedom” is a song by Georgian singer Mariam Shengelia. It was written by Keti Gabisziani and Buka Kartozia. The song was released on 17 March 2025 and will represent Georgia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Background and composition. “Freedom” was composed by Keti Gabisiani with lyrics by Buka Kartozia. The lyrics convey a message of hope and determination, giving faith in the journey ahead. Images of blue and cloudless skies and calm yet stormy seas further deepen the emotional charge. The lyrics emphasize a pure and unwavering love for freedom and homeland, while Shengelia declares that she has no other riches to seek.
Music video and promotion. The music video of the song was directed by Kakha Bukhrashvili with artistic direction by Shako Popiashvili and Nino Tsulaia, and premiered alongside the entry announcement via the official Eurovision Song Contest’s YouTube channel.
Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Internal selection. On 14 March 2025, GPB announced “Freedom” performed by Mariam Shengelia as the Georgian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. Shengelia had previously attempted to represent Georgia in 2020, placing sixth in the ninth season of the reality television singing competition and artist selection Georgian Idol. The song was selected from 18 applications received by GPB, with another 20 entries also sent in by foreign composers.
At Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025. During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, Georgia was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the second half of the show.
Lyrics of Freedom (Georgian / English Ι English)
მზე..
ცა..
თავისუფლება…
ანი და ბანი განი და დონი
ქრებიან წლები გარბიან დრონი
ენი და ვინი ზენი და თანი
არასდროს დავთმოთ ეს ცა და მთანი
როგორც ბალახის სურნელი
ცის ნამი წყარო ანკარა
თავისუფლების წყურვილი
სამშობლომ გულით ატარა
და როგორც მკერდში ეს გული
თავისუფლებაც ჩემშია
და როგორც ჩენი სიცოცხლე
სამშობლო ერთადერთია
ეს მზე ათბობს და ანათებს დღეს
სამშბოლოს მთებსა და ზვრებს
იმედით მივყვებით გზებს
ეს ცა ლურჯი და უღრუბლო ცა
მშვიდი და მღელვარე ზღვა
არ მინდა სიმდიდრე სხვა
Freedom is the heavens gift we share
Freedom is the human wealth to care
Freedom is the mountain spring fresh air
People, let it be here and there, everywhere…
And, I’m living my life with my smile
Kindness is sense of my style
Freedom’s what makes life so mine
Home my sweet and marvelous home
Meadows and mountains to roam
This is my wealth and my throne
მზე..
ცა ..
თავისუფლება ანი და ბანი.
–
Sun
Sky
Freedom
Ani and Bani, Gani and Doni
Years are passing, time is flying
Eni and Vini, Zeni and Tani
We will never give up this sky and mountains
Like the scent of grass
The dew of the sky, the pure spring
The thirst for freedom
Carried in the heart by the homeland
And just like this heart in my chest
Freedom is also within me
And just like our life
The homeland is the one and only
This sun warms and shines today
On the mountains and fields of the homeland
With hope, we follow the roads
This sky, blue and cloudless sky
A peaceful and restless sea
I don’t want any other wealth
Freedom is the heaven’s gift we share
Freedom is the human wealth to care
Freedom is the mountain spring fresh air
People, let it be here and there, everywhere
And, I’m living my life with my smile
Kindness is the sense of my style
Freedom’s what makes life so mine
Home, my sweet and marvelous home
Meadows and mountains to roam
This is my wealth and my throne
Sun, Sky, Freedom, Ani and Bani
🇮🇱 Israel: Yuval Raphael – “New Day Will Rise” (Keren Peles – Keren Peles). Photos Yuval Raphael | Israel 2025
Yuval Raphael. Yuval Raphael is from Ra’anana, on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.
She began her professional singing career in 2024 when she took part in TV talent show HaKokhav HaBa, captivating viewers with her vocals all the way through to the final of the competition, which she won.
Despite the relatively recent start, Yuval’s life-long dream has always been to become a singer, with a particular interest in the soul and R&B genres. As a child, she listened to classic rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Scorpions, as well as iconic singers such as Beyoncé and Céline Dion.
Performing on stage in Basel won’t be the singer’s first time in Switzerland! As a child, Yuval lived in Geneva for three years, where she spent a lot of her time skiing and playing tennis.
| Yuval Raphael |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ Eden Golan (2024) • Yuval Raphael (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Yuval Raphael (יוּבַל רָפָאֵל; born 5 November 2000) is an Israeli singer. She is set to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “New Day Will Rise”.
Biography. Raphael is the niece of businesswoman Ronit Raphael and comes from Ra’anana, Israel. She grew up in moshav Pedaya and spent three years of her childhood in Geneva, Switzerland. As a child, she listened to rock bands such as Led Zeppelin and the Scorpions, and singers such as Beyoncé and Celine Dion.[7] She began singing professionally in 2023.
Raphael was attending the Nova Sukkot Gathering music festival in Re’im on 7 October 2023, when Hamas militants attacked the festival. She hid inside a Death Shelter near kibbutz Be’eri with 50 other people, while sustaining shrapnel injuries from grenades thrown into the shelter. Raphael was one of 11 survivors, having hid under dead bodies for eight hours. In a speech before the United Nations Human Rights Council, she described what she witnessed during the attack.
Music career. On 19 November 2024, Raphael’s audition for the eleventh season of HaKokhav HaBa, which served as the Israeli artist selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, aired, where she performed “Anyone” and advanced to the next round with a score of 98%. She eventually progressed to the final on 22 January 2025, where she performed “Dancing Queen” and “Writing’s on the Wall”. She dedicated her performance of the former to those killed by the Nova attack. She ranked first and was chosen to represent Israel at Eurovision, succeeding Eden Golan, whose appearance on the previous edition had attracted controversy as a result of her country’s involvement in the Gaza war. At the time of her announcement, she was living in Ra’anana.
Discography.
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISR |
ISR Dom. Air. |
|||
| “New Day Will Rise” | 2025 | 42 | 1 | Non-album single |
| “New Day Will Rise” (יום חדש יעלה) |
|
|
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “Hurricane” (2024) • “New Day Will Rise” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “New Day Will Rise” is a song by Israeli singer Yuval Raphael. Written by Keren Peles and produced by Tomer Biran, it was released on 9 March 2025. The song will represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Eurovision Song Contest.
HaKokhav HaBa, songwriting process. Israel’s broadcaster for the Eurovision Song Contest, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC/Kan), utilized the reality singing competition HaKokhav HaBa to select its singer for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. At the end of the competition, Yuval Raphael emerged victorious on 22 January 2025, winning the right to represent Israel in the contest. The songwriting process for the broadcaster’s entry had started three weeks earlier, with an internal committee headed by Barak Itzkovitch (director of Kan’s music stations) listening to 54 submissions.
The selection took place in two rounds. In the first round, the 54 submissions were listened to and a voting round was held among the committee members and the three best songs were chosen. Afterwards, Raphael recorded new versions of the songs in her own voice. The committee members gathered again and listened to the three songs, this time in Raphael’s voice, and another voting round was held. The song “New Day Will Rise”, written by Keren Peles and produced by Tomer Biran, was unanimously chosen by all committee members. Its lyrics were then sent for approval to the European Broadcasting Union, which is in charge of the Eurovision Song Contest. On 17 February, it was announced that the song had been approved. Its music video was filmed on 25–26 February and released on March 9. Following the release, it was pointed out that the Hebrew pronunciation of the biblical verse in the song (Song of Songs 8, verse 7) was incorrect. A corrected edit of the song was released on March 11.
Charts.
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Israel (Mako Hit List) | 42 |
| Israel Domestic Airplay (Media Forest) | 1 |
Lyrics of New Day Will Rise (English / French / Hebrew Ι English)
And even if you say goodbye
You’ll never go away
You are the rainbow of my sky
My colours in the grey
My only wish upon a star
Sunshine in the day
The only song that my piano ever plays
And even if you say goodbye
You’ll always be around
To lift me up and take me high
Keep my feet close to the ground
Are you proud of me tonight
Dreams are coming true
I choose the light
Nothing to lose if I lose you
New day will rise
Life will go on
Everyone cries
Don’t cry alone
Darkness will fade
All the pain will go by
But we will stay
Even if you say goodbye
Et même si tu dis adieu
Tu ne partiras jamais
T’es l’arc-en-ciel de mon ciel bleu
Mes couleurs dans le gris
Et mon seul souhait sous un ciel d’art
Un rayon dans ma journée
La seule chanson que mon piano peut jouer
New day will rise
Life will go on
Everyone cries
Don’t cry alone
Darkness will fade
All the pain will go by
But we will stay
Even you say
New day will rise
Life will go on
Everyone cries
Don’t cry alone
Darkness will fade
All the pain will go by
But you will stay
The love of my life
מים רבים
לא יכבו
את האהבה
ונהרות לא ישטפוה
New day will rise…
Everyone cries
Don’t cry alone
Darkness will fade
All the pain will go by
But we will stay
Even if you say goodbye
A new day will rise
New day will rise
–
And even if you say goodbye
You’ll never go away
You are the rainbow of my sky
My colours in the grey
My only wish upon a star
Sunshine in the day
The only song that my piano ever plays
And even if you say goodbye
You’ll always be around
To lift me up and take me high
Keep my feet close to the ground
Are you proud of me tonight
Dreams are coming true
I choose the light
Nothing to lose if I lose you
New day will rise
Life will go on
Everyone cries
Don’t cry alone
Darkness will fade
All the pain will go by
But we will stay
Even if you say goodbye
And even if you say goodbye
You’ll never go away
You are the rainbow of my sky
My colours in the grey
My only wish upon a star
Sunshine in the day
The only song that my piano ever plays
New day will rise
Life will go on
Everyone cries
Don’t cry alone
Darkness will fade
All the pain will go by
But we will stay
Even you say
New day will rise
Life will go on
Everyone cries
Don’t cry alone
Darkness will fade
All the pain will go by
But you will stay
The love of my life
Many waters cannot quench love
Neither can the floods drown it
New day will rise…
Everyone cries
Don’t cry alone
Darkness will fade
All the pain will go by
But we will stay
Even if you say goodbye
A new day will rise
New day will rise
🇱🇺 Luxembourg: Laura Thorn– “La poupée monte le son” (Julien Salvia / Ludovic-Alexandre Vidal – Julien Salvia / Ludovic-Alexandre Vidal / Christophe Houssin). Photos Laura Thorn | Luxembourg 2025
Laura Thorn. Laura Thorn is a rising star on the international music scene, with a Master’s degrees in solfeggio and pedagogy, as well as in pop singing!
From a young age, Laura has been immersed in the world of music. At 5, she began practising dance and at 8, she started taking solfeggio classes, while also learning to play the piano and cello.
Driven by an insatiable love for the craft, the young musician soon added chamber music to her repertoire, as well as harmony, counterpoint, sight-reading for strings and keyboard, as well as choral conducting!
When the multi-talented Laura isn’t performing on stage, she works as a teacher at the Conservatoire de Musique in Esch/Alzette, in the south of the country. A native speaker of Luxembourgish and French, the singer is also fluent in English and German.
| Laura Thorn |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ TALI (2024) • Laura Thorn (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Laura Thorn (born 1999 or 2000) is a Luxembourgish singer set to represent Luxembourg in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, with the song “La poupée monte le son”.
Life and career. Thorn has been trained in music theory, piano, cello, keyboard, chamber music and dance from a young age. Since the age of five, Thorn has performed on stage and taken part in musical competitions. She completed her studies with a master’s degree in music theory, music pedagogy, and pop singing, from IMEP in Namur. Thorn is a teacher at the Esch-sur-Alzette Conservatory of Music.
In 2024, a Parisian record procution duo, consisting of Julien Salvia and Ludovic-Alexandre Vidal, were searching for a Luxembourgish singer for their new track. They contacted Thorn through a former singing teacher of her to perform their song, which was later named “La poupée monte le son”. Thorn went on to submit the song to Luxembourg Song Contest 2025, which acted as Luxembourg’s national final for Eurovision Song Contest 2025. On 18 November 2024, Thorn was announced as one of seven finalists in Luxembourg Song Contest 2025. On 25 January 2025, during the final of Luxembourg Song Contest 2025, which was held in Rockhal, Thorn got the most points from international juries and second place in televote, ultimately winning the competition and receiving the right to represent Luxembourg in Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel.
Discography.
Singles.
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album or EP |
|---|---|---|---|
| LUX |
|||
| “La poupée monte le son” | 2025 | 12 | Non-album single |
| “La poupée monte le son” (The doll turns up the sound) |
  |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “Fighter” (2024) • “La poupée monte le son” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “La poupée monte le son” (The doll turns up the sound) is a song by Luxembourgish singer Laura Thorn. A nod to Luxembourg’s winning Eurovision entry in 1965, the song was released on 20 December 2024, and was written by Christophe Houssin, Julien Salvia, and Ludovic-Alexandre Vidal. A revamped version of the song was released on 18 March 2025. The song will represent Luxembourg in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Background and composition. “La poupée monte le son” was written and composed by French songwriters Christophe Houssin, Julien Salvia, and Ludovic-Alexandre Vidal. The song was described as a homage to France Gall’s song “Poupée de cire, poupée de son“, Luxembourg’s winning Eurovision entry in 1965. During the press conference after winning Luxembourg Song Contest 2025, Laura Thorn said that “a doll is controlled by someone. The one I sing about no longer lets itself be done”, referring to an opposite approach to Gall’s song. In an interview with ESCBubble, Thorn further said, “I love the fact that there’s this connection with France’s song, especially because it won Eurovision exactly 60 years ago, so I thought that’s such a great idea to really honour Luxembourg and its history with the Eurovision Song Contest”.
A revamped version of the song was released in all streaming platforms on 18 March 2025.
Promotion. To promote “La poupée monte le son” before the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, Thorn announced her intent to participate in various Eurovision pre-parties. It was first announced that she will be performing at Eurovision in Concert 2025 to be held at AFAS Live Arena in Amsterdam on 5 April 2025. She also confirmed to be participating at PrePartyES 2025 on 19 April 2025 to be held in Madrid.
Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Luxembourg Song Contest 2025. The Luxembourg Song Contest 2025 was organised by RTL Lëtzebuerg to select its entry for that year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Seven entries competed in a televised final held on 25 January 2025, where the winner was selected through a singular round of voting, made up of an equal combination of votes from eight international jury groups, and a public international vote on RTL’s website.
Thorn was officially announced to compete in the Luxembourg Song Contest 2025 on 19 December 2024, and the competing entry was officially released the following day. The song performed sixth in the running order, and scored 94 points from the jury and 90 points from televoting for a combined total of 184 points, ultimately winning the contest and the Luxembourgish spot for the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest.
At Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025. During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, Luxembourg was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the second half of the show.
Track listing.
Digital download/streaming – Luxembourg Song Contest edit.
- “La poupée monte le son – LSC Edit” – 2:58
Digital download/streaming – Eurovision version.
- “La poupée monte le son” – 2:58
- “La poupée monte le son (Instrumental)” – 2:58
Charts.
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Luxembourg (Billboard) | 12 |
Release history.
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Version | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 20 December 2024 |
|
Luxembourg Song Contest edit | Ily8 | |
| 18 March 2025 | Eurovision version |
Lyrics of La Poupée Monte Le Son (French Ι English)
Si tu n’vois en moi qu’une poupée parfaite
Qui sourit et puis se tait quand tu le souhaites
Oublie-moi, je ne suis pas ta marionnette
C’est comme ça, c’est comme ça
Ton p’tit manège s’arrête
Si tu crois qu’un homme comme toi me manipule
Retourne chez maman, vaut mieux qu’tu capitules
Ou sinon c’est moi qui te désarticule
Prends garde à toi, garde à toi
Car je prends les manettes
Nouveau mode d’emploi
Je peux tout faire sans toi
C’est un autre schéma
Une autre époque
Je donne de la voix
Alors surtout joue pas
Au ventriloque
La poupée monte le son
Na na na na na na
Retiens bien la leçon
Na na na na na na
La poupée monte le son
Na na na na na na
Méfie-toi mon garçon
Na na na na na na
La poupée monte le…
Si tu me pensais fragile en porcelaine
Ou plus malléable, du genre polyéthylène
Je n’suis pas comme ça, j’ai besoin d’oxygène
M’en veux pas, m’en veux pas
Un nouveau monde m’appelle
Si tu comptais m’exposer dans ta vitrine
Avec toute ta collection de figurines
Désolée pour toi mais moi seule détermine
Où mon cœur va, mon cœur va
Oui, je tire les ficelles
Nouveau mode d’emploi
Je n’compte plus que sur moi
C’est le signal, tu vois
D’une autre époque
Je donne de la voix
Pour déclencher chez toi
L’électrochoc
La poupée monte le son
Na na na na na na
Retiens bien la leçon
Na na na na na na
La poupée monte le son
Na na na na na na
Méfie-toi mon garçon
Na na na na na na
La poupée monte le son
Ta poupée, comme tu l’appelles,
Fait monter les décibels
Elle est l’écho d’une nouvelle
Génération
Sans chiffon ni plastique
Dans ses caractéristiques
Ta poupée mène la musique
Elle monte le…
Elle monte le…
Elle monte le son
La poupée monte le son
Na na na na na na
Retiens bien la leçon
Na na na na na na
La poupée monte le son
Na na na na na na
Méfie-toi mon garçon
Na na na na na na
La poupée monte le son
Na na na na na na
Retiens bien la leçon
Na na na na na na
Lа poupée monte le ѕon
–
If all you see in me is a perfect doll
Who smiles and then shuts up when you want her to
Forget me, I’m not your puppet
That’s the way it is, that’s the way it is
Your little game is over
If you think a man like you can manipulate me
Go back to mummy, you’d better give up
Or else, I’m the one who will dismantle you
Beware, beware,
Because I’m taking the controls
New instruction manual
I can do everything without you
It’s another setup
Another era
I make my voice heard
So, above all, don’t play
The ventriloquist
The doll turns up the sound
Na na na na na na
Remember the lesson
Na na na na na na
The doll turns up the sound
Na na na na na na
Watch out, boy
Na na na na na na
The doll turns up the…
If you thought I was fragile like porcelain
Or more malleable, like polyethylene
I’m not like that, I need oxygen
Don’t blame me, don’t blame me,
A new world is calling me
If you were intending to display me in your showcase
With your complete collection of figurines,
Sorry for you but I alone determine
Where my heart goes, my heart goes
Yes, I am pulling the strings
New instruction manual
I’m relying on myself alone now
You see, that’s the sign
Of another era
I make my voice heard
To trigger in you
The electroshock
The doll turns up the sound
Na na na na na na
Remember the lesson
Na na na na na na
The doll turns up the sound
Na na na na na na
Watch out, boy
Na na na na na na
The doll turns up the sound
Your doll, as you call her,
Turns up the decibels
She is the echo of a new generation
Without rags or plastic
In her specifications,
Your doll conducts the music
She turns up the…
She turns up the…
She turns up the sound
The doll turns up the sound
Na na na na na na
Remember the lesson
Na na na na na na
The doll turns up the sound
Na na na na na na
Watch out, boy
Na na na na na na
The doll turns up the sound
Na na na na na na
Remember the lesson
Na na na na na na
The doll turns up the sound
🇲🇹 Malta: Miriana Conte – “SERVING” (Benjamin BNJI Schmid / Miriana Conte / Muxu / Sarah Evelyn Fullerton – Benjamin BNJI Schmid / Miriana Conte / Muxu / Sarah Evelyn Fullerton). Photos Miriana Conte | Malta 2025
Miriana Conte. Miriana Conte is a versatile Maltese singer known for her electrifying performances and a fearless approach to music.
With a voice that commands attention, she enjoys blending contemporary pop with edgy and dynamic elements, pushing boundaries both vocally and visually. Miriana likes to ensure that her fun, bubbly and quirky character always shines through, on and off the microphone.
Music has been a part of the Maltese artist’s life since the age of 5, when she started taking singing lessons and quickly developed a passion for performance.
In 2017, at just 16 years old, she first attempted to represent Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest. This marked the beginning of a Eurovision dream that now comes to fruition, 8 years later.
| Miriana Conte |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ Sarah Bonnici (2024) • Miriana Conte (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Miriana Conte (born 17 December 2000) is a Maltese singer. She is set to represent Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Career. On 21 December 2016, Conte was announced as one of sixteen entries selected to compete in the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2017 with the song “Don’t Look Down”. There, on 18 February 2017, she finished in 16th and last place with 156 points. Conte was announced as one of sixteen entries selected to compete in the final Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2018 on 11 October 2017. She finished in 12th place with 14 points. In 2018, Conte took part in the first edition of the Maltese version of the talent show X Factor Malta, in which she co-founded the group 4th Line, and made it to the final stage. In 2019, she left the group. In 2019, she also took part, as a soloist, in the second edition of X Factor Malta, but did not make it to the final. With a group of Maltese artists, she took part in the recording of a song titled Roll the Dice, which was the anthem of the Maltese Pride Week in 2019.
Conte participated in Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2022 with the song “Look What You’ve Done Now”, placing 6th in the final. On 18 October 2023, she was announced among the participants of Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song “Venom”, later being drawn to perform in the fourth and final show of the semi-final stage on 17 November. At the end of the round, in late November, it was announced that she was among the qualifiers for the final on 3 February 2024. There, she finished ninth overall with 25 points.
On 12 December 2024, it was announced that Conte was one of 24 semi-finalist entries who were selected for Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Kant”. Having qualified in the second semi-final, she won the televoting in the final and came first overall with 182 points, being selected to represent Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
After winning the Maltese national final, Malta Eurovision Song Contest, with her song “Kant” (Maltese for “singing”), the EBU renamed it to “Kant (Singing)” to avoid confusion with the English word. On 3 March, 2025, the EBU censored her song and decided that the word “Kant” must be removed from the title and lyrics. On 13 March, 2025, it was announced that the song will be renamed to “Serving”.
Personal life. Conte is half-Italian; her father comes from Naples and works as a businessman. She was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in 2023. As of March 2025, Conte identifies as queer and has a girlfriend.
Discography.
Singles.
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album or EP |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLT Dom. Air. |
|||
| “Don’t Look Down” | 2017 | — | Non-album singles |
| “Rocket” | 2018 | — | |
| “Look What You’ve Done Now” | 2022 | — | |
| “Venom” | 2024 | — | |
| “Serving” | 2025 | 1 | |
| “—” denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||
| “SERVING” (Kant) |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “Loop” (2024) • “SERVING” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “Serving”, originally titled “Kant” (Singing), is a song by Maltese singer Miriana Conte. It was written by Conte alongside Benjamin “BNJI” Schmid, Sarah Evelyn Fullerton (Sarah Lake), and Matthew Mercieca (Muxu), with production handled by Schmid. It was released on 8 January 2025, and will represent Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Background and composition. “Serving” was written and composed by Miriana Conte, Matthew “Muxu” Mercieca, Sarah Evelyn Fullerton and Benjamin “Bnji” Schmid, the latter in whom also handled production.
The original title of the song, “Kant” which in Maltese means “singing”, is repeated in the chorus through a pun that recalls the expression serving cunt, used to describe a bold and self-confident person in queer and drag cultures. Scott Mills, host for BBC Radio 2, said that BBC Radio “definitely can’t play” the song. In an interview with TVM, Conte initially said that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) had accepted the song as it was and that its lyrics would not be changed, but that the song would be revamped.
On 4 March 2025, Maltese broadcaster PBS stated that the EBU forbade the term “Kant” from being used on stage and demanded changes to the song’s lyrics, after the British broadcaster BBC reportedly levied a complaint in accordance with Ofcom regulations. On 13 March, the song’s title was changed to “Serving” for the contest. The new version of the song omits the word kant and replaces it with the sound “aahh”.
Eurovision Song Contest.
Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2025. Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2025 was the national final format developed by PBS to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. The competition consisted of two semi-finals and a final held between 4 and 8 February 2025 at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre in Ta’ Qali. The format of the competition consisted of twenty-four competing songs. Two semi-finals with twelve songs each took place on 4 and 6 February 2025 where the top eight entries qualified from each semi-final to compete in the final on 8 February 2025. Nine judges and the public via televoting evaluated the songs during the shows, both of which had an equal stake (50%) in the final result. Ties in the final results were broken based on the entry which received the higher score from the public.
Conte was announced as a participant on 12 December 2024. Her song was drawn to perform fourth in the second semi-final, and qualified on 6 February. In the final, Conte performed in first and won the competition with 182 points. She placed second in the jury vote and first in the televote.
At Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025. During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, Malta was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the second half of the show.
Charts.
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Malta Domestic Airplay (BMAT PRS) | 1 |
Release history.
| Country | Date | Format(s) | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 8 January 2025 |
|
Manifester Music |
Lyrics of SERVING (English)
I’ve got a secret you should know
Come a little close, I’ll whisper slow
I’ve got a secret you should know
(Shhh shhh shhh shhh)
People say “don’t be so loud”
Watch the words coming out your mouth
Hands crossed, don’t dare stand out
(Follow the crowd, follow the crowd)
Pull up, pull up, make ‘em all bow down
Shut up, shut up, I’ma be real loud
Get up, get up, I don’t back down
(Follow me now, follow me now)
Only lovers, no enemies
Feel it round me queen energy
In my power a higher me
Here’s the secret remedy
Why should we let other people decide
When we could be having the time of our lives
Let down your walls, come and dance to my vibe
I do it all the time
Yeah, I do it all the time
Serving!
Do-re-mi-fa-s-s-serving
Do-re-mi-fa-s-s-serving
They say no, do the opposite
That’s it
Give up, give up, this girl don’t quit
Follow me now
Only lovers, no enemies
Feel it round me queen energy
Here’s our secret remedy
Why should we let other people decide
When we could be having the time of our lives
Let down your walls, come and dance to my vibe
I do it all the time
Yeah, I do it all the time
Yeah, I do it all the time
Serving!
Do-re-mi-fa-s-s-serving
Do-re-mi-fa-s-s-serving
I’ve got a secret you should know
Do-re-mi-fa-so
I’ve got a secret you should know
Do-re-mi-fa-so
Why should we let other people decide
When we could be having the time of our lives
Let down your walls, come and dance to my vibe
I do it all the time
Yeah, I do it all the time
Serving!
(I’m serving)
Do-re-mi-fa-s-s-serving
(I’m serving)
Do-re-mi-fa-s-s-serving
I’ve got а secret you ѕhould know
🇷🇸 Serbia: Princ – “Mila” (Dušan Bačić – Dušan Bačić). Photos Princ Ι Serbia 2025
Princ. Princ (Stefan Zdravković) is a Serbian singer known as the “vocal miracle from Vranje”.
As well as being a vocalist, Princ can also play guitar and drums. He has fronted a rock band in the past and he was also cast in the lead role of a Serbian production of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar.
The multi-talented musician first gained widespread recognition through The Voice of Bulgaria, where he reached the Top 12 among 4,000 contestants.
In 2023, Princ competed in Serbia’s Eurovision pre-selection Pesma za Evroviziju with the song Cvet Sa Istoka, placing second but winning the public vote. In 2025, he returned to win the competition outright, with Mila.
| Princ |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 artist |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Artist chronology |
| ◄ Teya Dora (2024) • Princ (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected entrant: Stefan Zdravković (Стефан Здравковић; born 29 September 1993), known professionally as Princ od Vranje (Принц од Врање,. ‘Prince of Vranje’) or simply Princ, is a Serbian singer. He is set to represent Serbia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Mila”.
Early life and education. Stefan Zdravković was born in Vranje, and has lived in Belgrade since 2002. He was the Serbian national champion and vice-champion in karate, and also competed for the national team. In high school, at the age of 15, he began to play music, when he founded the band Šesta Žica with his friends. He is a philologist by profession, having graduated from the Department of Scandinavian Languages, Literature and Culture, Norwegian Language, at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philology.
Career. Zdravković sings, plays the guitar and drums.[3] Since 2016, he has been the lead singer of the band Sisyphus. In 2020, he was cast in the lead role in the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, organized by the Cultural Center of the Student City.
He has participated in many festivals, such as the Slavyanski Bazaar in Belarus. He is the winner of the International Music Competition “River Notes” in Bulgaria, and also won one of the largest music festivals in Malta. In addition to the aforementioned, he has also participated in festivals in Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Italy and Spain. He wrote the song “Lepo moje Vranje”, which was sung by his friend Đorđe Popović. In Glasat na Bulgaria, out of 4,000 applicants, he entered the top 12, i.e. the semi-finals, in 2021.
Pesma za Evroviziju. On 14 January 2022, it was announced that Princ was one of thirty-six entries selected for Pesma za Evroviziju ’22. On 19 January 2022, however, he announced his withdrawal from the contest due to conflicts with songwriter Leontina regarding the song “Ljubi svog čoveka“. The song was instead performed by Tijana Dapčević, who had represented Macedonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014, under an altered version titled “Ljubi, ljubi doveka“.
The following year, in 2023, it was announced that Princ would participate in the Pesma za Evroviziju ’23 with the song “Cvet sa istoka”, written by Dušan Bačić and arranged by Dejan Nikolić. The published voting results showed that Princ won the most audience votes in both the first semi-final and the final, but in the final total with the jury votes, he came in second place, just behind Luke Black.
In December 2024, Princ was announced as a contestant in Pesma za Evroviziju ’25 with the song “Mila”. After qualifying for the second semi-final, he won the competition on 28 February 2025.
Discography.
Singles
| Title | Year | Album or EP |
|---|---|---|
| “Samo mi je lepo“ | 2022 | Non-album singles |
| “Cvet sa Istoka“ | 2023 | |
| “Mirno” (with Goca Tržan) | ||
| “Kad poželiš” (with Regina) | ||
| “Ajša“ | 2024 | |
| “Čardak“ | ||
| “Ela Ela“ | ||
| “Belo“ | ||
| “Paučina” (with Šejla Zonić) | ||
| “Mila“ | 2025 |
| “Mila” (Мила) |
 |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 entry |
|
| Finals performance |
|
| Entry chronology |
| ◄ “Ramonda” (2024) • “Mila” (2025) • “” (2026) ► |
• Selected song: “Mila” (Мила) is a song by Serbian singer Stefan Zdravković, known by his stage name Princ. The song was released on 27 January 2025 by PGP-RTS and was written by Dušan Bačić. It will represent Serbia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 after winning Pesma za Evroviziju ’25.
Background and composition. The music and lyrics are written by Dušan Bačić, who also worked on “Cvet sa Istoka“, the song that Princ performed at Pesma za Evroviziju ’23. “Mila” is a romantic love ballad.
Princ stated that the song is the most difficult song he’s had to sing in his career, because of the dynamics and all kinds of changes in the arrangement. He also said that the song represents what he’s going through in his love life right now.[1][2] According to him, one of the messages is that when you love someone, sometimes you have to accept that you can’t stay together.
Critical reception. The official Eurovision fan club in Serbia, OGAE Serbia, awarded a prize for the best composition of the festival, based on fan votes; the prize went to Harem Girls, who also finished second in the competition. “Mila” ranked only eighth.
“Mila” was not the favorite for the win before the Serbian national selection.
Slobodan Todorović from Evrovizija.rs had criticized the original version of the song for sounding unfinished, even though he thought it could be a stand-out in the second semi-final because it is a ballad. The song has also been described as a Eurovision-neutral song.
Eurovision Song Contest.
Pesma za Evroviziju ’25. Serbia’s broadcaster for the Eurovision Song Contest, Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), organized a 30-entry competition, Pesma za Evroviziju ’25 (PzE ’25), to select its entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. The contest was split into two 15-song semi-finals, with eight songs from each semi-final qualifying into a 16-song grand final. In the final, the victor was selected via a 50/50 system of juries and televoting.
Princ won the PzE ’25 final on 28 February, finishing second with the jury and third with the public. This was his second appearance at the contest; in 2023, he came in second place, receiving the most votes from the public. As a result of winning the competition, the song won the right to represent Serbia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Lyrics of Mila (Serbian Ι English)
Neka bude mi
To zadnja večera
Nek oko Kerbera
U noć me potera
Nek te probudi
Taj miris sećanja
I moja muzika
Od tvoga imena
Mila
Ti si platila što volim te ja
Mila
Život vratila sa ruba
Ima mnogo razloga da
Ipak voliš drugoga
Al’ tako mi je stalo da te čuvam
Ovaj život je
Bez zrna šećera
Od kada ne je da
A vera nevera
Nek te poljubi
Ko bolje slaže te
A nek te dobije
Ko rizikuje sve
Mila
Ti si platila što volim te ja
Mila
Život vratila sa ruba
Ima mnogo razloga da
Ipak voliš drugoga
Al’ tako mi je stalo da te čuvam
–
Let this be for me
The last supper
Let the hound of Hades
Chase me into the night
Let the scent of memories
Wake you up
And my music
Made from your name
Mila
You’ve paid the price for my love
Mila
You’ve brought life back from the edge
You have many reasons
To love another one
But I only want to take care of you
This life is
Without a grain of sugar
Since no became yes,
And faith turned to betrayal
Let the better liar
Kiss you
Let the one who risks it all
Win you over
Mila
You’ve paid the price for my love
Mila
You’ve brought life back from the edge
You have many reasons
To love another one
But I only want to take care of you.
|
Moldova in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 |
| Withdrawn |
|
Etapa națională 2025 |
|
|
Finals performance |
|
|
Artist chronology |
|
◄ Natalia Barbue (2024) • x (2026) • “” (2027) ► |
Moldova was due to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, held in Basel, Switzerland. The Moldovan participating broadcaster, TeleRadio-Moldova (TRM), had planned to organise the national final Etapa națională 2025 in order to select its entry for the contest. On 22 January 2025, TRM announced its withdrawal from the contest and the cancellation of Etapa națională, citing economic reasons and the quality of the national final.
Background. Prior to the 2025 contest, TeleRadio-Moldova (TRM) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Moldova nineteen times since its first entry in 2005. Its best placing in the contest was third, achieved in 2017 with the song “Hey, Mamma!” performed by SunStroke Project. To this point, it had achieved a top ten placing at the contest four times: in 2005 when “Boonika bate toba” performed by Zdob și Zdub placed sixth, in 2007 when “Fight” performed by Natalia Barbu placed tenth, in 2018 when “My Lucky Day” performed by DoReDoS also placed tenth, and in 2022 when Zdob și Zdub returned to compete for a third time together with the Advahov Brothers and placed seventh with the song “Trenulețul“. In 2024, Natalia Barbu returned to compete for a second time where her song “In the Middle” failed to qualify to compete in the final.
As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, TRM organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. TRM confirmed its intentions to participate at the 2025 contest on 16 November 2024. The broadcaster has used various methods to select its entry in the past, such as a national selection show or via an internal selection. On 19 November 2024, TRM announced that it would hold a national final to select its entry for the 2025 contest.
Before Eurovision.
Etapa națională 2025. Etapa națională 2025 was the planned national final format developed by TRM to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. The event would have included a final to be held on 22 February 2025 and broadcast on Moldova 1.
Competing entries. Artists and composers were able to submit their entries between 19 November 2024 and 27 December 2024. Artists could submit more than one song, and an international act was able to compete only if they were part of a duo or group where 50% of the lead vocalists were of Moldovan nationality. At the conclusion of the submission deadline, 30 valid entries were received by the broadcaster.
On 13 January 2025, the list of the 29 artists and songs participating in the audition round was released by TRM. Among the selected competing artists was Anton Ragoza as a member of Carnival Brain, who previously represented Moldova in 2010 and 2017 as a member of SunStroke Project. On 16 January, Eblansh Band withdrew from the competition, with the listed reason being that one of their team members was hospitalised in Romania, however, there have been accusations that the band doesn’t exist, and the song was generated using artificial intelligence by a group of pranksters. Head of Delegation Daniela Crudu responded to media questions on whether the song was AI generated, stating that: “the songs were not analyzed on whether they were made with artificial intelligence. That is for the jury to do at the live auditions”. Additionally, Anna G, Dan Alexandrov and Valleria did not perform during the live audition round despite originally being on the participants list; Valleria is known to have been disqualified due to late arrival at the venue, while the others did not specify the reasons for their absence.
The live audition round took place on 18 January 2025 at the TRM Studio 2 in Chișinău and broadcast on Moldova 1, with 12 finalists selected by a jury panel to advance to the final of Etapa națională 2025.
Key: Selected for the final Entry withdrawn or disqualified
| Draw | Artist | Song | Songwriter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diana Elmas | “Fly Away” |
Linda Persson, Mats Larsson, Peter Nord, Ylva Persson |
| 2 | Sasha Khanedanyan | “Silent Hills” | Sasha Khanedanyan |
| 3 | Nr.11 | “Bye” | Nadejda Rotaru |
| 4 | Nordika | “Ludmila“ | Ruslan Țăranu |
| 5 | Royals ST | “Zboară-n sus“ |
Paul Gamurari, Anatol Vornicescu |
| 6 | Tudor Bumbac | “Pace noi vrem“ |
Daniela Bumbac, Tudor Bumbac |
| 7 | Sasha Letty | “Haute couture” | Jacob Jonia |
| 8 | Nadya Crajevschi | “Not a Shadow” |
Ivan Aculov, Nadejda Crajevschi |
| 9 | Sasha Bognibov | “All-Night Party” |
Tristan White, Andy Brook |
| 10 | Cristian Predein | “Moldovian Dance” |
Alexandru Cobușcean, Cristian Predein |
| 11 | Chris Cross | “Eu vin“ |
Radco, Cristian Cuculescu |
| 12 | Vadim Eleni | “Mamă, să fii!“ | Vladimir Eleni |
| 13 | Rina | “Dorințele“ |
Rodica Jabinschi, Ion Cațăr |
| 14 | Bacho and Carnival Brain | “Semafoare“ |
Anton Ragoza, Dumitru Golban, Edgar Bacioi, Iuri Rîbac |
| 15 | Lylu | “Be Your Light”[a] | Martin Hollis |
| 16 | Poops feat. Zaffi | “Destinul“ | Anton Polygalov |
| 17 | Priza feat. Mc Mike | “Kookoo” |
Constantin Ieșeanu, Mihail Țurcanu |
| 18 | Lisa Volk | “O lacrimă, un dor“ |
Marian Stârcea, Viorica Visterniceanu |
| 19 | Y-gaga Band | “Alexia“ |
Marian Stîrcea, Daniela Barbacari |
| 20 | Lodos | “Sentimental” |
Oleg Herescu, Ilker Fatih Ayla, Veronica Rusu-Bucico |
| 21 | Sasha Bognibov | “We Changed Our Gender” | Sasha Bognibov |
| 22 | Katy Rain | “Timpul“ |
Ecaterina Tostogan-Condrea, Mihăiță Chiriac |
| 23 | Cătălina Solomac | “Demons” |
Joacim “Jake E” Lundberg, Mihaela Marinova, Nikos Sofis, Vencislav Chanov, Vitali Ezekiev |
| 24 | Tanya Tudor | “Bring Me Back” | El-Radu Project |
| 25 | Pavel Pașcan | “Alăturea de tine“ |
Marian Stircea, Serghei Bilcenco, Ianoș Țurcanu |
| 26 | Zelorielle | “Miracle” | Zelorielle |
| — | Anna G | “Meet Me in the Dark” |
Anna Grosu, Virgiliu Popescu |
| — | Dan Alexandrov | “Can’t Escape” |
Dumitru Alexandrov, Matthew May |
| — | Eblansh Band | “O, Moldova mea dragă!“ | Generative artificial intelligence[b][c] |
| — | Valleria | “A Picture of Myself” |
Anna Vaskelainen, Valeria Condrea |
- a^ Titled “Pop” by TRM in all mentions outside of the auditions
- b^ Attributed to multiple references:
- c^ Officially credited to Dmytro Dmitriiev, Iulia Lotou, Mark Leleka-Liechtenstein and Zabava Lotou
Withdrawal. On 22 January 2025, four days after holding the live audition round of Etapa națională, TRM announced it would withdraw from the contest, citing “economic, administrative and artistic challenges” and “a decrease in public interest and the overall quality of the songs and artistic performances” of the national final. TRM added that it would review its selection process for future editions, and that it would broadcast all three shows of the contest despite its withdrawal.
Devi effettuare l'accesso per postare un commento.