JJ secures the ESC final ticket for Austria: All winners in the 2nd Semi-Final 2025

The warm-up round is successfully completed: Austria's ESC candidate JJ made it to the final round of the world's largest music competition on Thursday evening in the 2nd semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel. The 24-year-old, with his counter-ballad "Wasted Love," is among the ten candidates out of the 16-member field who secured a ticket for the ESC final on Saturday. This confirms JJ's co-favorite status of the past weeks.

Everything Is Now Possible - Austria's Chances of Winning the Song Contest

After all, the young singer and thus Austria have been in 2nd place according to the betting offices for a long time - in the final, mind you. On Saturday, it will get serious for JJ in the St. Jakobshalle in Basel when he has to compete against 25 other countries, aiming for another red-white-red Song Contest triumph after Conchita's victory in 2014.

"Then Nothing Can Stop Us Anymore"

"I'm feeling all the emotions right now - it's really crazy," JJ expressed to Austrian media after the show, baffled by the result: "I'm going to push a little more now - and hopefully come home with the victory." In case of success, a bit of number mysticism might help, as the 24-year-old had the same starting position 6 in the 2nd semifinal as Conchita did in 2014. Now the question arises whether Austria will be assigned starting number 11 in the final, just like the later ESC queen. "Then I'll really flip out, then nothing can stop us anymore," JJ showed confidence.

The Winners in the 2nd ESC Semifinal 2025

Song Contest in Basel: These Countries Are Out

Sex Before Politics

Aside from political aspects, one topic dominated the 2nd semifinal: sex. This was already evident in the opening number, Australia's candidate Go-Jo, who presented himself so lasciviously as the "Milkshake Man" that it raises the question of which milk is being referred to here. However, there is no longer an answer to this, as Australia surprisingly had to exit the competition.

Instead, there was a final ticket for Malta's candidate Miriana Conte. She originally wanted to enter the race with the song title "Kant" - a word that means "song" in Maltese, makes German speakers think of the philosopher, but reminds English speakers of the unequivocal "Cunt." The European Broadcasting Union protested, and so Conte secured her final ticket under the title "Serving" - with an erotic performance nonetheless.

However, Conte was overshadowed in lasciviousness by her Finnish colleague Erika Vikman (which has no indecent meaning in Finnish), who chose the German title "Ich komme" for her perfectly constructed, harder electronic number about female desire. The song is exactly about what it says on the tin - earning a clear final ticket and a co-favorite role. A truly hot number, where you might want to send the kids out of the room during family evening, and which is slowly becoming a dark horse favorite.

Also Surprising Climbers

Otherwise, Luxembourg's pop princess Laura Thorn ("La Poupée Monte Le Son"), Lithuania's young grunge band Katarsis with "Tavo Akys," or the Latvian Enya-like Tautumeitas ("Bur Man Laimi") also advanced to the final round. Here, Greece's Klavdia with "Asteromáta" can also continue, while Denmark's Sissal surprisingly gets to have "Hallucination" in the final. And finally, Armenia's shirtless Parg, choreographed by Austria's last year's candidate Kaleen, can continue to celebrate as a "Survivor."

Czech Republic's Adonxs, behind whom stood, among others, Austria's third-place finisher from 2018, Cesár Sampson, must, however, return home, as was the case for Ireland's Emmy with a helium-increased voice. And Serbia's Princ will no longer become an ESC king.

Expert Juries Award Points in the Final - Advantage for Austria's Entry?

It will be exciting for JJ in the final, not least because, unlike in the semifinals, not only the international audience but also the expert juries will vote. And they are likely to favor the number "Wasted Love," written by JJ, Thomas Turner, and Austria's ESC candidate from Liverpool, Teya, over the Swedish fun number. From 9 PM, Andi Knoll will accompany domestic viewers through the ESC final evening on ORF 1, which is likely to be more exciting for Austria than it has been in years.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.