Latest news with #ConchitaWurst
The Guardian
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
TV tonight: Joanna Lumley holidays with a beer-brewing nun
9pm, ITV1Joanna Lumley's travelogues don't tend to be heavy on sociopolitical analysis but she's good company all the same. In this new series, she is travelling down the Danube River. It begins with a beer-brewing nun and an enjoyable trip to the Wachau wine valley, before she meets up with 2014 Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst for a tour of Vienna. Phil Harrison 8.30pm, BBC OneHammond is proving to be well suited to these long-form interviews, which are deceptively lighthearted but not afraid to touch on more serious issues. Jimmy Carr is her companion this time, talking about his tax issues, his relationship with his mother and his memories of the late, great Sean Lock. PH 9pm, BBC Two For Tudor-era operator Thomas Sackville, it was knowing 'the right thing to say to the right person at the right time' that enabled him to buy the sprawling Knole House in Kent. Here's a romp around Knole today – which also houses a lifesize nude statue of 18th-century ballet dancer Giovanna Zanerini. Ali Catterall 9pm, Sky MaxThe greatest frenemy double act on TV continues to walk the line between love and hate as the fourth season reaches its penultimate episode. Deborah and Ava's talkshow hangs in the balance, but does that mean the pair will set their differences aside and work together? Don't bet on it. PH 9.30pm, BBC OneIf you can persuade Billie Piper to cameo in a low-key comedy, you make the most of your day shooting with her – so she reappears in this season finale. Autistic Australian-in-Britain Austin (Michael Theo) has run away, prompting his dad Julian (Ben Miller) to find him – and meet Austin's fave celebrity. Jack Seale 10pm, Channel 4Three is the magic number: more from the raunchy social experiment that encourages participants to dip a toe into polyamory. Jonny and Sarah from Wales have had their collective head turned by French model Marie, while Essex couple Claude and Amy join the fun. Graeme Virtue The Wild Robot (Chris Sanders, 2024), 9.10am, 6.10pm, Sky Cinema Premiere Chris Sanders's delightful family animation attains Wall-E levels of poignancy in its tale of a shipwrecked robot that learns how to feel. Washed up on a remote island populated only by animals, service unit Roz (voiced by Lupita Nyong'o) finds it has no one to serve. That is until it falls on to a goose's nest, killing all its occupants apart from runt of the litter Brightbill (Kit Connor) – who imprints on Roz as his mother. Assisted by Pedro Pascal's cynical fox Fink, the ever helpful machine reprogrammes itself to rear the gosling well enough so he can migrate with the other geese. The Disney-style anthropomorphising is a bit overdone, but it's a film full of warmth and wit. Simon Wardell
Irish Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Student holds 50-hour disability rights protest outside Leinster House
14-year-old Cara Darmody started a 50-hour disability rights protest outside Leinster House to highlight delays in children getting an assessment of needs. CCTV footage of a tractor being driven by 16 year old completely crushing a car in Graiguenamanagh. Amateur video footage captures the moment a sailing tallship crashed into New York's Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday, killing two people and injuring 17 others. Austria have won the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in the country's first victory since bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst won in 2014. A Mexican Navy sailing ship crashed into the landmark Brooklyn Bridge in New York on Saturday night, killing two people and injuring 17 others. Garda Flatley died after being hit by a motorcycle as he was carrying out speed checks on the R132 at Lanestown, north Co Dublin. Video: Dan Dennison Emmy performs "Laika Party" for Ireland's entry at the second semi-final for Eurovision 2025. Cork-based singer/songwriter Martin Leahy marks three years of singing his song Everyone Should Have a Home outside Leinster House. Video: Dan Dennison Syrians in Damascus celebrate after US president Donald Trump announced plans to ease sanctions on Syria and normalise relation. Video: Sally Hayden
Irish Times
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Tractor driven by 16 year old crashes in Graiguenamanagh
Amateur video footage captures the moment a sailing tallship crashed into New York's Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday, killing two people and injuring 17 others. Austria have won the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in the country's first victory since bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst won in 2014. A Mexican Navy sailing ship crashed into the landmark Brooklyn Bridge in New York on Saturday night, killing two people and injuring 17 others. Garda Flatley died after being hit by a motorcycle as he was carrying out speed checks on the R132 at Lanestown, north Co Dublin. Video: Dan Dennison Emmy performs "Laika Party" for Ireland's entry at the second semi-final for Eurovision 2025. Cork-based singer/songwriter Martin Leahy marks three years of singing his song Everyone Should Have a Home outside Leinster House. Video: Dan Dennison Syrians in Damascus celebrate after US president Donald Trump announced plans to ease sanctions on Syria and normalise relation. Video: Sally Hayden Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed at least 52,908 people since October 2023, while the total number of injuries has climbed to 119,721. Hollywood icon Robert De Niro lambasted 'philistine' US President Donald Trump and his proposed movie tariff at the Cannes Film Festival's opening ceremony.
Daily Tribune
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Tribune
Austria's JJ soars to Eurovision victory with operatic pop
With his falsetto voice and an angelic smile, Johannes Pietsch, alias JJ, early Sunday catapulted Austria to its first Eurovision victory since the triumph of bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst 11 years ago. With "Wasted Love", which fuses pop and lyrical elements in a crescendo that flows into techno sounds, the Alpine country made what some thought a risky choice -- but it paid off in spades. The song raked in 436 points at the Eurovision Song Contest final in Basel, placing him ahead of Israel in second place and Estonia in third. "This is beyond my wildest dreams! It's crazy!" said JJ, who gripped viewers with his ethereal performance, filmed in black and white, in the 4:3 ratio of the monochrome television era. The Austrian-Filipino countertenor, 24, said he had wanted to give viewers "an insight (into) my deepest soul, how I felt when we wrote the song". He wanted there to be "no wasted love". "There's so much love that we can spread around, and we should use love. It's the strongest force on planet Earth." JJ grew up in Dubai before discovering classical music in Vienna, where, before Eurovision, he was honing his skills between talent shows and minor roles at the opera. In April, he told AFP: "It surprises people that a man can sing so high." Even though he says he appreciates Austria's "very strict" and famous "classical world", he also wants to have the "freedom to let loose" and "experiment". 'Something new' His Eurovision entry was sung from the heart. "My song is about my personal experience with wasted and unreciprocated love. I had too much love to put out there; not much came back," he told AFP during Eurovision week. "My message is to stay strong and you'll get out of any situation, no matter how tough it is. There's always a light at the end of the tunnel." The song pivots from high soprano notes in to a blend of lyricism and balladry, before ending with a techno flourish. "We wanted to bring in something new, something unexpected," he told AFP last month, adding that the song's success surprised him. "I did not expect that the mixture of pop and classical music would be so well received, because classical music is something different and not many people listen to it." The singer has set his sights on a blend known as operatic pop, a "cross-genre and cross-disciplinary approach (which) demonstrates exceptional versatility and innovative strength", said Andreas Mailath-Pokorny, rector at Vienna arts and music university MUK, where JJ studies. Austria first won Eurovision in 1966 with "Merci, Cherie" by Udo Juergens -- a ballad about a break-up. Bach and Whitney Houston "When JJ sings, it's as if time stops," said Austria's 2014 Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst, describing the "impressive professional" as a worthy successor. Earlier this year, the two performers released a duet, while JJ said Wurst provided "many tips" ahead of Saturday's contest. JJ got a taste for classical music from his father, an Austrian IT professional, especially for Bach and Mozart, while his mother, a cook from the Philippines, listened to Celine Dion and Whitney Houston. He went to an international school in Dubai, where his father set up his company. He speaks German, English and Tagalog and learned Arabic and French. He hails Eurovision's massive international following -- and the contest being a "platform for everyone", including the LGBTQ community. "Music is a unified language that everyone speaks and understands," he said.
Arabian Post
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arabian Post
Austria's JJ Captivates Eurovision with Operatic-Pop Fusion
Austria has secured its third Eurovision Song Contest victory, with 24-year-old countertenor JJ clinching the title in Basel, Switzerland, through his emotive performance of 'Wasted Love.' This win marks Austria's first since 2014, following Conchita Wurst's triumph. JJ, born Johannes Pietsch, delivered a compelling blend of operatic vocals and contemporary techno elements, captivating both jury and public votes. His performance resonated deeply, earning Austria a combined score of 436 points, narrowly surpassing Israel's Yuval Raphael, who finished second. The song 'Wasted Love,' co-written by JJ alongside Teodora 'Teya' Špirić and Thomas Thurner, delves into themes of unrequited love and emotional vulnerability. JJ's unique countertenor range, honed through his performances at the Vienna State Opera and studies at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna, brought a distinctive depth to the piece. The Eurovision final was not without controversy. Protests erupted over Israel's participation due to ongoing geopolitical tensions, culminating in two pro-Palestinian activists attempting to disrupt Raphael's performance. Security swiftly intervened, and the event proceeded without further incident. JJ's victory has been celebrated across Austria, with President Alexander Van der Bellen and Chancellor Christian Stöcker praising his achievement. Cities such as Innsbruck and Wels have expressed interest in hosting the next Eurovision contest. JJ, who is of Filipino heritage, has also been lauded by the Filipino community, marking a significant moment of representation on the international stage. The United Kingdom's entry, the girl group Remember Monday, placed 19th despite a strong jury score. Their performance faced an unexpected setback when member Holly-Anne Hull discovered her wedding ring missing post-performance, later recovered after a backstage mix-up. See also Lyft Secures European Foothold with Strategic FreeNow Purchase
