<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Classically trained countertenor JJ of Austria won the 69th </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/eurovision" rel="" target="_blank" title="Eurovision"><span>Eurovision</span></a><span> Song Contest on Saturday with the operatic song </span><em><span>Wasted Love</span></em><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Israel's Yuval Raphael came second at a competition overshadowed by the Gaza war.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The world's largest live music event reached its glitter-drenched conclusion with a grand final in Basel, Switzerland that offered pounding electropop, quirky rock and outrageous divas, at a celebration of music and unity ruffled by discord over Israel's participation.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/opposition-leader-sussan-leys-mother-dies/f41294bb-b537-4527-a0d8-9175769d30b5" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Sussan Ley describes last moments with her mum</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>JJ beat 25 other competitors during Saturday's grand final. Estonia's Tommy Cash came third with </span><em><span>Espresso Macchiato</span></em><span>, and Swedish entry KAJ, who had been favourite to win with jaunty sauna ode </span><em><span>Bara Bada Bastu</span></em><span>, came fourth.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Eclectic and sometimes baffling</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Acts from 26 countries – trimmed from 37 entrants through two elimination semifinals – performed to some 160 million viewers for the continent's pop crown.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/eurovision-winner-austria-jj-wasted-love-crowned/cb163d61-070a-4fc4-a4bc-8ae1e0a40cc8" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>No smoke machine, jet of flame or dizzying light display was spared by musicians who had three minutes to win over millions of viewers who, along with national juries of music professionals, pick the winner.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The show offered a celebration of Europe's eclectic, and sometimes baffling, musical tastes. Lithuanian band Katarsis delivered grunge rock, while Ukraine's Ziferblat channeled prog rock and the UK's Remember Monday offered country pop.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Italy's Lucio Corsi evoked 1970s glam rock, while Icelandic duo VAEB rapped about rowing and Latvia's six-woman Tautumeitas offered gorgeous, intertwined harmonies.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/young-mans-dream-takes-flight-thanks-to-kind-hearted-flight-crew/1facc657-24ac-4f7a-95be-6f16ac3b8081" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Young man's dream takes flight thanks to kind-hearted flight crew</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There were divas aplenty, including Spain's Melody, Poland's Justyna Steczkowska, participating in Eurovision for a second time after a 30-year gap, with </span><em><span>GAJA</span></em><span>, and Malta's outrageous Miriana Conte, who performed </span><em><span>Serving</span></em><span> – a song whose previous suggestive title and lyrics were changed on the orders of contest organisers – on a set including a glitter ball and giant lips.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Dean Vuletic, an expert on the history of Eurovision, said the competition has become more diverse over the years, both musically and linguistically. There are songs in 20 languages this year, including Ukrainian, Icelandic, Albanian, Latvian and Maltese.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In the past it was about having a catchy, innocuous pop song, usually in English," he said. But "in recent years the formulaic approach to a Eurovision entry hasn't succeeded.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"An entry needs to be memorable and it needs to be authentic in order to succeed these days."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/new-orleans-jailbreak-ten-inmates-escape-from-us-jail-through-hole-in-cell-wall/b17f6c1e-81de-4e96-999f-b7790df0f00e" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Ten inmates escape from US jail through hole in cell wall</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>The war in Gaza clouded the contest</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This year's contest was roiled for a second year by disputes over Israel's participation. Dozens of former participants, including Switzerland's Nemo, have called for Israel to be excluded, and several of the broadcasters that fund Eurovision sought a review of the country's participation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protests both took place in Basel, though on a much smaller scale than at last year's event in Sweden, where tensions spilled over backstage and Dutch competitor Joost Klein was expelled over an alleged altercation with a crew member.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hundreds of people marched through Basel just before the competition, waving Palestinian flags and chanting "Boycott Israel."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/sport/afl/news-2025-adam-selwood-death-twin-brother-troy-joel-family-statement-20250517-p5m00n.html" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>AFL world heartbroken at death of Adam Selwood, just months after twin</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Earlier, a group of Israel supporters gathered in Basel's cathedral square to root for Raphael and to show that "Jews belong in public spaces in Switzerland," Zurich resident Rebecca Laes-Kushner said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She said that "it would be such a strong statement against antisemitism", if Raphael won.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is supposed to be about music, not about hate," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The European Broadcasting Union, or EBU, which runs Eurovision, tightened the contest's code of conduct this year, calling on participants to respect Eurovision's values of "universality, diversity, equality and inclusivity" and its political neutrality.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After a controversial ban in 2024 on flags, apart from national ones, being waved in the arena, this year audience members can bring Palestinian flags or any others, as long as they are legal under Swiss law. Performers, though, can only wave their own country's flag.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Eurovision director Martin Green told reporters that the organisers' goal was to "re-establish a sense of unity, calm and togetherness this year in a difficult world."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"All 37 delegations, in difficult times, have behaved impeccably," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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