Eurovision explained as the extravagant pop contest reaches its grand final

BASEL – There has already been triumph and tears, singing onstage and successful the streets, and a interaction of governmental division, arsenic the 69th Eurovision Song Contest approaches its expansive last successful the Swiss metropolis of Basel.

Musical acts from 26 countries volition instrumentality the signifier astatine the St. Jakobshalle arena connected Saturday successful a spectacular, sequin-drenched contention that has been uniting and dividing Europeans since 1956.

Here’s everything to know:

What is Eurovision?

Eurovision is contention successful which performers from countries crossed Europe, and a fewer beyond it, vie nether their nationalist flags with the purpose of being crowned continental champion. Think of it arsenic the Olympics of popular euphony oregon the World Cup with singing alternatively of soccer.

It’s a solemnisation of silly amusive and music’s unifying power, but besides a spot wherever authorities and determination rivalries play out.

“It’s Europe’s biggest taste event,” said Dean Vuletic, an adept connected the past of Eurovision. “It has been going connected for astir 70 years and radical emotion to ticker it, not lone for the show, for the glitter, the signifier effects, the brainsick costumes, but besides due to the fact that they similar to spot it arsenic a reflection of the zeitgeist successful Europe.”

Who is successful the Eurovision 2025 final?

Of 37 countries that sent performers to Eurovision, 11 were knocked retired by nationalist voting successful semifinals connected Tuesday and Thursday. Another six automatically qualified for the final: the host, Switzerland, and the “Big Five” that wage the astir to the contention — France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K.

The 26 countries competing Saturday, successful bid of performance, are: Norway, Luxembourg, Estonia, Israel, Lithuania, Spain, Ukraine, the U.K, Austria, Iceland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Poland, Germany, Greece, Armenia, Switzerland, Malta, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, France, San Marino and Albania.

Favorites, according to oddsmakers, are KAJ, representing Sweden with “Bara Bada Bastu,” a jaunty serenade to the sauna. Dutch vocalist Claude is besides highly rated with soulful ballad “C’est La Vie.” Other favorites see classically trained Austrian countertenor JJ with his pop-opera opus “Wasted Love,” and Israel’s Yuval Raphael, with her anthemic “New Day Will Rise.”

What is Eurovision euphony like?

Eurovision has a estimation for campy europop with nonsense lyrics — past winners see “La, La, La” and “Boom Bang-a-Bang.” But It has besides produced immoderate enduring popular classics. And it helped marque stars of performers including ABBA — winners successful 1974 with “Waterloo” — Celine Dion, Austrian resistance performer Conchita Wurst and Italian stone set Måneskin.

This year’s finalists scope from Lithuanian emo rockers Katarsis to a powerfulness ballad Spanish diva Melody and Ukrainian prog rockers Ziferblat.

Campiness, wit and treble entendres abound. “Espresso Macchiato” is simply a comic ode to Italian stereotypes performed by Estonia’s Tommy Cash. Miriana Conte sings for Malta with the treble entendre-filled “Serving” -- performed connected a acceptable including a glitter shot and elephantine lips, it is classical Eurovision.

It was erstwhile wide accepted that the astir palmy Eurovision songs were successful English, but that is changing. This year’s contention features songs successful a grounds 20 languages, including Ukrainian, Icelandic, Latvian, Maltese and Armenian.

Vuletic said viewers these days privation “more authenticity successful Eurovision entries.

“They don’t conscionable privation a modular popular opus sung successful English,” helium said. “They privation to besides spot thing astir the civilization of the state that the opus represents.”

How is the victor chosen?

Once each the acts person performed successful the final, the victor is chosen by a famously analyzable premix of telephone and online voters from astir the satellite and rankings by music-industry juries successful each of the Eurovision countries. As the results are announced, countries descent up and down the rankings and tensions build.

Ending up with “nul points,” oregon zero, is considered a nationalist humiliation.

Sounds fun. How tin I ticker and vote?

The last starts Saturday astatine 1900 GMT (3 p.m. EDT) and volition beryllium aired by nationalist broadcasters successful participating nations, connected streaming work Peacock successful the United States and successful galore countries connected the Eurovision YouTube channel.

During and instantly aft the final, viewers successful participating countries tin ballot by phone, substance connection oregon the Eurovision app — but not for their ain country. Viewers successful the U.S. and different nonparticipating countries tin ballot each time Saturday, online astatine www.esc.vote oregon with the app. The combined “rest of the world” ballot is fixed the value of 1 idiosyncratic country.

Is Eurovision a politics-free zone?

The contest’s motto is “united by music,” but the world’s divisions inevitably intrude.

Russia was banned from Eurovision aft its full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful 2022, and since past Ukrainian musicians — including 2022 victor Kalush Orchestra — person competed nether the shadiness of warfare successful the location country.

This year’s contention has been roiled for a 2nd twelvemonth by disputes implicit Israel’s participation. Dozens of erstwhile participants, including Nemo, person called for Israel to beryllium excluded implicit its behaviour successful the war against Hamas successful Gaza. Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protests person some taken spot successful Basel, though connected a overmuch smaller standard than astatine past year’s lawsuit successful Sweden.

A fistful of protesters attempted to disrupt a rehearsal by Israeli vocalist Raphael connected Thursday with oversized flags and whistles and were escorted from the arena. Organizers accidental they person tightened information up of the final.

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