Latest news with #WhattheHellJustHappened?'
Perth Now
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Austria's JJ has won 2025 Eurovision Song Contest
Austria's JJ has won the Eurovision Song Contest. The 24-year-old singer's track 'Wasted Love' took victory in Basel, Switzerland on Saturday (17.05.25) night following a tense vote, which, although he had topped the jury vote with 258 points, went down to the wire as a huge surge from the public scoring had seen Israel's Yuval Raphael flying up the standings, leaving JJ to need 100 from the public to win. He bagged 178 more points in the public vote, claiming victory with a total of 436. Taking to the stage, JJ tearfully said: "I want to thank my entire fmily, my entire team, thank you so much for making my dreams come true. And especially to you Europe, thank you for making my dreams come true. "Love is the strongest force in the world, let's spread more love. "Thank you so much." He then performed 'Wasted Love' again. After the jury vote, which saw Austria take a 44-point lead over second-placed Switzerland - who ultimately plummeted to 10th after receiving nothing from the public - JJ was visibly nervous. He held up his shaking hands and said: "This is insane, thank you so so much to the entirity of Europe for letting us be the jury winners." The UK's entry from Remember Monday, 'What the Hell Just Happened?', scored 88 points from the juries, including a maximum 12 points from Italy, but for the second year in a row received zero from the public, leaving them in 19th place out of 26, one position below last year's entrant Olly Alexander. Iceland's Vaeb, whose song was called 'Roa', received zero points from the jury, but ended in 25th place after taking 33 points from the public votes. The lowest-placed entry was San Marino's Gabry Ponte, who performed 'Tutta l'Italia'.
Daily Record
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Austria wins Eurovision, UK gets zero public votes and Israel comes second despite protests
Austria has won Eurovision 2025 that saw Israel second with 357 points despite hostile protestors and the UK come in at a dismal 88 points from the judges and ZERO for the second time from the public. Austria has been crowned the winner of Eurovision 2025 after a dramatic and politically charged contest in Basel, Switzerland. The country's act, singer JJ, secured a commanding victory at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest with a total of 436 points, seeing off fierce competition from Israel, who finished second with 357 points despite a mixed reception and protests. The United Kingdom suffered another dismal result, picking up just 88 points from the judges and, for the second time, receiving zero points from the public. British hopefuls Remember Monday performed their genre-bending track 'What the Hell Just Happened?', hoping to bounce back after Olly Alexander's disappointing showing last year. But public support failed to materialise, adding to the UK's long-running Eurovision woes. Meanwhile, Israel's Yuval Raphael delivered a performance that sparked controversy and disruption. Two audience members were reportedly ejected and handed over to police after rushing the stage and hitting a crew member with paint during her set. Raphael, a survivor of the Nova Festival massacre on October 7, 2023 — where she hid under bodies for eight hours during the Hamas terror attack — received a 'slightly mixed reception,' according to BBC commentator Graham Norton. Video footage appeared to show boos and jeers from parts of the standing audience as Raphael took to the stage. Local police have confirmed that two individuals were removed from the venue for attempted stage invasion. Despite the tense atmosphere, the contest went ahead with its usual flair, humour and spectacle. Returning to his much-loved presenting duties after major surgery, Graham Norton provided his trademark wit and dry commentary throughout the night. Norton had viewers in stitches as he compared Ukraine's act Ziferblat to 'a young Margaret Thatcher' during his intro to the track Bird of Pray. 'Graham Norton giving us an unexpected but welcome cross in the 'Mention of Maggie Thatcher' box for Eurovision Bingo,' joked one fan on X, @smcarthyplc. Another viewer, @davidbroone51, added: 'Loved Graeme's comment before Ukraine the guy looks like a teenage Margaret Thatcher he's no wrong funny eyebrows [sic].' Norton didn't stop there — comparing Italy's entry, Lucio Corsi, to the 'child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,' sending social media into meltdown. And as the camera cut to the audience following Israel's controversial performance, Norton added: 'Not sure how it sounded at home' — a line many interpreted as a subtle suggestion that the crowd's reaction may have been edited for broadcast. The show wasn't without its surprises, with Finland's comedy-music trio KAJ — the early bookies' favourites — storming through the first semi-final with their sauna-themed song Bara Bada Bastu. Celine Dion, who won Eurovision for Switzerland in 1988, appeared in a special pre-recorded message during the second semi-final, fuelling rumours she may return to the stage in future contests. Sadly for Norton, his home country Ireland didn't make it to the final, failing to earn enough public votes in the second semi-final. Despite the drama and division, Eurovision 2025 proved once again to be a show full of emotion, spectacle, and surprises — with Austria's JJ taking home the trophy and the UK left to reflect on another bruising result.
The Independent
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
UK's Eurovision entry Remember Monday reveal how they turn online hate into music
The UK's Eurovision entrant for the 2025 competition Remember Monday shared how they combat online trolling by turning negative comments into music. Members of the country-pop girl group Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull, and Charlotte Steele appeared on Sky News on Wednesday, 12 March, to discuss how they use hateful TikTok comments to their advantage. 'We started kind of singing those insults. And originally they were just so funny for us to do,' said Charlotte Steele. The band will represent the UK at Eurovision 2025 with their original song 'What the Hell Just Happened?'. The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 takes place in Basel, Switzerland, on Saturday 17 May. The semi-finals take place on 13 and 15 May.
The Independent
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
‘You can call me the milkshake man': Eurovision 2025 contestants promise weird and wonderful
The Eurovision Song Contest is back for more chaos and controversy as musicians across the continent hope to make their country proud in pop's World Cup. It's just been announced that the UK's entry for the competition will be pop trio Remember Monday, a band described as a mix between Chappell Roan and Meatloaf. Picked by Sam Ryder's manager – Ryder was the most successful British contestant in recent history, coming in second place in 2022 – the group will perform their song 'What the Hell Just Happened?'. Last year's competition was conducted 'under the darkest shadow in its history', with Israel's controversial military action in Gaza leading to threats of a boycott and numerous subtle and explicit political displays by artists for allowing the country to compete. The show was plagued by disorder and infighting, with at least one contestant being disqualified. Switzerland's artist Nemo was eventually crowned the winner. From a Timothée Chalamet lookalike to one contestant already having their song banned, there are plenty of acts to watch out for this year. This year's contest will be hosted by last year's winner in Basel, Switzerland in May. Two semi-finals will be held on 13 and 15 May, with the overall final on 17 May. UK Made up of best friends, Charlotte, Holly, and Lauren, the group hope to break the UK's Eurovision curse, which made a return in 2024. Last year's contestant Olly Alexander finished in 18th place out of 25, receiving zero points from the public vote, cementing what The Independent 's Roisin O'Connor has referred to as Britain's 'victim mentality' and 'sense of doom'. She said of the band's song, 'What the Hell Just Happened?': 'It's a throwback to carefree times, when the biggest thing you had to worry about was whether you did call your ex after five shots of tequila.' Malta Miriana Conte's entry 'Kant' was barred over its similarity to another word connoting female genitalia. The EBU ruled that although the word 'Kant' mean s'singing' in Maltese, lyrics such as 'serving Kant' made its use dubious. She's since been tasked with changing the lyrics completely. Although the 23-year-old said she was 'disappointed' by the decision, she promised: 'the show will go on – Diva NOT down'. The original complaint was reportedly made by the BBC, with radio presenter Scott Mills saying they 'definitely can't play a clip of it'. Australia Go-Jo's song 'Milkshake Man' has been deemed hysterical by fans, who've called it 'the most Eurovision sounding song Australia has done so far'. One fan said of the song: 'It's so silly and fun and catchy and funny and it makes me dance'. The charismatic musician has an avid social media following, with his covers of songs such as 'Iris' by the Goo Goo Dolls racking up over three million streams on Spotify. His song 'Mrs Hollywood' has 60 million streams and over one billion views, according to the Eurovision website. Norway Kyle Alessandro is the youngest person to enter this year's competition, aged just 18. He first appeared on Norway's talent show Norske Talenter at the age of 10. His entry, 'Lighter', has largely been produced and written on his own with the help of musician and producer Adam Woods. The song is inspired by the story of his mother's struggle through cancer treatment. Alessandro's mother is now healthy following successful treatment. Italy While many countries choose to perform in English, Italy's Lucio Corsi will opt to perform his song 'Volevo essere un duro" in his native language. The 31-year-old is already a successful musician in his own right, having released two EPs and his debut album inspired by the animals of his homeland, Maremma. The country is a respected contender in the competition, having won it on three occasions in the past, including in 1964, 1990, and most recently in 2021. Spain Spain has something of a tried and tested formula but, well, if it ain't broke... This year's delegate seems intent on replicating the success of past contestants including Chanel, who finished in third place in 2022, the country's highest placement since 1995. Melody, already an established singer with 25 years of experience under her belt, will hope to make her country proud with her dramatic and catchy entry 'Esa Diva'. Ukraine Formed in 2015, pop trio Ziferblat's entry for the 2025 competition, 'Bird of Pray', seeks to shed light on the struggles that their country faces every day. Russia was banned from the competition following its military action in Ukraine in 2022. Switzerland Last year, the country was crowned the winner with its act Nemo and their song 'The Code'. This year, they'll hope to keep up the success with singer Zoë Më. Although the 24-year-old's song entry hasn't been confirmed yet, she's known for a unique blend of pop and poetry and will hope to make her mark this year, performing in her home country. Estonia Tommy Cash, 33, who will represent Estonia in Basel, Switzerland this May, is known for featuring on Charli XCX 's song 'Delicious' and for his own track 'Espresso Macchiato', which he will perform at the contest. But when his entry was announced, it was his physical likeness to a popular Hollywood star that made headlines. Users on X/Twitter dubbed the Estonian rapper 'Tommythee Cashamet' in reference to a similarity to the Dune actor, Timothée Chalamet, with one person adding: 'I thought they put a wig on Timothee.' Finland Already a star in her home country, Erika Vikman hopes her song 'Ich komme' will secure her the crown. The contender's song is filled with lyrics about sexual desire, climax, and pleasure, and she hopes the 'joyous message' of the music will secure her a place in the final. She shot to fame after winning the Tangomarkkinat festival in 2016. The last and only time the country won the competition was in 2006 with 'Hard Rock Hallelujah' performed by Lordi. France Louane first entered the public eye, aged 16, appearing on The Voice. She's already performing at sold-out venues across the country and holds numerous trophies, including a NRJ Music Award. France has a nostalgic history with the competition, having won it five times. However, the last time was almost five decades ago in 1977. It got close last year, finishing in fourth place with 'Mon amour' by Slimane.
The Independent
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Pop trio Remember Monday to represent the UK at Eurovision 2025
The UK's Eurovision entry for the 2025 competition has been unveiled as pop trio Remember Monday, who will perform their original song 'What the Hell Just Happened?'. Originally called Houston, Remember Monday formed while members Holly-Anne Hull, Lauren Byrne and Charlotte Steele were at sixth-form college in Farnham, Surrey, where they would perform cover songs. Specialising in three-part harmonies, they first set out as a country-pop group, citing influences including the Dixie Chicks, Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton, Linda Rondstadt and Alison Krauss. However, 'What the Hell Just Happened?', which chronicles the aftermath of a messy night out, leans more into the pop sphere, with Eighties pop and rock influences and bombastic production redolent of 2024's breakout star Chappell Roan. It was written by the group with songwriting duo Billen Ted (Tom Hollings and Sam Brennan), Thomas Stengaard and Julie 'Kill J' Aagaard. Billen Ted have previously worked with acts including Little Mix, Anne Marie and MNEK, while Stengaard is known for writing Denmark's 2023 Eurovision winner 'Only Teardrops'. The group said: ''What The Hell Just Happened' is exactly how we're feeling right now! It's all very surreal; our friendship goes so far back, and we definitely never imagined that we'd be doing anything like this. 'When you're a kid and people ask you what you want to be when you grow up, an absolute classic is 'I wanna be a pop star', so the fact that we're getting the chance to live that dream as three best friends is just wild. We're going to be the first girlband to represent the UK since 1999, which feels like such a crazy honour. 'We're going to bring loads of fun, energy and hopefully do something that you won't have seen before on the Eurovision stage….We honestly can't wait to experience this with all of the other incredible artists from around the world, and hopefully make everyone back at home feel proud! This is really the music World Cup and we'll do our best to bring it home!' Remember Monday rose to public attention in 2019, when they competed on The Voice UK, performing Seal's 'Kiss From a Rose' in the blind auditions, prompting all four judges – Jennifer Hudson, Tom Jones, and Olly Murs to turn their chairs. They were ultimately voted off the show after the quarter-finals. That same year, they won Best Group at the British Country Music Awards and saw their debut single, 'Drive', hit No 1 on the iTunes Country Chart. Since then, they have toured regularly around the UK and built a large fanbase on social media, including on TikTok, where they have over half a million followers. In 2023, they chose to quit their jobs in order to focus on the band full-time, marking the moment one year later with a statement to their fans. 'It's officially been a whole year since we all quit our jobs to do the band full-time,' they said. 'We can't thank you all enough for supporting us on the crazy journey we've been on so far! We've always said we would give ourselves a year and see how it goes.' They continued: 'We made a bucket list that we wanted to complete by today and we thought we'd share with you where we're at with it! (We have since added some crazy stuff for 2025). 'It's safe to say we are literally having the best time of our lives and can't imagine doing anything other than the band!' Last year, they shared a cover of themselves singing Eurovision 2023 runner-up Sam Ryder 's entry 'Space Man', tagging him with the caption: 'Hey get us on Eurovision!' They also impressed Brian May with their cover of Queen's hit song, 'Fat Bottomed Girls', with the legendary guitarist sharing it with his Instagram followers. Ahead of Eurovision, the BBC appears to have been laying the groundwork as Scott Mills, who recently took over the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, played their song 'Famous' in November. The presenter said he 'really liked' the band, comparing their harmonising to Nineties duo Wilson Phillips. The band will be hoping to impress at the Eurovision final, for which the UK automatically qualifies as one of the 'Big Five' countries – alongside France, Germany, Italy and Spain – in Basel, Switzerland on Saturday 17 May. Last year saw a disappointing result for singer Olly Alexander and his song, 'Dizzy', which landed in the UK in 18th place out of 25 countries, receiving the dreaded nul points in the public vote and just 46 points from the jury. Alexander had been hoping to replicate the success of Ryder, who became a huge favourite at the 2022 contest with his original song 'Space Man', finishing in second place – the country's best result since 1998 – after Ukraine champions Kalush Orchestra and their song 'Stefania'. However, it was only a marginal improvement on the UK's 2023 result, which saw singer Mae Muller crash out in second-to-last place with just 24 points. Fans are already expressing their excitement about Remember Monday's prospects, after the news that they were representing the UK appeared to leak earlier this week. The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 takes place in Basel, Switzerland, on Saturday 17 May. The semi-finals take place on 13 and 15 May.
