🇸🇪 Road to Basel: Sweden

Road to Basel: Sweden

Road to Basel: Sweden. As the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel approaches, we continue our daily spotlight on this year’s contestants. Today, we focus on Sweden.

photo: SVT/Stina Stjernkvist

KAJ

KAJ is a music and comedy trio originating from the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland. The group comprises Axel Åhman, Jakob Norrgård, and Kevin Holmström. Known for their humorous and satirical songs, KAJ has gained popularity in both Finland and Sweden. Their unique blend of comedy and music has resonated with audiences, leading to a dedicated fan base and critical acclaim. ​

“Bara bada bastu” (What does AI say?)

Their Eurovision entry, “Bara bada bastu” (English: “Just Sauna”), is an epadunk song that pays homage to Finnish sauna culture. Performed in the VörĂĄ dialect of Finland Swedish, with a few words in Finnish, the track combines traditional themes with modern musical elements. The song’s catchy melody and playful lyrics have made it a viral sensation, topping Spotify’s global Viral 50 chart and breaking records for the most-streamed Swedish-language song in a single day on the platform. ​

Melodifestivalen 2025

Sweden selected its Eurovision 2025 representative through the national competition Melodifestivalen 2025. The final took place on March 8, 2025, at the Strawberry Arena in Stockholm. KAJ participated with “Bara bada bastu,” advancing directly to the final from their heat in Malmö. In the final, they secured victory with 164 points, receiving the highest number of votes in the history of the competition—over 4.3 million. This win grants them the honor of representing Sweden in Basel. ​

  1. Kaj, “Bara bada bastu“
  2. MĂĄns Zelmerlöw, “Revolution“
  3. Greczula, “Believe Me“
  4. Klara Hammarström, “On and On and On“
  5. Dolly Style, “Yihaa“
  6. John Lundvik, “Voice of the Silent“
  7. Scarlet, “Sweet n’ Psycho“
  8. Annika Wickihalder, “Life Again“
  9. Erik Segerstedt, “Show Me What Love Is“
  10. Meira Omar, “Hush Hush“
  11. Maja Ivarsson, “Kamikaze Life“
  12. Saga Ludvigsson, “Hate You So Much“
Who is Arja Saijonmaa?

“Som tango me Arja Saijonmaa”, Kaj sings, but who is Arja Saijonmaa? Arja Saijonmaa, born December 1, 1944, in Mikkeli, Finland, is a renowned singer, political activist, and actress. She gained prominence in Sweden, notably interpreting Mikis Theodorakis’s songs. Her 1979 album “Jag vill tacka livet,” featuring Swedish versions of Violeta Parra’s songs, includes her hit “Jag vill tacka livet.” In 1987, her song “Högt över havet” secured second place in Melodifestivalen. Beyond music, Saijonmaa has been a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador since 1987.

Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest

Sweden has a storied history in the Eurovision Song Contest, having participated since 1958. The country boasts seven victories: ABBA‘s “Waterloo” (1974), Herreys‘ “Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley” (1984), Carola‘s “FĂĄngad av en stormvind” (1991), Charlotte Nilsson‘s “Take Me to Your Heaven” (1999), Loreen‘s “Euphoria” (2012), MĂĄns Zelmerlöw’s “Heroes” (2015), and Loreen’s “Tattoo” (2023). Known for its strong pop music tradition and high-quality entries, Sweden consistently ranks among the top contenders in the competition.

​

A Random Swedish Entry

Reflecting on Sweden’s Eurovision history, random.org looks way back, to 1963. Monica Zetterlund was the singer of “En gĂĄng I Stockholm”. Unfortunately, the song didn’t gain a single point. However, lyricist Beppe Wolgers grew to world fame. Not for the lyrics of the song but for his role as Ephraim Longstocking, Pippi’s father.

Betting Odds

As of now, KAJ’s “Bara bada bastu” is leading the odds. Austria is close on a 2nd place, but will it be true? Will Kaj bring Sweden the 8th victory? It is a serious possibility. Let’s wait and see!​

We eagerly await the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel and look forward to witnessing KAJ’s performance on the grand stage.

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Eurovision 2025

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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May 20, 2025 No Comments
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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Read More »
May 20, 2025 No Comments
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