Austria wins Eurovision

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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.

How did this story make you feel?

SMART Prep | Quick Question 210637

The school library had been unusually busy all week. A sign on the counter read: ‘Please return all borrowed books by Friday afternoon.’ By Thursday morning, the basket for returned books was already overflowing. Ms Patel kept checking the clock and glancing towards the door whenever students walked in carrying books. When the final bell rang, several students hurried to the desk, holding books tightly against their chests and whispering to each other.

What can you infer about why Ms Patel kept checking the clock?

  

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