The grand finale of the Eurovision Song Contest kicked off on Saturday, with high spirits triumphing over both stringent security measures and inclement weather. Fans remained enthusiastic, despite criticism from some quarters regarding Israel’s participation in the event.
Following a week of anticipation, performers from 25 nations gathered at Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle arena to vie for the prestigious pop title. This 70th anniversary event promised a dazzling array of acts, featuring everything from a fiery Finnish violinist to a Moldovan folk rapper, and even a Serbian metal band. Millions of viewers worldwide were set to tune in and cast their votes.
The competition, however, faced its third consecutive year of controversy, with ongoing disputes surrounding Israel’s involvement due to its conflicts in Gaza and other areas. In response, five established countries—Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia—chose to boycott the event in protest.
Here’s the latest from the contest:
The opening act of the night saw Denmark’s all-Danish-language entry take the stage. Søren Torpegaard performed “Før Vi Går Hjem,” showcasing the talents he honed in leading roles in productions such as “West Side Story,” “Kinky Boots,” and “Romeo & Juliet.”
Denmark’s all-Danish-language Eurovision entry was first with Søren Torpegaard’s “Før Vi Går Hjem,” which he delivered with the specific skillset of someone who has starred as Tony in “West Side Story,” Angel in “Kinky Boots” and Romeo in “Romeo & Juliet.”
Sarah Engels followed, representing her home country of Germany with “Fire.” As the second performer of the night, she took the opportunity to bring pyrotechnics to the stage.
Then came Noam Bettan’s “Michelle” — Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision, which has drawn criticisms. Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland withdrew from the competition this year, choosing not to participate to protest Israel’s inclusion.
Most recently, Bettan’s performance was disrupted by protesters during the first semi-final on Tuesday; chants of “Stop the genocide!” were heard in the crowd. At the final, it wasn’t immediately clear if that continued.
Belgium’s Essyla took the stage with “Dancing on the Ice” — a cool ride with its chilly vocal performance and Billie Eilish-informed production, followed by Albania’s Alis.
Protesters call for Israel’s exit from Eurovision ahead of the show
Protesters called for Israel to be excluded from Eurovision demonstrated near the contest arena ahead of the final. Several hundred marched, with chants of “all of Vienna hates the ESC,” a reference to the Eurovision Song Contest.
They were kept well away from the venue which lies behind a police security cordon.
Demonstrator Echo Vinasha Lex said it was “important to protest against that idea that the song contest is not political. The song contest is a very political event.”
A tribute to the host as the Eurovision final kicks off
At the start, a filmed opening montage showcased Austria’s majestic scenery as a paper boat made its way to Vienna — a reference to 2025 Eurovision winner JJ’s storm-tossed performance of “Wasted Love.”
The show opened with a performance by last year’s winner, the operatically trained Austrian singer JJ, and an Olympics-style flag parade of the 25 finalists. Then it was on to performances by the musicians, who have just 3 minutes to win over millions of viewers who, along with national juries of music professionals, pick the winner.
The hosts for the extravaganza on Saturday are Michael Ostrowski, an Austrian actor best known for German-language comedy films, and Victoria Swarovski, a model, singer, TV presenter and heir to the Swarovski crystal and luxury goods business.
Eurovision director hails ‘brilliant’ show amid protests
The head of the Eurovision Song Contest has urged viewers to put politics aside and enjoy the “brilliant, wonderful, heartfelt show” that is the competition’s grand final.
As the contest turns 70 with calls for Israel to be kicked out over the conduct of its war in Gaza and a five-country boycott, Eurovision director Martin Green said the contest is a chance for a few hours to “close the curtains to the outside world and dream that something else is possible.”
He told a news conference that for 70 years Eurovision has given “voice to the voiceless” and celebrated marginalized communities.
“Here’s to the next 70 years,” he said.
