Basel Bulletin: the day after

It’s the day after the second semifinal. The semifinal has been held and now the final is completed. We have been looking for reactions of all the artists; the finalists and the non-qualifiers. Here you find all the reactions brought together.

🇦🇺 Australia (Go-Jo) – Did Not Qualify.

Opening the show with a wildly fun performance of “Milkshake Man,” Go-Jo (Marty Zambotto) narrowly missed the final. Despite the disappointment, he remained proud: “I know that I couldn’t have done anything better… I suppose I couldn’t have worked harder if I tried” He called the Eurovision journey “the most incredible thing I’ve ever experienced… I’m so grateful for that”, emphasizing that he has no regrets after giving his all on stage.  sbs.com.au

🇲🇪 Montenegro (Nina Žižić) – Did Not Qualify.

Nina Žižić delivered a powerful ballad “Dobrodošli” but sadly fell short of a final spot. Ever gracious, she voiced deep appreciation for her supporters. “This is the way an athlete or singer should be supported; thank you on behalf of all my colleagues,” she said. Nina thanked the audience “from the bottom of my heart”, grateful for the loud applause and ovations her emotional performance received at the arena source: rtcg.me.

🇮🇪 Ireland (EMMY) – Did Not Qualify.

EMMY’s space-themed pop song “Laika Party” did not advance, marking another tough year for Ireland. The 24-year-old singer was gracious in defeat and apologized to fans on Instagram. “I’m SO sorry, Ireland. We will forever love you and be grateful and honoured to have represented you,” she wrote. Though heartbroken, Emmy expressed pride in her team’s journey and thanked supporters for “shining so bright” with encouragement.  limerickleader.ie

🇱🇻 Latvia (Tautumeitas) – Qualified!

Folk-pop group Tautumeitas earned Latvia a place in the final with their ethereal song “Bur Man Laimi.” The six-member ensemble was overjoyed by the result, sharing that they were “very, very happy” and felt appreciated by the voters. “We are extremely happy. We feel appreciated and we wholeheartedly thank everyone for the support,” the band revealed right after the show. One of the singers exclaimed “We are very, very happy!” – as they celebrated, thanking fans “from the heart for all the support”. sejas.tvnet.lv

🇦🇲 Armenia (PARG) – Qualified!

PARG’s powerful performance of “SURVIVOR” struck a chord, sending Armenia to the final. The young artist (Pargev Vardanyan) was visibly moved and later said he poured everything into that moment. Earlier in the season he had noted, “I have so many emotions; I am happy and grateful to everyone who voted for me”. After qualifying, PARG thanked his team and fans, emphasizing that “aside from the result, this journey has been incredible”. He had approached Eurovision with “great responsibility” and was proud that Armenia’s streak of qualifications continues. panarmenian.net

🇦🇹 Austria (JJ) – Qualified!

Balladeer JJ delivered an emotional rendition of “Wasted Love” and secured Austria’s spot in the final. Backstage, JJ was ecstatic. “I’m so happy with my performance, and super satisfied with our show and our energy,” he told Austrian media. Fighting back tears of joy, the singer thanked the audience and jurors for believing in his song. Qualifying for Austria (after some years of near misses) felt like “a dream come true,” he said, promising to give even more in the Grand Final.

🇬🇷 Greece (Klavdia) – Qualified!

Klavdia’s soaring ballad “Asteromáta” earned Greece a spot in the final, but not before a suspenseful wait as one of the last names announced. Overwhelmed, Klavdia admitted, “I will never forget this moment in my life”. She thanked everyone for their support: “Thank you for the messages of love. People said, no matter what happens, we are proud… I love you, thank you, I have no words”. The young singer’s televised reaction – closing her eyes in prayer then bursting into tears and laughter – captured the “so intense” emotion of the night. “Whatever happens in the final, this was so crucial and intense,” she said, calling it a victory she’ll cherish forever. lifo.gr

🇱🇹 Lithuania (Katarsis) – Qualified!

The band Katarsis erupted with joy when Lithuania’s name was the first announced qualifier. The group later joked that the odds had been against them – “I calculated and there was only a 6% chance this would happen. We are very happy,” laughed member Jokūbas. Lead singer Lukas described their mindset on stage: “We feel a great power… it’s like our home up there”. Katarsis also revealed their secret to unity: “Muzika… we’ve been here two weeks and haven’t had a fight. We are happy together”. The Lithuanians were clearly thrilled to continue “the adventure” into the final. tv3.lt

🇲🇹 Malta (Miriana Conte) – Qualified!

With her upbeat anthem “SERVING,” Miriana Conte broke Malta’s streak of non-qualifications and could not contain her excitement. On social media the Maltese pop diva wrote, “FORZA MALTA!!!! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support”. She dedicated the achievement to her fans, adding in Maltese, “Grazzi ħafna lil kulħadd!” The Maltese delegation celebrated wildly; Miriana later admitted through happy tears that hearing Malta’s name as a qualifier was “unbearable suspense turned into pure joy”. She promised to keep “serving” her best for the final. timesofmalta.com

🇬🇪 Georgia (Mariam Shengelia) – Did Not Qualify.

Georgia’s Mariam Shengelia delivered a heartfelt performance of “Freedom,” accompanied by the Erisioni dance ensemble, but did not make the final cut. Ever positive, Mariam shouted on stage, “Georgia, I love you! Thank you, Europe!”. She expressed love for her country and gratitude to Europe for listening. Post-show, the 23-year-old singer thanked the Georgian public for their immense support, saying the Eurovision experience was “priceless” and that she hoped she made her nation proud even in defeat.   kvirispalitra.ge palitravideo.ge

🇩🇰 Denmark (Sissal) – Qualified!

Sissal’s gothic pop entry “Hallucination” carried Denmark to its first final since 2019, and her reaction was one of the night’s highlights. Upon qualifying, Sissal was overcome with “pure joy” – viewers saw her burst into happy tears and laughter, utterly shocked at the result. “I’m truly living my dream here,” she had said earlier in the week, “and I’m so grateful for it”. The Faroese-born singer admitted the odds were against her, which made the moment even sweeter: “This is the fulfillment of a dream and something I will remember for the rest of my life”. Sissal thanked everyone “for the love out there” and vowed to keep making Denmark proud in the final. avisen.dk

🇨🇿 Czechia (ADONXS) – Did Not Qualify.

ADONXS (Adam Pavlovčin) represented Czechia with the synth-pop track “Kiss Kiss Goodbye,” but he narrowly missed the top ten. The Slovak-born singer remained gracious and positive. In a message to fans, he wrote that he was “thankful for the love” he received throughout the journey. ADONXS noted that performing on the Eurovision stage was “like a little Olympic moment” for him, and he’s proud of his team’s bold artistic statement. “We knew it was a risk, but the positive reactions we’ve gotten mean the world,” he commented. Though disappointed, he told supporters in Czech “Děkuju vám všem” – “Thank you all” – and urged them to enjoy the final even without Czech participation. seznamzpravy.cz

🇱🇺 Luxembourg (Laura Thorn) – Qualified!

In a triumphant return for Luxembourg after years away, Laura Thorn earned a final spot with the retro-pop “La poupée monte le son”. The 21-year-old singer was overwhelmed by emotion when Luxembourg’s name was announced – she burst into tears of happiness, letting out a jubilant scream as her dancers hugged her. Later, Laura told reporters, “I sang as if it were the last time I could do it on the Eurovision stage”. She described the qualification as “a dream come true”, given Luxembourg’s long absence. Laura thanked the audience “merci du fond du cœur” (from the bottom of her heart) and said this moment validated the homage her song pays to Luxembourg’s Eurovision legacy. virgule.lu

🇮🇱 Israel (Yuval Raphael) – Qualified!

Yuval Raphael’s uplifting song “New Day Will Rise” took Israel to the final, a deeply poignant achievement for the 24-year-old. After his performance, Yuval held up a peace sign and later posted a simple, heartfelt message: “Thank you. Merci. תודה ❤️”. He expressed gratitude in English, French, and Hebrew. On Israeli media, Yuval said he felt everyone’s embrace: “Thank you for hugging my heart each time, and thank you for giving me your voice”. 

🇷🇸 Serbia (Princ) – Did Not Qualify.

Stefan Zdravković – stage name Princ – performed the soulful ballad “Mila” but did not advance. Still, representing Serbia was a milestone for him. “This is the fulfillment of a dream and something I will remember for the rest of my life”. After the elimination, Princ remained upbeat and “prezadovoljan” (more than satisfied) with his team’s efforts. He congratulated the qualifiers and thanked the Serbian public for believing in him. “I hope I presented Serbia in the most dignified way possible to make people proud,” he stated, and promised this experience is just the start for him. dnevnik.rs.

🇫🇮 Finland (Erika Vikman) – Qualified!

Closing the semi-final in style, Erika Vikman brought disco flair with “ICH KOMME” and sailed into the final. Erika was radiant with joy afterwards. “I’m truly living my dream and I’m grateful to be here,” she said – . Achieving a childhood ambition, she added, “This is what I’ve wanted since I was a child”. The Finnish star also laughed about a staging surprise – a giant prop microphone exploded with confetti at the end of her act, giving her a scare and then a good laugh. Erika thanked the Finnish fans (who had selected her via UMK) for their “insane support” and promised to bring “röyhkeästi minä” – her boldly authentic self – to the final. kaleva.fi