Eurovision 2025 has come to an end, but more than the winning songs, it was what happened around the contest that sticks in the minds. This year, in an effort to prevent political tensions from getting in the way of the music, the organization managed to silence the artists, but not the general mood and political tensions. The contradiction between the public and jury votes, the decline in the stage shows and the strange numbness in the general atmosphere of the contest have set the framework for this year’s Eurovision.
The jury votes shaped the initial scoreboard of the contest, but the picture changed completely with the announcement of the televoting, meaning the public vote. Many of the countries that were at the top of the jury vote dropped dramatically after the public vote. The decisive influence of televoting became even more visible this year. Even though Israel was predicted to finish in the top ten with the popular vote, still, few expected Israel to finish in second place, although I did not think for a while, “Would they make Israel first and the contest would be held in Germany next year to represent Israel?” Considering Israel’s lobbying power, which has been known for years, and considering that it narrowly missed the first place this year; my thought was actually not so utopian… However, in general, the televoting results revealed unexpected rankings not only for Israel but also for many countries. This year, Eurovision was a year where the dynamics behind the scenes shaped the contest as much as the performances we watched on stage.
As for the stage and the show… I think I am not exaggerating when I say that this was one of the most uninspiring finals in Eurovision history. The flashy stage set-ups were replaced this year by repetitive effects and costume changing tricks. Many artists changed outfits during their performances, a technical achievement but a performance choice that did not leave an emotional or artistic mark. Moreover, since many participants preferred the same method, the effectiveness was soon lost.
By the way, the Eurovision tradition in recent years, where almost every “gothic and fantastical narrative” performance in the final has somehow found its place, was quietly broken this year with Croatia’s elimination. As someone who loves this kind of stage narratives, I would have liked to see Croatia there, considering that there were much weaker performances in the final.
But the contest also touched on a point of difference in musical language: Many countries chose to sing in their mother tongue this year. For me, this was an important detail that strengthened the cultural representation aspect of the contest and reminded us of its spirit.
As for the political tension, which I discussed at the beginning of this article, beyond what happened during the voting, it was always present in the general atmosphere. Although this was not shown on stage like last year, the atmosphere and background of the contest was tense. Israel’s participation is the biggest cause of tension for the contest in recent years. On the final night, the Palestinian flag that was unfurled from the audience during the Israeli performance was not reflected on the screens. Demonstrators who tried to throw paint on the stage were stopped by security teams. The message in support of Palestine broadcast by the Spanish state broadcaster just before the contest and Azerbaijan’s statements of “blood brotherhood” after the score given to Israel showed that a lot was happening on a ground beyond the music.
Eurovision has always been more than just a music contest. But this year, under the EBU’s new rules for 2025, performers could only carry the official flags of their home countries. Symbols symbolizing the LGBTI+ community, such as the rainbow flag or the Palestinian flag, were deemed “political” and banned from the stage. This decision meant that artists who wanted to express world peace or individual rights and freedoms through music were silenced.Sometimes stage performances and sometimes political attitudes may determine the contest, but this year we experienced a final where everything was “a little bit missing”. Maybe that’s why I left behind a Eurovision where I “couldn’t predict the winner” for the first time.
Austria’s operatic and theatrical style is very similar to that of last year’s winner Nemo, and I honestly didn’t expect Austria to follow the same style this year and take first place. Although JJ’s use of the contratenor (the highest vocal technique that can sing in the range of male, female alto or mezzo-soprano) was impressive, I didn’t expect two songs with a similar style to win first place in a row. That’s why I didn’t give Austria much chance before the scores were announced.When JJ’s first place was announced, the sincere support shown to JJ by 2014 winner Conchita Wurst was one of the most emotional moments of the night. Conchita, who accompanied JJ not only on stage but also backstage and during the announcement, was not only his guide but also his biggest supporter that night.When JJ’s first place was announced, Conchita’s moment of pride and happiness on stage was shared on social media with comments like “She looked as happy as if she had won herself””. This intergenerational transfer of representation reminded us once again that Eurovision is not just a contest, but a stage of solidarity and belonging.
My winner this year was Armenia. Parg’s song “Survivor” was a performance that attracted attention at the first moment of the contest but did not find its rightful place in the final table. He used language that was not emotional but direct, clear and jarring. He started with the words “I’m sick of the news, I’m sick of the views, I’m sick of the lies they’ve told” – this was a reaction to the media, to perception, to noise. Even though he was accompanied by flashy effects, the main thing seemed to be his gait. To walk without stopping, to keep going even when tired… it was a metaphor, but it was not flashy or abstract; it was clear, physical and explicit. He repeated it in the chorus of the song: “I’m a survivor, stay-aliver, do or die… “He didn’t get the attention he expected from the jury or the public. But sometimes some performances mean more where they leave their mark than in the rankings. For me, this year’s contest left exactly what this song did: A tired but persistent resistance.
Claude’s performance of “C’est La Vie” for the Netherlands was also remarkable. It was said that he had a momentary confusion of words at the beginning of the song, but I didn’t feel it as a viewer on the screen, which means that the artist managed the crisis well. The fact that he sang the song in English and French was a choice that increased its emotional impact. The transitions between the two languages were natural and balanced. This bilingual structure strengthened both the feeling of “this is life” that the song is named after and Claude’s stage presence.
Zoë Më’s performance of “Voyage” on behalf of Switzerland was particularly strong in the jury voting with its elegant structure and emotional tone, but it didn’t get the attention it expected in the public voting. However, I think “Voyage” was a strong song with enough quality to take the first place this year. Zoë Më’s vocals were very clean and the stage design supported this simplicity; it was understated but aesthetically pleasing. On the final night, a slight technical glitch with the camera angles seems to have prevented the desired impact of the scene from being conveyed to us, the viewers. Some details probably didn’t come across as intended, and this was the price of no votes in the public vote. Nevertheless, “Voyage” is etched in my memory as one of the unforgettable songs of this year. Even though it made the top ten, I think its potential was much higher.
Louane, competing for France, was on stage this year with her song “Maman”. The fact that the child voice in the last scene of the song, which I found out was about motherhood, was the artist’s daughter made the song even more special for me. The sand art at the center of the stage show added another dimension to the performance, complementing the emotional rhythm of the song. “Maman” received high scores from the jury; maybe it was more average in the public vote, but overall it was a simple but sincere stance. It was understated, direct and to the point. It was one of this year’s good and felt scenes.
Sweden took the stage this year with the band KAJ. Their song “Bara BadaBastu” was a joyful tribute to sauna culture. The song attracted attention both with its melody and stage design. I think it was also important because it was the first Swedish song Sweden had sent to Eurovision since 1998. KAJ is made up of three musicians from Finland’s Swedish-speaking minority and this choice offers both a cultural bridge and linguistic diversity. “Bara BadaBastu” received a record-breaking 4.3 million votes at Melodifestivalen 2025, the highest number of televotes in the contest’s history. In the final, Sweden finished in fourth place with 321 points. The song topped Spotify’s global viral chart and was widely shared on social media.
“Espresso Macchiato” was one of the most iconic song and dance performances of this year, memorable for its absurd details and stage humor.
“Ich Komme” created one of the most talked-about moments of the contest with its bold stage language, Eurodance rhythm and not-overdosed provocation.
“Baller” came with an unusual energy; it neither pushed to the top nor disappeared from view – but it managed to attract attention.
Last year’s winner Nemo was also on stage this year. they opened with “TheCode”; their accidental breaking of the trophy at last year’s ceremony was a humorous reminder in the opening sketches this time. It made me smile. Their performance was strong again; their stage command was on point and they kept the energy high. Their costume choice received ambivalent comments on social media. Some viewers found it original and theatrical, others thought it was too pretentious. But it is clear that for Nemo, being on stage is not just a matter of costume. In a performance that tells its own identity and story so clearly, I will continue to defend to the end that one should look the way one feels good, even if I criticize the style of the outfit, not the type.
One of the most pleasant surprises of the night was the meeting of two unforgettable names of the past years – BabyLasagna and Käärijä – on the same stage. The duo, who we remember for their stunning performances such as “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” and “ChaChaCha”, did not appear as contestants this time, but with a short but effective intermission show. First, they briefly reminded us of their own songs, then they upped the tempo on stage with their new song “Eurodab”, which they sang in three languages. The show was completed with a fast and rhythmic choreography designed just like a video game stage. There was no shortage of comments on social media after the performance. Posts such as “I wish we could vote for you” or “Can you vote for them?” drew particular attention. In short, despite being out of the competition, they were one of the most talked about moments of the night.
While determining the scope of my article, I focused on my favorite performances on the stage and the ones that stuck with me. Instead of writing about all the countries one by one, I chose to create my own ranking. Otherwise, touching on every country and every detail would have distracted the nature of the article too much. And of course, I don’t want to end without mentioning that my daughter Nil Cumbul also contributed to this article, which was shaped by our comments, as we watched Eurovision together. Next year, in a new Eurovision adventure, we will watch with the bitterness of experiencing this excitement without my country Turkey, but our curiosity for the surprises of music will always remain.
Author: Beyza Cumbul
Translation by Ufuk Sağın
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