Austria has won the 69th Eurovision Song Contest with a performance by singer JJ, who sang Wasted Love, a song that mixed opera-style singing with techno music.
The grand final was held in Basel, Switzerland, on Saturday night and included performers from 26 countries.
JJ, whose full name is Johannes Pietsch, is the highest male adult singing voice with the Vienna State Opera. He is Austria’s first Eurovision winner since Conchita Wurst took the title in 2014. JJ called the win “beyond my wildest dreams” as he accepted the glass microphone trophy.
Israel’s Yuval Raphael came in second with her powerful song New Day Will Rise, which gained a huge number of public votes.
Estonia’s Tommy Cash took third place with Espresso Macchiato, and Sweden’s entry Bara Bada Bastu by KAJ finished fourth.
This year’s Eurovision was packed with excitement, colour, and lots of music styles—from Lithuanian grunge rock to Maltese pop and Icelandic rap. More than 160 million people tuned in to watch the dazzling performances filled with lights, flames, and glitter.
Songs were performed in over 20 languages, showing how Eurovision has become more diverse over the years. Music historian Dean Vuletic said today’s winners often succeed because they feel “authentic” and stand out from the crowd.
