Austria’s JJ wins Eurovision with pop-opera tune Wasted Love

[ad_1] Classically skilled Austrian singer JJ received the 69th Eurovision Tune Contest on Saturday with Wasted Love, a tune that mixes operatic, multi-octave vocals with a techno twist.

Israel's Yuval Raphael got here second at an exuberant celebration of music and unity that was shadowed by the warfare in Gaza and ruffled by discord over Israel's participation.

JJ, whose full title is Johannes Pietsch, was Austria's first winner since bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst in 2014. JJ, who sings as a countertenor with the Vienna State Opera, has known as Wurst a mentor. It was Austria's third victory general in Eurovision.

"That is past my wildest goals. It is loopy," the singer stated after being handed the microphone-shaped glass Eurovision trophy.

JJ received after a nail-biting remaining that noticed Raphael scoop up an enormous public vote from her many followers for her anthemic New Day Will Rise.

<img loading="lazy" alt="A singer pulls back a jeweled curtain while performing onstage." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538161.1747526350!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538161.1747526350!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538161.1747526350!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538161.1747526350!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538161.1747526350!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538161.1747526350!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4993646759847523" data-cy="image-img"/> Yuval Raphael of Israel performs the tune New Day Will Rise throughout the Eurovision remaining in Basel on Saturday. (Martin Meissner/The Related Press) However she additionally confronted protests from pro-Palestinian demonstrators calling for Israel to be kicked out of the competition over its conduct of the warfare in opposition to Hamas in Gaza.

Estonia's Tommy Money completed third with Espresso Macchiato, and Swedish entry KAJ, who had been favoured to win with jaunty sauna ode Bara Bada Bastu, got here fourth.

The world's largest reside music occasion reached its glitter-drenched conclusion with a grand remaining in Basel, Switzerland, that provided pounding electropop, quirky rock and outrageous divas.

Acts from 26 nations — trimmed from 37 entrants via two elimination semifinals — carried out to some 160 million viewers for the continent's pop crown. No smoke machine, jet of flame or dizzying gentle show was spared by performers, who had three minutes to win over hundreds of thousands of viewers who, together with nationwide juries of music professionals, choose the winner.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Singers in costume perform and dance onstage." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538162.1747526568!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538162.1747526568!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538162.1747526568!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538162.1747526568!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538162.1747526568!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538162.1747526568!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4993646759847523" data-cy="image-img"/> The six-woman Tautumeitas of Latvia carry out the tune Bur Man Laimi throughout the Eurovision remaining. (Martin Meissner/The Related Press) The present provided a celebration of Europe's eclectic, and generally baffling, musical tastes. Lithuanian band Katarsis delivered grunge rock, whereas Ukraine's Ziferblat channelled prog rock and the U.Ok.'s Bear in mind Monday provided nation pop.

Italy's Lucio Corsi evoked Seventies glam rock, whereas Icelandic duo VAEB rapped about rowing, and Latvia's six-woman Tautumeitas provided beautiful, intertwined harmonies.

There have been divas aplenty, together with Spain's Melody, Poland`s Justyna Steczkowska, collaborating in Eurovision for a second time after a 30-year hole, with GAJA, and Malta's outrageous Miriana Conte, who carried out Serving — a tune whose earlier suggestive title and lyrics had been modified on the orders of contest organizers — on a set together with a glitter ball and big lips.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Singers and dancers perform onstage as members of the audience record with their phones." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538163.1747526706!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538163.1747526706!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538163.1747526706!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538163.1747526706!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538163.1747526706!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538163.1747526706!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/aptopix-switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4993646759847523" data-cy="image-img"/> Malta's Miriana Conte performs the tune Serving on the Eurovision remaining. (Martin Meissner/The Related Press) Dean Vuletic, an knowledgeable on the historical past of Eurovision, stated the competitors has grow to be extra various through the years, each musically and linguistically. There are songs in 20 languages this yr, together with Ukrainian, Icelandic, Albanian, Latvian and Maltese.

"Previously it was about having a catchy, innocuous pop tune, normally in English," he stated. However "in recent times, the formulaic strategy to a Eurovision entry hasn't succeeded."

"An entry must be memorable and it must be genuine with a view to succeed today."

Warfare in Gaza clouded the competition This yr's contest was roiled for a second yr by disputes over Israel's participation. Dozens of former individuals, together with Switzerland's Nemo, have known as for Israel to be excluded, and several other of the broadcasters that fund Eurovision sought a assessment of the nation's participation.

Professional-Palestinian and pro-Israel protests came about in Basel, although on a a lot smaller scale than finally yr's occasion in Sweden, the place tensions spilled over backstage and Dutch competitor Joost Klein was expelled over an alleged altercation with a crew member.

A whole lot of individuals marched via Basel simply earlier than the competitors, waving Palestinian flags and chanting "Boycott Israel."

<img loading="lazy" alt="Protesters carry flags and light flares as they march down a street." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538166.1747526827!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/switzerland-eurovision-protest.jpg?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538166.1747526827!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/switzerland-eurovision-protest.jpg?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538166.1747526827!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/switzerland-eurovision-protest.jpg?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538166.1747526827!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/switzerland-eurovision-protest.jpg?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538166.1747526827!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/switzerland-eurovision-protest.jpg?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538166.1747526827!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/switzerland-eurovision-protest.jpg?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4993646759847523" data-cy="image-img"/> Professional-Palestinian demonstrators march forward of the Eurovision remaining on the Barfuesserplatz, in Basel on Saturday. (Peter Schneider/Keystone/The Related Press) Earlier, a bunch of Israel supporters gathered in Basel's cathedral sq. to root for Raphael and to indicate that "Jews belong in public areas in Switzerland," Zurich resident Rebecca Laes-Kushner stated.

She stated that "it will be such a powerful assertion in opposition to antisemitism" if Raphael received.

"That is purported to be about music, not about hate," she stated.

The European Broadcasting Union, or EBU, which runs Eurovision, tightened the competition's code of conduct this yr, calling on individuals to respect Eurovision's values of "universality, range, equality and inclusivity" and its political neutrality.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Audience members hold up flags." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538167.1747527065!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538167.1747527065!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538167.1747527065!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538167.1747527065!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538167.1747527065!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7538167.1747527065!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/switzerland-eurovision-song-contest.jpg?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4993646759847523" data-cy="image-img"/> A Palestinian flag is held up within the viewers as Raphael performs throughout a costume rehearsal on Friday. (Martin Meissner/The Related Press) After a controversial ban in 2024 on flags, aside from nationwide ones, being waved within the area, this yr viewers members can deliver Palestinian flags or any others, so long as they're authorized beneath Swiss regulation. However performers can solely wave their very own nation's flag.

Eurovision director Martin Inexperienced advised reporters that the organizers' objective was to "re-establish a way of unity, calm and togetherness this yr in a tough world."