Hello again Basel,

the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 continued yesterday in Basel, Switzerland with the semi-final 2. Read my impressions and a review on yesterday’s show here.

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Thank you so much, Basel, for hosting the one of the most amazing Eurovision-shows in history! You already nailed it in the semi-final 1 which I wrote about here. But you keep on surprising us with even more original and heartfelt ideas. More than that while I seemed to have complained about the group-chats on Instagram I was more than thrilled about last year’s Austrian participant, Kaleen being the biggest supporter to Armenia’s PARG calling her fans to vote for him and even having a seat of honor in the Armenian part of the green room.

Eurovision Song Contest 2025: Impressions

1. AUS – Go-Jo “Milkshake Man”: There has always have to be a crazy guy who leaves an impression in Eurovision. This year he represented Australia. The rockabilly style totally flashed and was a whole amusement for the very beginning in combination with the song.
2. MON – Nina Zizic “Dobrodosli” (Engl.: “Welcome”): I did not trust my eyes and my ears when I realized it is the singer who performed with the astronauts with the scouters (Dragonball-fans will know what I mean). She totally hyped my brother and myself with that twelve years ago. But also this year she came with a performance that may have been completely different but stood out in its very own way. It emphasized her strong voice as well as steadiness.
3. IRE – Emmy “Laika Party”: She has the name of our daughter’s favorite friend. That was already a big plus point of sympathy for this sweet young lady. Otherwise Emmy definitely has the voice for the song she performed. Her overall staging could not match better so that it was truly authentic and enjoyable.
4. LAT – Tautumeitas “Bur Man Laimi” (Overwhelm Me With Luck): A magical song as well as a magical performance. If they meant that they do overwhelm their audience with luck they are definitely right about that. You were watching elves that looked the same even if it was a girl group of many.
5. ARM – PARG “Survivor”: When he performed I said the best act so far. Now that I heard all of them I can say definitely the best! Strong, authentic, unique. What I hyped most was that Kaleen from Austria was in fully support of him.
6. UK – Remember Monday “What The Hell Happened Yesterday”: Girl groups like this always remind me of Moje 3, who represented Serbia back in Malmö 2013. I feel like such bands are sadly never really successful in Eurovision and rather misplaced with the expectations. But I liked their vibe.
7. AUT – JJ “Wasted Love”: Now that is what I call a voice – clear, flawless! Counter tenor is not everyone’s thing just like heart-broken love-songs but he definitely deserves the appreciation.
8. GRE – Klavdia “Asteromata” (Engl.: “Starry-Eyed Girl”): With these glasses she has already won. Nah, just kidding, Klavdia is definitely more than her good and stylish looks. Her song was deep and strong just as her performance was.
9. LIT – Katarsis “Tavo Akys” (Engl: Empty Word Only Fuel The Fire”): Lithuania did not only surprise the German national broadcaster but also me with their young rock-band with a serious song and reduced performance. Raw and real. Definitely my taste and I’m happy at least one country that provided such an act. Otherwise it would have been missed.
10. MAL – Miriana Conte “Serving”: I have never thought highly of the Maltese representatives but this one definitely killed it – in the most negative way. I mean is this a show for every age or a peep-show with the potential for a soft p*rn? The very inappropriate outfit paired with the alluring red lipstick as main scenary and then that up and down on the ball. Nothing to show before 10 pm.
11. GEO – Mariam Shengelia “Freedom”: Wow, what a beautiful young woman! I do not want to be misunderstood but she was so magnetic that I could not leave my eyes of her. Otherwise I I always love Georgia’s songs. They do have this bold seriousness in them that makes them sound like a religious anthem. Give us more of that.
12. FRA – Louane “Maman” (Engl.: “Mom”): Louane’s song hit much different and very heart. I felt every word of her song as I am still mourning for my grandma who passed two years ago and who was like a mother to me. Other than that we all know Louane and I love the great choice France has made with their representant. I wish her best of luck in the finals.
13. DEN – Sissal “Hallucination”: Sissal had a little cold and still she gave this amount of power on stage. Absolute appreciation on this! It absolutely was not noticeable during her performance. She was shining in her blue outfit and gave us a powerful and beautiful song. Respect to that.
14. CZE – Adonxs “Kiss Kiss Goodbye”: He was memorable and noticeable in his very way own way from his outfit: White satin coated with black glitter. But his voice was a real dream. And then there was his dance with his co-performers. I totally fell.
15. LUX – Laura Thorn “La Poupée Monte Le Son” (Engl.: The Doll Shows The Sound”): After Luxembourg’s last year’s performance with TALI you cannot expect something less than a wonderfully sweet young lady supported by male background-dancers killing it with the ever so melodic song in French. My top 2 beside Armenia.
16. ISR – Yuval Raphael “New Day Will Rise”: I hope you respect that our of respect to both sides of this war I do not want to comment on her origin. But I want to notice that again we are getting unequally political here in Eurovision. Wait, was this not something forbidden? Anyway she did leave an impression with her deep song. Definitely a worthy songstress.
17. SER – Princ “Mila”: Say what you want but I very much liked this deeply emotional and touching song. The red outfit furthermore also caught me. A really great singer.
18. GER – Abor & Tynna “Baller” (Engl.: “Bounce”): I am still to come to Stefan Raab’s return. Let us say for now that it perfectly mirrors Germany’s impression of the song “Baller” which sounds like a young aggro-girl is making a declaration of war. Welcome to the unofficial German party-metropolis Mallorca and the belonging festival “Ballermann”. At least for once Germany provides a German song.
19. FIN – Erika Vikman”Ich komme” (Engl.: “I am coming”): Equal to my impression about Malta. Finland should have stuck with it’s crazy participants in. Erika, for me was too loud rather than actually melodic and since her outfit and staging did not add anything constructive the whole performance was rather low. But observing her in the green room she seemed like a sweet lady.

Eurovision Song Contest 2025: Personal Finalists

1. Armenia
2. Luxembourg
3. Georgia
4. Czechia
5. Serbia
6. Ireland
7. Montenegro
8. Latvia
9. Lithuania
10. Israel

“I think there could have been other artists invited who really did not get their chance at all.”

Interval Acts

Is this a bad joke or did I miss something? Efendi, Gjon’s Tears, The Roop, Destiny – they all got to perform on the huge stage of Eurovision, just one year later and with different songs – it is more than I can say about some other artists who did not get this second chance in Eurovision 2021 which I wrote about here. Please, do not misunderstand me. I liked all of these songs. And as a singer-songwriter I can understand if you do not get to perform that certain song for this huge event (as the Eurovision-rules ask you to send in a current/new song). And for Efendi and Destiny, who did not even write their songs themselves, I am still not all in. But I think there could have been other artists invited who really did not get their chance at all. That was my first thought on this.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2020 was cancelled in the end because of the Covid-19-pandemics to avoid a mass-infection due to a huge gathering. From 41 representatives (or rather 40 counting Russia’s disqualification due to their offensive-war since February 2021) 27 representatives returned having been given a second chance to perform for their country one year later. The four above named artists were all returners. And after all there was a CD available for all huge Eurovision-enthusiasts. Personally I am just thinking that this is still a big number and that the 13 should have been given more of a voice. This however I want to emphasize is not meant as any kind of less appreciation or disrespect towards this interval act which I still considered the best of yesterday evening.

Looking Forward to the Grand Final on Saturday

One more thing I have to notice were the outstanding hostesses of yesterday’s show Hazel Brugger and Sandra Studer. If you thought they could not shine more they definitely proved you the opposite. That makes you look even more forward to the grand final on Saturday.

Love, Johanna