Austrian singer JJ, who won Eurovision 2025 representing Austria with his song “Wasted Love”, and who has recently stirred public debate in Austria due to his comments regarding Israel’s participation in the contest, is now receiving strong support from the city of Vienna. As part of its bid to host Eurovision 2026, the city awarded him the esteemed “Golden Rathausmann Award” (Rathausmann being the symbolic statue located atop Vienna’s City Hall).

JJ Wins a Prestigious Prize!

JJ was honored in a special ceremony attended by Mayor Michael Ludwig, who praised the artist’s musical achievements. JJ, a Vienna native and student at the Private University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, made history by becoming the first Austrian artist to reach over one million song streams in a single week—a milestone previously unmatched in the country.

His name now joins an illustrious list of previous Golden Rathausmann recipients, including past Eurovision winners such as Udo Jurgens, Conchita Wurst, and even international icons like Elton John. During the award ceremony, JJ expressed his deep appreciation, stating: “Vienna is my home. I love it more than any other place. I would be thrilled if Eurovision came back here again.”

Vienna’s Eurovision Ambitions: A Clear Message to EBU

While the event celebrated JJ’s recent success, it also served as a strategic move by Vienna to formally express its desire to host the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest. Mayor Ludwig used the occasion to announce that an 80-page hosting proposal has already been submitted to the European Broadcasting Union. The bid highlights Vienna’s readiness across all fronts—logistical, cultural, and technological—to welcome participants, media professionals, and thousands of fans from around the world.

Vienna last hosted Eurovision in 2015, an event widely regarded as one of the most successful editions in the competition’s history. The city now hopes to repeat that success a decade later.

Why Vienna Feels Like the Natural Host City for 2026

As a longtime observer of Eurovision, it’s easy to sense which cities are truly prepared for the scale and significance of the contest—and Vienna clearly fits the bill. Conversations with members of the Euromix community reveal a consistent sentiment: Vienna is a natural and highly desired host venue.

This impression is not only based on the city’s past performance but also substantiated by facts and passion. From state-of-the-art performance halls to excellent transportation infrastructure and an enthusiastic, internationally-minded public, Vienna presents all the ingredients necessary for a world-class event. The 2015 production still serves as a benchmark for professionalism and scale—and Vienna is ready to deliver once again.

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”.