Basel Bulletin: The Big 5 and Switzerland

The Big 5 and Switzerland are on today. We haven’t seen or heard anything so far about them but here they are! They rehearsed today!

EBU has decided to release photo’s of it only the day after. But still we can show you (if available) the national final performance or any other live performance so you got an idea what the artists are capable of. Disclaimer: for the description of the performance, we have to do it with what the EBU tells us.

🇩🇪 Germany

Germany’s first rehearsal for Eurovision 2025 featured Abor & Tynna performing their electro track “Baller.” This is Germany’s first entry in German since 2007. The duo, who are siblings, originate from a musical family based in Vienna. The performance begins with Abor playing a white LED-lit electric cello in front of a tall curtain. As the beat drops, the curtain falls to reveal Tynna standing atop a large 1980s-style boombox prop, about three metres high. She performs the first verse and chorus there before descending to the stage. Four dancers use handheld spotlights to illuminate her as they freestyle around her.

Tynna’s outfit includes black military-style shorts, a crop top, knee-high boots, and leather gloves. The visuals feature intense white and blue strobes, industrial-style graphics, and the word “BALLER” in large LED lettering. For the finale, she dances on the walkway while Abor plays above. The final chorus includes pyrotechnics and a firework display.

🇫🇷 France

France’s Louane rehearsed her song “Maman” for the first time in Basel, presenting a minimalist and symbolic staging. She performs barefoot, wearing a long black lace dress, within a sand-covered circle at the center of the stage. Throughout the song, a steady stream of sand falls from above onto one side of the circle, representing the passage of time.

The performance includes a moment where Louane kneels and clears a patch of sand to reveal a mirror. Her movements are precisely timed with the musical arrangement and camera direction. The lighting builds gradually alongside orchestral strings, culminating in an intense sequence as the drumbeat grows louder.

All visuals are centered around the theme of time, with the hourglass imagery and falling sand reinforcing the song’s message about love, loss, and personal growth. The performance concludes with a wide, backlit shot, highlighting Louane’s stillness as the sand continues to fall.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

The United Kingdom’s 2025 Eurovision rehearsal features vocal trio Remember Monday performing “What The Hell Just Happened?” The staging begins in a vintage-style boudoir on one side of the stage, designed to evoke the “morning after the night before.” A padded screen with a heart-shaped cut-out frames the trio as they begin the song in corseted dresses—pale blue (Lauren), pink (Holly-Anne), and yellow (Charlotte).

As the chorus hits, the group moves down the catwalk toward the main stage, where a large, tilted chandelier sits—around 2.5 to 3 metres tall—with candles and multi-coloured lighting. This prop represents the chaos referenced in the lyrics.

Throughout the performance, dynamic camerawork follows the trio’s movement, including overhead shots of the LED floor and a sweeping pan over the chandelier. The song concludes with the singers back in the boudoir, framed by the heart cut-out.

Pyrotechnics are expected in future rehearsals but were not included in this run.

🇨🇭 Switzerland

Switzerland’s first rehearsal for Eurovision 2025 features Zoë Më performing “Voyage” in an intimate, cinematic setting. The performance, set entirely in black space with sculptural lighting, is filmed in one continuous handheld shot. There are no cuts, choreography, props, or LED content. Instead, the camera moves gently and closely around Zoë, responding to her presence in real time.

She begins seated and remains alone on stage throughout, wearing an off-the-shoulder black silk dress printed with abstract florals in deep reds, purples, and blues. The performance is shot on vintage Zeiss Super Speed lenses, creating soft highlights and a shallow depth of field that isolates her in the frame.

During the bridge, the quiet atmosphere ruptures with smoke, wind, and overexposed flashes, while the camera continues uninterrupted. As the performance resolves, the audience appears with phone lights raised, before fading to black. The concept focuses entirely on emotional detail and visual restraint.

🇮🇹 Italy

Italy’s first rehearsal for Eurovision 2025 features Lucio Corsi performing his glam rock ballad Volevo Essere Un Duro. The 31-year-old singer-songwriter from Tuscany brings a 1970s aesthetic, both musically and visually, echoing Bowie-era piano ballads. The staging closely follows his Sanremo performance: Lucio begins seated at an extended piano, wearing a bright yellow, giant-shouldered bolero jacket and his signature white face makeup. He is joined on stage by guitarist and co-writer Tommaso Ottomano.

After the first third of the song, Lucio moves to the centre stage with his guitar. New for Eurovision are two large retro speaker props at the back—one square and approximately four metres high, the other slightly smaller. A sepia filter is applied to the broadcast, enhancing the vintage atmosphere, and English subtitles appear on-screen to support accessibility. A harmonica solo precedes the final chorus, one of the few live instrumental moments in this year’s contest.

🇪🇸 Spain

Spain’s first rehearsal for Eurovision 2025 features Melody performing her uptempo track Esa Diva. Known for her long-standing career in Spanish pop, Melody presents a completely reimagined staging compared to her Benidorm Fest performance. Previously seen elements such as the swing, throne, and neon pink visuals are no longer present. Instead, the new staging introduces a more refined and structured concept.

The performance is now divided into three distinct acts, each marked by a specific visual theme. First, Act One uses purple lighting and graphics. Then, Act Two shifts to red tones, adding intensity. Finally, Act Three transitions into pure white, blending with a mountain backdrop projected on the LED screen.

Throughout the performance, Melody is joined by five dancers—three male and two female—who perform different routines for each act. Additionally, her outfit features a black corseted design with sharp shoulders and hips, paired with a fedora and thigh-high boots. The performance opens in silhouette and concludes with a powerful, high-energy final dance sequence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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History
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This year’s Eurovision Song Contest has been won by Austria. It was the 57th Austrian entry. Reason for us to go back to all the Austrian entries in history! For the second episode, we will look back at the time when the world was still in black and white. Austria found the perfect contestant: Udo Jürgens. It took him three times to win, but he did it! 1963: Carmela Corren – “Vielleicht geschieht ein Wunder” Carmela Corren, an Israeli-born singer and actress, represented Austria in 1963 with the song “Vielleicht geschieht ein Wunder” (“Maybe a Miracle Will Happen”). It’s a romantic schlager-style ballad. The song was composed by Erwin Halletz with lyrics by Peter Wehle and performed in German (with a few lines in English). It earned a respectable 16 points, finishing 7th out of 16 countries. Corren was already known in the early 1960s German-language music scene and had appeared in films, bringing star quality to Austria’s Eurovision stage. In 1962, she did an attempt to represent Germany. 1964: Udo Jürgens – “Warum nur, warum?” Austria’s 1964 entry “Warum nur, warum?” was written and performed by Udo Jürgens. He was a renowned Austrian singer-songwrite. He would later win Eurovision 1966. The song is in an elegant chanson style, with Jürgens poignantly asking “why” bad things happen in life. Jürgens composed both the music and lyrics himself. The song scored 11 points and placed 6th among 16 entries, establishing Jürgens as a strong Eurovision contender. 1965: Udo Jürgens – “Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüßen” For the second year in a row, Udo Jürgens represented Austria at Eurovision. In 1965 he performed “Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüßen” (“Tell Her I Send My Greetings”). The ballad brims with longing and emotional depth. Jürgens again composed the music, with Frank Bohlen supplying the lyrics. The song earned 16 points and finished 4th out of 18 entries in Naples. That strong result further cemented Udo Jürgens’s status as one of Austria’s leading pop stars and set up his ultimate Eurovision triumph the following year. 1966: Udo Jürgens – “Merci, Chérie” In 1966, Udo Jürgens finally clinched Austria’s first Eurovision victory with “Merci, Chérie”. This entry, an earnest orchestral ballad of farewell, was composed by Jürgens with lyrics co-written by actor Thomas Hörbiger. Performed in Luxembourg, “Merci, Chérie” stood out for its emotional melody and gracious theme. It scored 31 points, securing the 1st-place trophy against 17 competitors. Already a beloved entertainer (Jürgens’s career spanned 50 years and over 1,000 songs), his Eurovision win solidified his legacy in Austrian pop music history. 1967: Peter Horten – “Warum es hunderttausend Sterne gibt” As host country in 1967, Austria fielded singer‑guitarist Peter Horten (the stage name of Peter Müller) on home soil. His entry, “Warum es hunderttausend Sterne gibt” (“Why Are There a Hundred Thousand Stars”), delivered a gentle pop‑schlager ballad with philosophical lyrics about life’s mysteries. Kurt Peche composed the song, and Karin Bognar wrote the words. Despite its reflective tone, the entry earned just 2 points, finishing 14th of 17 contestants. Horten, a classically trained singer, began his career in the Vienna Boys’ Choir. He remained active in music throughout the years despite this low Eurovision placing. 1968: Karel Gott – “Tausend Fenster” In 1968, Austria chose Karel Gott as its representative to perform its Eurovision entry. Fans dubbed the Czech pop superstar the “Golden Voice of Prague”. His song “Tausend Fenster” (“Thousand Windows”) is a dramatic chanson (a sweeping orchestral ballad). Eurovision veteran Udo Jürgens composed it, and Walter Brandin wrote the lyrics. The song about urban loneliness earned only 2 points, placing 13th out of 17 in London in the contest. Although Eurovision 1968 disappointed Austria, Karel Gott’s illustrious career continued. He released over 100 albums and enjoyed decades of fame across Europe. Next time, we will look at the next episode of Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Read More »
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