Singer JJ, winner of Eurovision 2025 representing Austria with the song “Wasted Love,” chose to criticize and accuse Israel – the country that received the viewers’ support for the second consecutive year. In a particularly charged interview with the Spanish newspaper “El País”, known for its distinctly anti-Israel columns, the singer did not hold back his strong opinions regarding Israel’s participation in Eurovision, sparking a new storm across Europe and among fans of the competition. According to him:

“It is very disappointing that Israel is still participating in the contest. I hope next year it will be held in Vienna – and without Israel”.

Now, JJ has decided to backtrack after facing harsh reactions. While he does not retract his stance on Israel’s participation in Eurovision, he clarifies:

“I am sorry my words were misunderstood. Although I have criticism of the Israeli government, I condemn all forms of violence against all people worldwide, including Israelis and Palestinians”.

Israel ranked first in the televote, Austria came in fourth – but the winner still had something to say

After his victory, achieved solely thanks to the judges’ support, the newly crowned winner wasted no time firing shots, especially at Israel’s representative. In his interview with the Spanish newspaper, known for its pronounced anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli stance, he said:

“It is very disappointing to see Israel continue to participate in the contest. I would be happy if next year Eurovision is held in Vienna – and without Israel. But the ball is in the European Broadcasting Union’s court. We, the artists, can only raise our voices”.

It is interesting that JJ is quick to raise his voice, yet forgets to mention one important detail: he did not win the competition thanks to the public, but almost solely due to the judges. The European public preferred three other countries, including Israel, which led the public vote. Instead of asking himself why the public did not choose him, JJ chooses to attack the one who received the greatest public trust.

Transparency in Voting or an Unwelcome Result?

JJ adds:

“There should be more transparency in the public voting. This year, everything was very strange regarding this”.

Referring to the fact that the Spanish delegation demanded an investigation following Israel’s win in the public vote – and that the Belgian broadcaster even threatened to withdraw.

It seems that when the result does not suit some artists or delegations, they choose to blame the system itself. However, when the judges award high points to a particular artist, no one rushes to call for a recount. This approach raises a question: is the problem truly with transparency, or with a result that simply does not please them?

Austrian National Broadcaster Distances Itself

The Austrian national broadcaster distanced itself from the winner JJ’s statements, saying:

“The singer’s statements reflect his personal views only and are in no way related to the Austrian national broadcaster ORF. The Austrian national broadcaster emphasizes the musicality and artistic performances at Eurovision”.

The Austrian national broadcaster has never opposed Israel’s participation in Eurovision in the past and continued to collaborate with Israelis even after the events of October 7th. The Austrian government itself is a staunch supporter of Israel in all international forums, leaving JJ isolated in his views.

It should be clarified that JJ did not truly apologize; this was not an apology, and his words were well understood. Again, he did not retract his statement. He did not initially criticize the Israeli government, nor did he incite Hamas to terror, but he certainly gave his blessing to the violent Palestinian protest against Israel at Eurovision and did not call for it to stop – something that stands in opposition to the values of the competition.

JJ – Austria’s Representative at Eurovision 2025

The winner of the first place at Eurovision 2025 is the Austrian singer JJ, who won with the song “Wasted Love” with a total of 436 points – 258 from the jury (first place in the jury ranking) and 178 from the public (fourth place in the public ranking). The song was released on March 6th, 2025, and was written by JJ together with Teya and Thomas Thurner.

JJ’s victory marks Austria’s third win in the history of the contest, following Udo Jürgens’ win in 1966 (“Merci, Cherie”) and Conchita Wurst’s win in 2014 (“Rise Like a Phoenix”). JJ was chosen to represent Austria through an internal selection process by the Austrian broadcaster ORF. In the semi-final, he ranked only fifth, but in the final held in Basel, Switzerland, he managed to secure the victory.

Johannes Pietsch, known by his stage name JJ, is a young 23-year-old Austrian opera singer with an exceptional soprano voice. He spent his childhood in Dubai and began to stand out on the international stage at a young age – in 2020, he participated in The Voice UK, where he impressed the judges with his high and unique voice. Additionally, he appeared on the Austrian talent show Starmania 21, and today he is part of the cast of the Vienna State Opera.

His love for the stage began long before the Eurovision era:

“For as long as I can remember, I always sang – or at least tried – every time a favorite song played on MTV or VH1, […] At home karaoke parties, I realized I wanted to perform all the time. Hannah Montana made me dream of becoming a pop star”.

Now, standing on one of the world’s biggest stages, JJ makes sure to stay true to himself:

“I want to be remembered as a real person, someone fun with a unique energy. You don’t have to take life too seriously. And of course, I hope they remember my voice and performance too”.