Eurovision Song Contest 2025 Kicks Off in Basel, Switzerland

BASSEL, Switzerland — The Eurovision Song Contest is set to return this year, with the Grand Final taking place on Saturday, May 17, 2025. This year’s edition brings together 37 countries, with the UK being represented by the country-pop trio Remember Monday, who will perform their song ‘What The Hell Just Happened.’

The competition, organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), marks its 69th year, celebrating its origins with the theme ‘Welcome Home,’ as Switzerland hosted the first-ever contest in 1956. All songs must be original, at least 30 seconds long, and performed live with no lip-syncing allowed.

The Grand Final will take place at St Jakobshalle, an indoor arena in Basel, and the event will be broadcast on television and live-streamed, offering multiple viewing options for fans worldwide. Graham Norton will serve as a host, with Scott Mills and Rylan Clark providing audio coverage.

In addition to Switzerland, the automatic qualifiers for the final include the so-called ‘Big Five’ — the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain — as well as the host country. This year, Switzerland’s entry, Zoë Më, will perform ‘Voyage.’ Former winner Nemo will also appear as a guest performer.

For the first time since 2022, Montenegro has returned to Eurovision, while Moldova has withdrawn from this year’s competition due to financial issues. Australia, although not European, continues to participate after being invited for Eurovision’s 60th anniversary celebrations.

However, this year’s contest is not without controversy. More than 70 former contestants, including the UK’s Mae Muller, have signed an open letter urging the EBU to exclude Israel from the contest, amidst claims regarding Israel’s actions during ongoing conflicts in Gaza. Despite the calls for action, the EBU has maintained that Eurovision remains a non-political event.

Singer Yuval Raphael, representing Israel in the contest, has expressed her expectation of facing booing during her performance. “But we are here to sing, and I’m going to sing my heart out for everyone,” she said.

The competition will follow a unique voting system where each participating country awards points based on both jury and fan votes, ensuring a blend of expert opinion and public sentiment in determining the winner. The high-energy contest promises to maintain its reputation for dazzling performances and will also include coverage of both semi-finals leading up to the final event.