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Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Eurovision fans left baffled as they spot huge movie star in performance
The Albanian hopefuls in this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland impressed fans at home with their powerful performance, but viewers pointed out an apparent resemblance The Eurovision Song Contest hopefuls put on an impressive show on Saturday evening - but it wasn't the singing that had some fans talking. As 26 countries took to the stage in Basel, Switzerland, it was the last duo that had viewers at home saying the same thing. While Albania's impressive vocals saw viewers praise their efforts, some couldn't unsee an uncanny resemblance with a popular cartoon character. Electro-pop duo Shkodra Elektronike's song Zjerm was a crowd favourite pre-vote. But one of the duo was continuously likened to a character from the Minions movies. On X, formerly known as Twitter, one user wrote: "Albania is serving Gru #Eurovision2025 #eurovision," while putting a comparison of the singer and the cartoon. Another joked: "We got Gru performing for Albania #Eurovision2025." A third added: "Good to see Gru representing Albania #Eurovision2025," while sharing an image of the animated villain. And it wasn't just the UK audience making the comparison, with a number of posts in other languages sharing the same view. Some weren't keen on his addition, though. One user complained: "Albania - I'll take it without Gru and his random drumming and talk rapping #Eurovision2025 4/10" Earlier in the show, fans were quick to comment on Tommy Cash's performance of Espresso Macchiato. He performed the catchy tune for Estonia. The performer, whose real name is Tomas Tammemets, performed in the Swiss capital of Basel after the 33-year-old singer was chosen to be the country's act following his Eesti Laul 2025 victory with his dance-pop hit. The star has been performing since 2012 and already has a loyal fan base, but not all Eurovision viewers would have heard of him. And they quickly took to Twitter/X to let their feelings about his song be known. One confused fan wrote: "Vocally could be better, but this is one of the funniest songs, artists and performances of the year and as a person needing coffee, I relate." Another added: "I love the funky Eurovision songs and Estonia gave me what Eurovision is all about!" However, there was controversy following Israel's performance. Two people tried to rush the stage during Israeli singer Yuval Raphael's entry, organisers confirmed. A spokesman for SRG SSR said: 'At the end of the Israeli performance, a man and a woman tried to get over a barrier onto the stage. 'They were stopped. One of the two agitators threw paint and a crew member was hit. The crew member is fine and nobody was injured. The man and the woman were taken out of the venue and handed over to the police.' It was claimed that the competition's bosses also chose to drown out the sounds of booing when she performed New Day Will Rise for a rehearsal on Friday night. Shortly after the performance on Saturday, bosses released a statement. It read: "For the Eurovision Song Contest, the host broadcaster SRG SSR is working with the 'audio sweetening' method, which is common practice for major international productions. This process helps to harmonise the sound of the transitions between moderations, video clips and the individual acts and to create a consistent soundscape for the TV audience. "It is used exclusively for the technical rounding off of the programme. This process is used equally and identically for all acts. The competition and its results are not affected in any way."
Newsweek
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
How To Watch Eurovision 2025 Grand Final in US—Start Time, Song List
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will culminate with its Grand Final on Saturday, bringing together 37 countries for an evening of high-energy performances, glitzy staging and international pop flair. This year's edition features the United Kingdom's entry, Remember Monday, a country-pop trio aiming to turn around the U.K.'s recent poor showings with their track "What The Hell Just Happened." The group, composed of Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele, previously appeared on The Voice and have backgrounds in West End productions including Phantom of the Opera and Six: The Musical. Finalists were determined this week during two semifinals. Automatic entries include the so-called "Big Five" nations—France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K.—as well as the defending champion's country. Klavdia from Greece performs the song "Asteromata" during the second semifinal of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, on May 15, 2025. Klavdia from Greece performs the song "Asteromata" during the second semifinal of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, on May 15, 2025. Martin Meissner/AP Photo What Time Is The Eurovision 2025 Grand Final? The Grand Final will begin at 3 p.m. ET and noon PT on Saturday in the United States. The Contestants and the Songs From the first semifinal, these countries qualified: Albania: Shkodra Elektronike – Zjerm Shkodra Elektronike – Zjerm Sweden: KAJ – Bara Bada Bastu KAJ – Bara Bada Bastu Ukraine: Ziferblat – Bird of Pray Ziferblat – Bird of Pray Portugal: NAPA – Deslocado Second semifinal qualifiers: Greece: Klavdia – Asteromáta Klavdia – Asteromáta Israel: Yuval Raphael – New Day Will Rise Yuval Raphael – New Day Will Rise Finland: Erika Vikman – ICH KOMME Erika Vikman – ICH KOMME Austria: JJ – Wasted Love Six countries—the Big Five and host nation Switzerland—qualified automatically for the Grand Final. The Big Five: France: Louane – Maman Louane – Maman Germany: Abor & Tynna – Baller Abor & Tynna – Baller Italy: Lucio Corsi – Volevo essere un duro Lucio Corsi – Volevo essere un duro Spain: Melody – Esa diva Melody – Esa diva United Kingdom: Remember Monday – What the Hell Just Happened? Switzerland's Zoë Më will perform "Voyage" in the Grand Final as the host country's 2025 entry, while 2024 winner Nemo, who triumphed with "The Code," is scheduled to return as a guest performer. Women in traditional dresses prepare to dance in a park during a family meeting with Ukrainians and Eurovision band Ziferblat in Basel, Switzerland. Women in traditional dresses prepare to dance in a park during a family meeting with Ukrainians and Eurovision band Ziferblat in Basel, Switzerland. Martin Meissner/AP Photo Where Is This Year's Eurovision Song Contest? The contest is in Basel, Switzerland at the St. Jakobshalle arena. It marks the third time the country has hosted Eurovision and aligns with this year's theme, "Welcome Home," commemorating the first-ever contest held in Switzerland in 1956. How To Watch Eurovision Song Contest In the United States, viewers can stream the Grand Final live on Peacock. The show is also available on the Eurovision Song Contest's official YouTube channel, depending on regional access. Controversies And Politics More than 70 past contestants, including the U.K.'s Mae Muller, have signed an open letter calling for Israel's exclusion from the contest. They argue the Israeli broadcaster KAN is complicit in war crimes amid Israel's military campaign in Gaza. The European Broadcasting Union has maintained that Eurovision is a non-political event and declined to ban the country. Yuval Raphael, Israel's contestant, who survived the Nova music festival massacre in 2023, told the BBC she was "expecting to be booed" during her performance amid the Gaza conflict. Can I Vote From The U.S.? Eurovision voting combines jury scores with public votes. Each participating country awards two sets of scores—one from a panel of music experts and another from fans, who vote by phone, SMS or the Eurovision app. Viewers cannot vote for their own country, and a special "rest of the world" vote is included for non-participating nations like the U.S.
RTÉ News
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Here's the running order for the Eurovision Grand Final 2025
Ireland may not have made the cut, but there'll be plenty to look forward to in Saturday's Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final. Six countries - France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and last year's winners, Switzerland - automatically qualified for the final. They are joined by 20 others who progressed through the semi-finals held on Tuesday and Thursday. Ireland was among six countries eliminated during Thursday night's semi-final, with Greece clinching the final spot in Saturday's decider. Those who made it through include Austria's JJ (Johannes Pietsch), considered one of this year's frontrunners with his song Wasted Love, as well as Armenian artist PARG, Denmark's Sissal, and Luxembourg's Laura Thorn. Tuesday's qualifiers included Norway's Kyle Alessandro, Albania's Shkodra Elektronike, Sweden's KAJ, and Ukrainian group Ziferblat. Sweden now has the chance to become the most successful country in Eurovision history, as it currently shares the record of seven wins with Ireland. This year's Swedish entry, Bara bada bastu, is performed by the group KAJ. The theme for this year's contest is Unity Shapes Love. Here is the running order for the Grand Final this Saturday: 1. Norway | Kyle Alessandro – Lighter 2. Luxembourg | Laura Thorn – La Poupée Monte Le Son 3. Estonia | Tommy Cash – Espresso Macchiato 4. Israel | Yuval Raphael – New Day Will Rise 5. Lithuania | Katarsis – Tavo Akys 6. Spain | Melody – ESA DIVA 7. Ukraine | Ziferblat – Bird of Pray 8. United Kingdom | Remember Monday – What The Hell Just Happened? 9. Austria | JJ – Wasted Love 10. Iceland | VÆB – RÓA 11. Latvia | Tautumeitas – Bur Man Laimi 12. Netherlands | Claude – C'est La Vie 13. Finland | Erika Vikman – ICH KOMME 14. Italy | Lucio Corsi | Volevo Essere Un Duro 15. Poland | Justyna Steczkowska – GAJA 16. Germany | Abor & Tynna – Baller 17. Greece | Klavdia – Asteromáta 18. Armenia | PARG – SURVIVOR 19. Switzerland | Zoë Më – Voyage 20. Malta | Miriana Conte – SERVING 21. Portugal | NAPA – Deslocado 22. Denmark | Sissal – Hallucination 23. Sweden | KAJ – Bara Bada Bastu 24. France | Louane – maman 25. San Marino | Gabry Ponte – Tutta L'Italia 26. Albania | Shkodra Elektronike – Zjerm The Grand Final takes place on Saturday, 17 May, and will be shown live on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player from 8pm.
Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Bookies share odds of UK winning Eurovision 2025 ahead of grand final
Remember Monday, representing the UK, will take to the stage in Basel, Switzerland, in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 tomorrow and bookmakers have shared the odds of the UK winning The favourites to win this year's Eurovision Song Contest 2025 have been unveiled. Following last night's second semi-finals; Lithuania, Israel, Armenia, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Latvia, Malta and Greece all made it through the the final on Saturday May 17. The results mean that Australia, Montenegro, Ireland, Georgia, Czechia and Serbia haven't made it through to the grand final this year. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 final will feature Norway, Albania, Sweden, Iceland, the Netherlands, Poland, San Marino, Estonia, Portugal, Ukraine - who all competed in the first semi-final. They will be up against Lithuania, Israel, Armenia, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Latvia, Malta and Greece - who all made it through from the second semi-final. The so-called 'Big Five' countries of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom - who qualify for the final automatically - will also compete in the grand final, alongside host nation Switzerland. Bookmakers have predicted Sweden will win the 2025 song contest Here are the current bookies' odds for all 26 remaining contestants: 1) Sweden – KAJ – 'Bara Bada Bastu' – 39 per cent 2) Austria – JJ – 'Wasted Love' – 22 per cent 3) Netherlands – Claude – 'Cest La Vie' – eight per cent 4) France – Louane – 'Maman' – seven per cent 5) Finland – Erika Vikman – 'ICH KOMME' – four per cent 6) Israel – Yuval Raphael – 'New Day Will Rise' – four per cent 7) Estonia – Tommy Cash – 'Espresso Macchiato' – four per cent 8) Switzerland – Zoë Më – 'Voyage' – three per cent 9) Albania – Shkodra Elektronike – 'Zjerm' – two per cent 10) Malta – Miriana Conte – 'SERVING' – one per cent 11) UK – Remember Monday – 'What the Hell Just Happened?' – one per cent 12) Italy – Lucio Corsi – 'Volevo Essere Un Duro' – one per cent. 13) Ukraine – Ziferblat – 'Bird Of Pray' – one per cent. 14) Spain – Melody – 'ESA DIVA' – one per cent. 15) Germany – Abor and Tynna – 'Baller' – one per cent 16) Luxembourg - Laura Thorn - "La poupée monte le son" - <one per cent 17) San Marino – Gabry Ponte – Tutta LItalia – <one per cent 18) Greece: Klavdia – Asteromáta - <one per cent 19) Poland – Justyna Steczkowska – 'GAJA' – <one per cent 20) Norway: Kyle Alessandro – Lighter - <one per cent 21) Lithuania: Katarsis – Tavo Akys - <one per cent 22) Denmark: Sissal – Hallucination - <one per cent 23) Iceland: VÆB – RÓA - <one per cent 25) Portugal: Napa - "Deslocado" - <one per cent 26) Armenia: Parg - "Survivor" - <one per cent
Japan Today
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Eurovision: the grand final line-up
Hazel Brugger, left, and Sandra Studer are hosting the Eurovision 2025 semi-finals The 26 countries taking part in Saturday's Eurovision Song Contest grand final, are now known, with 20 now having qualified from this week's semifinals. Ten countries went through from Tuesday's first semi-final, while five were eliminated following votes cast by viewers. The final line-up was completed after Thursday's second semifinal, when 10 countries progressed and six were knocked out. The so-called "Big Five" -- Eurovision's main financial backers France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom -- have guaranteed spots in the final, alongside hosts Switzerland. Here are the 26 countries, their acts and their songs competing for Eurovision glory on Saturday at the St. Jakobshalle arena in the Swiss city of Basel: -- Albania: Shkodra Elektronike, "Zjerm" -- Armenia: Parg, "Survivor" -- Austria: JJ, "Wasted Love" -- Estonia: Tommy Cash, "Espresso Macchiato" -- Denmark: Sissal, "Hallucination" -- Finland: Erika Vikman, "Ich Komme" -- France: Louane, "Maman" -- Germany: Abor & Tynna, "Baller" -- Greece: Klavdia, "Asteromata" -- Iceland: Vaeb, "Roa" -- Israel: Yuval Raphael, "New Day Will Rise" -- Italy: Lucio Corsi, "Volevo Essere Un Duro" -- Latvia: Tautumeitas, "Bur Man Laimi" -- Lithuania: Katarsis, "Tavo akys" -- Luxembourg: Laura Thorn, "La Poupee Monte Le Son" -- Malta: Miriana Conte, "Serving" -- Netherlands: Claude, "C'est la Vie" -- Norway: Kyle Alessandro, "Lighter" -- Poland: Justyna Steczkowska, "Gaja" -- Portugal: Napa, "Deslocado" -- San Marino: Gabry Ponte, "Tutta l'Italia" -- Spain: Melody, "Esa Diva" -- Sweden: KAJ, "Bara Bada Bastu" -- Switzerland: Zoe Me, "Voyage" -- Ukraine: Ziferblat, "Bird of Pray" -- United Kingdom: Remember Monday, "What the Hell Just Happened?" © 2025 AFP
