Eurovision Song Contest 2025 at the grand finale: twenty-six countries will compete for the coveted crystal microphone at the St. Jakobshalle arena in Basel, German-speaking Switzerland. The semi-finals of the competition inaugurated in 1956 have selected twenty artists, in addition to the so-called “Big Five” (Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain) and Switzerland - the host country after Nemo's victory in 2024 - which has entrusted the hosting to Hazel Brugger, Sandra Studer and tonight to "our" Ticinese Michelle Hunziker.
The national Michelle is the icing on the cake of a Eurovision with a more than ever tricolor heart: the Maremma native Lucio Corsi - runner-up at Sanremo but competing after Olly's withdrawal - has already enchanted Basel, performing with his butterfly-wing jacket in front of an essential set: two super amplifiers "inspired by a Neil Young tour". With him the inseparable Tommaso Ottomano, piano, electric guitar and, surprisingly, a harmonica: a trick to play an instrument live on the pre-recorded base according to the rules.
Also earning a place in the final is Gabry Ponte, a DJ and producer from Turin, competing for San Marino with "Tutta l'Italia". Estonian Tommy Cash also has an Italian heart, and with "Espresso Macchiato" he dissects clichés that make (not everyone) smile. Also, the Albanian duo Shkodra Elektronike: Beatrice Gjergji and Kolë Lacail (keyboardist of the Venetian band Teatro degli Orrori) were born in Scutari but have lived in Italy for decades. Finally, Miriana Conte, who will represent Malta, has a Neapolitan father.
A great mix of styles and genres, as per the Eurovision manual, dominates the scene of the most watched music show in the world: the United Kingdom relies on the energy of Remember Monday, Louane for France on a pop ballad. Germany fields the electronic duo Abor & Tynna, Spain mixes flamenco and urban with Melody. Zoë Më represents Switzerland with a touch of electropop, Iceland relies on the VÆB brothers, Poland on the veteran Justyna Steczkowska, Portugal on the "saudade" of Napa. Lithuania with Katarsis proposes a post-punk song, Armenia the funk of Parg, Denmark the psychedelic pop of Sissal, Luxembourg returns to the competition with Laura Thorn. Finland sings in German with Erika Vikman, Latvia convinces with Tautumeitas, the Netherlands with a ballad by Claude, Greece with Klavdia and Norway with the very young Kyle Alessandro. And while wars and geopolitics are further cut off this year with the ban on waving flags, Ziferblat is competing for Ukraine and Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the October 7 massacre, is competing for Israel.
The winner is decided by the juries of each country that assign a score of up to 12 points, to which are added the votes of all 37 participating countries (you cannot vote for the Italian artist) plus those of the “rest of the world” aggregated. The live broadcast will be broadcast on Rai 1, Rai Radio 2 and Rai Play with commentary in Italian by Gabriele Corsi and Big Mama.
According to the bookmakers, Italy is in eleventh place, up from the previous days, but at the top of the favorites is Sweden - which boasts seven victories - with the comedy-musical trio KAJ and their "Bara Bada Bastu" , a surreal celebration of the sauna that has won over audiences and critics. Austria follows with JJ and the intense "Wasted Love", then the Netherlands and France. But, predictions aside, Eurovision remains a unique show and an unpredictable competition.