Austria guaranteed the Eurovision Song Contest title in a jittery finish, edging out Israel in the final moments of the vote count. The dramatic shift in points kept audiences apprehensive until the last poll was revealed, sealing a narrow victory for Austrian singer JJ.
Israel received the largest share of the public vote, but it wasn’t enough to surpass Austria’s combined total. Represented by Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the October 2023 Hamas attacks, Israel's entry carried deep emotional weight amid continued global debate over its role in the ongoing war in Gaza.
Austria’s JJ, a 24-year-old countertenor trained at the Vienna State Opera, delivered a powerful rendition of 'Wasted Love,' a dramatic ballad about heartbreak. With 436 total points, JJ brought Austria its first Eurovision win since Conchita Wurst's 2014 triumph. Accepting the trophy, JJ called on viewers to “spread more love.”
This year, 37 countries competed, but only 26 made it to the Grand Final, held in Basel, Switzerland, on May 17. The competition, which began in 1956, has grown into a global pop culture phenomenon. Click through to see the best performances and winners from the past two decades.