Basel Bulletin: red, purple, green and black

This afternoon’s colours were red, purple, green and black.All the participants of the first semifinal have their second rehearsal. We have no liveblog from EBU, however we are expecting 30 seconds videos later today. We also have pictures.

🇦🇱 Albania

Shkodra Elektronike (Kolë Laca & Beatriçe Gjergji) performed “Zjerm” on May 4. Their staging was noted for a dramatic red-and-black geometric LED backdrop. It’s also descending “lego” lighting that created a stair-like effect. Beatriçe wore a new red satin dress (with a single red glove) and Kolë a dark military-style jacket. No new public quotes from the duo were reported after rehearsal. On social media, Albanian Eurovision outlets merely shared standard updates about the performance. Betting markets give Albania only a slim chance of winning. Eurovisionworld currently lists Albania at about a 1% chance to win (around 10th in the betting).

📷 Alma Bengtsson

🇳🇱 The Netherlands

Singer-songwriter Claude rehearsed “C’est La Vie” before on May 4. In press comments he explained that his song is “a tribute to a parent” (his mother). She taught him to “focus on the bright side” even when life “goes down and around and around”. The Dutch delegation posted photos of Claude’s look – a vibrant purple suit – on social media. Bookmakers rate the Netherlands among the top contenders: Claude is currently the 4th–5th favorite to win, with roughly a 5–6% chance. For example, Eurovisionworld shows the Netherlands at about 6% (5th place) in recent odds. source: eurovisionworld.com

📷 Sarah Louise Bennett

🇭🇷 Croatia

After Marko Bošnjak’s first rehearsal of “Poison Cake” on May 4, he confirmed that his staging was completely overhauled. As he noted in interviews, the entire concept has been “reworked and revamped” since the national selection. source: escxtra.com Media coverage highlighted Marko’s new Tudor-inspired costume (a fur-collared cape) and stage props (a grey cauldron) seen during rehearsal. On social media, Croatian Eurovision channels shared rehearsal clips but no new statements from Marko were reported. Betting odds for Croatia remain very long: he is currently listed around <1% chance to win (well outside the top ten).

📷 Corinne Cumming

🇨🇾 Cyprus

Theo Evan rehearsed “Shh” in Basel on May 4 with a striking, high-energy routine. The performance used two tall scaffold towers with dynamic lighting – Theo and his dancers repeatedly formed shapes around the structures, creating a tense, dramatic effect. No new press-interview quotes from Theo were released after the rehearsal. RIK (Cyprus’s broadcaster) posted on social media that the first rehearsal was “visually stunning,” but no specifics were given in the press. In the betting markets, Cyprus is currently around 12th–13th favorite. Eurovisionworld lists Cyprus at about a 1% winning chance (roughly 12th place).

📷 Alma Bengtsson

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Eurovision 2025
Martijn

Top Finalists React to Their Results

Top finalists react to their results at the Eurovision Song Contest. We have collected the reactions of some of the artists.  Austria (JJ) Austria’s JJ won the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with his ballad “Wasted Love.” He said he was “so pleased” that people connected with the song. JJ, trained in opera, had taken a break from the Vienna State Opera to join the contest. He explained the meaning behind the song: “There’s no wasted love… it’s the strongest force on planet Earth.” After the final, JJ thanked fans for their support. He said he was proud to bring classical music to a large pop audience. “This is the biggest pop stage in the world,” he noted. JJ appeared humble about his victory. When asked how he would celebrate, he smiled and said he needed sleep after the long night. Estonia (Tommy Cash) Tommy Cash placed third for Estonia with “Espresso Macchiato.” He received 356 points, just one point behind the runner-up. He spoke openly about the result. “Too bad we didn’t get that one point. Things got a bit political there. Sorry we came in third, but second and third place are pretty good too,” he said. Estonia had a modest jury result with 98 points, but the public gave him 258 points. Cash thanked his fans for the strong televote. He also joked that now he could say he could sing, as even the jury gave him nearly 100 points. “Estonians, we’re still the most popular and the most famous in this game,” he added with a smile. news.err.ee. Sweden (KAJ) KAJ from Sweden ended in fourth place. Their song “Bara Bada Bastu” was seen as a favorite before the final. They scored 321 points. Axel Åhman from the group said, “It’s clear one is a little surprised. You can’t deny that.” The band received 126 points from juries. Finland gave them only 10 points, even though KAJ has Finland-Swedish roots. “We’ll probably have a serious talk with [Finland’s] government,” Åhman joked. Still, they were happy with the 195 televote points. “We had a great time on stage,” they said, thanking their supporters. svt.se. Italy (Lucio Corsi) Lucio Corsi placed fifth for Italy with “Volevo Essere Un Duro.” He got 256 points. Corsi had said before the final that he did not expect to win. “Music is not a competition,” he told reporters. “It goes beyond the ranking. I care about my song and giving a good performance.” After the final, Corsi said he was happy with the top-5 result. He outperformed expectations and thanked his listeners. Lucio was glad that people liked his Italian-language ballad. The Italian singer ended by saying that the experience mattered more than points. “This journey was a success for me,” he said. spettacolomusicasport.com Greece (Klavdia) Klavdia came sixth for Greece with “Asteromáta.” She earned 231 points, one of Greece’s best scores in recent years. After the show, she was emotional and thankful. “I feel the luckiest, most blessed, happiest, and most protected person on the planet right now,” she said. “I feel like a winner.” Klavdia said she had dreamed of fifth place. “But sixth is also a victory,” she added. Greece came second in the “Rest of the World” vote and got a strong televote overall. She thanked everyone who voted and supported her. “We did this together,” she said. “This night was unforgettable.” en.protothema.gr. Share

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