Eurovision 2025 Semi-Final 2: Surprises and Stellar Tunes

 

Basel Brings the Party

The second semi-final of Eurovision 2025 lit up the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, with a vibrant showcase of music and spectacle. Hosts Hazel Brugger and Sandra Studer set a fun, irreverent tone from the start. Brugger – a Swiss comedian – kept everyone laughing with self-aware quips (“I learnt English to host this show… and in the end it doesn’t matter because the commentators talk over you anyway,” she joked). Studer, a former Eurovision contestant from 1991, brought warmth and even showed off her vocals by closing the night with a touching cover of Italy’s classic “Insieme: 1992.” Together, the duo leaned into Eurovision’s trademark campiness, from Hazel crowd-surfing and mock “hoovering” the stage to a hilariously over-the-top interval skit celebrating Swiss inventions (yes, they even sang about potato peelers and electric guitars). The arena’s visuals matched the energy – a high-tech stage pulsing with color and pyrotechnics under the contest’s theme “Unity Shapes Love.” By the time the lights dimmed for the first act, the Basel crowd was more than ready to party.

Music, Mayhem, and Memorable Performances

Australia kicked off the night in high gear. Singer Go-Jo brought all the boys and girls to the yard with his funky track “Milkshake Man.” Donning neon streetwear and flanked by dancers, he turned the stage into a giant retro diner, complete with milkshake props. The performance was pure chaotic fun – one journalist in the media centre was even spotted gyrating wildly to the beat – and it had the crowd roaring. Next up, Montenegro’s Nina Žižić delivered a sultry Balkan pop number “Dobrodošli,” cutting a striking figure in a gown so enormous it practically threatened to swallow her. She navigated the stage amidst billowing smoke, belting out powerhouse vocals as her dress glittered under the lights.

Ireland kept the quirkiness going: singer Emmy danced atop a replica of the Sputnik 2 spaceship during her upbeat song “Laika Party.” This techno-pop tribute to the Soviet space dog Laika featured pulsating LED stars and a crew of dancers in silver space suits. It was a bizarre sight – equal parts science class and rave – but Emmy’s infectious energy had the audience clapping along. By contrast, Latvia’s folk-pop band Tautumeitas transported everyone to an enchanted forest with “Bur Man Laimi.” Dressed in flowing earthy outfits, the six women performed a hypnotic routine to ethereal “folktronica” beats. Green laser lights and virtual oak trees on the backdrop helped conjure a mystical vibe, and the crowd swayed as if under a pagan incantation.

The variety continued with Armenia’s act, simply known as Parg, who gave one of the night’s most intense performances. His goth-pop anthem “Survivor” had Parg literally running on a treadmill on stage for the entire three minutes – an athletic feat that left viewers both amazed and exhausted on his behalf. All the while, he sang about resilience against a backdrop of flames and lightning, never missing a beat. Immediately after, Austria’s artist JJ shifted the mood with a powerful operatic ballad, “Wasted Love.” Dressed in elegant white, JJ navigated choppy emotional waters (quite literally – the LED screens showed stormy seas). His soaring vocals and the dramatic string arrangements gave the arena a goosebump moment. By the end of his song, many in the audience were holding up phone lights and cheering.

As a bonus treat, one of the automatic finalists – the UK’s trio Remember Monday – took to the stage next (performing out of competition). They rocked their entry “What The Hell Just Happened?” with spirited harmonies and plenty of attitude, giving the audience a taste of what’s to come in the final. With Basel already buzzing, the semi-final acts resumed with Greece’s enchanting ballad. Singer Klavdia stood under a faux thunderstorm to deliver her song “Asteromáta.” This moody, atmospheric piece built up to a big high note – and when Klavdia nailed it, the Greek delegation in the arena erupted in a huge reaction. The performance earned applause mid-song and showed that Greece brought some serious vocal firepower this year.

Lithuania followed with a completely different flavor. Band Katarsis is a wildcard in this year’s lineup, bringing a brooding alt-rock track “Tavo Akys.” Rarely has Eurovision heard such a sullen, grunge-influenced sound, but the arena audience was into it – many banged their heads to the heavy guitar riffs. By the song’s dramatic climax (featuring a guitar solo and an explosion of sparks), cheers were echoing through St. Jakobshalle. On the heels of that rock intensity came Malta’s Miriana Conte with perhaps the most risqué performance of the night. Her rave-pop banger “SERVING” lived up to its name with an edgy, avant-garde staging: neon dancers, suggestive choreography, and Miriana herself clad in a futuristic latex outfit. She even ended the song by bouncing on a pink medicine ball on stage, in a cheeky nod to the song’s tongue-in-cheek lyrics. The crowd went wild for it – at one point, hundreds joined in to shout a “missing” explicit lyric in unison (if you know, you know). It was a true Eurovision party moment that had everyone laughing and cheering.

Georgia’s act brought a proud cultural flair. Singer Mariam Shengelia began her song “Freedom” in a traditional chokha coat, before unleashing a dynamic mix of ethno-pop and dance. She was accompanied by a troupe of dancers in folk costumes who twirled giant white flags across the stage. The visual of those huge flags sweeping around Mariam during the song’s climax was stunning. Georgia’s performance blended old and new – one minute a solemn folk melody, the next a burst of confetti and a DJ drop – showing the country’s unique ability to marry tradition with Eurovision-scale showmanship. After Georgia, another Big Five contender stepped in as a guest: French pop star Louane gave a stirring performance of her ballad “Maman.” In a dramatic piece of staging, a wind machine and sandstorm effects swirled around Louane as she sang about losing her mother – a heartfelt moment that had the arena silently captivated.

Back to the competitors: Denmark’s singer Sissal delivered a haunting synth-pop song “Hallucination.” Her staging was minimalistic but effective – think cold blue lighting and mirror illusions that made it appear there were multiple Sissals on stage. Though she battled some nerves at the start, she soon found her footing, hitting a big note that drew appreciative whistles from the crowd. Meanwhile, Czechia’s act Adonxs turned the arena into a nightclub. Dressed in a sleek all-white outfit, Adonxs served strong vocals on his upbeat track “Kiss Kiss Goodbye,” then surprised everyone with an acrobatic dance break midway through – complete with a backflip and tight choreography with his dancers. It was an eye-popping number that had viewers applauding the daring staging.

One of the night’s standout visual spectacles came from Luxembourg. Laura Thorn embraced a full marionette theme for her retro-funky song “La Poupée Monte Le Son” (which translates to “The doll turns up the volume”). On stage, Laura literally played a life-size doll, complete with strings attached to her wrists and a jerky puppet dance. The staging paid homage to France Gall’s 1965 Eurovision classic “Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son,” but with a modern feminist twist – Laura’s message, as she’s said in interviews, is “I’m not your doll!” The audience adored the playful choreography and the nod to Eurovision history. By the end of the song, when her “puppet strings” were symbolically cut and she triumphantly “turned up the volume,” the crowd in Basel gave a huge round of applause.

Closing out the competitive lineup, Israel’s Yuval Raphael delivered a note-perfect rendition of her powerful ballad “New Day Will Rise.” Standing under golden spotlights with a subtle sunrise backdrop, Yuval’s performance was straightforward and all about the vocals. She hit every note flawlessly, earning cheers for her vocal runs. Despite some controversy swirling before the show (a brief protest during an earlier rehearsal), her live performance went off without a hitch – pure, heartfelt and dignified. Serbia followed with something completely different: the duo Princ had the crowd grooving to “Mila,” a sultry R&B-influenced track. Their staging featured a neon nightclub vibe with purple lights and two dancers performing a sensual routine around the singers. While not as flashy as some others, Serbia’s act brought smooth choreography and a catchy chorus that had audience members dancing in their seats. And finally, leaving a lasting impression, Finland’s pop diva Erika Vikman hit the stage as the 16th act. Erika’s song “ICH KOMME” (a bilingual Finnish-German dance track) started with her literally flying in on a giant golden microphone prop! Dressed in a sparkling hot-pink outfit that would make Barbie jealous, she commanded the stage with diva swagger. The performance built to a spectacular finale where Erika held a long high note while the platform lifted her into the air – one of the most jaw-dropping endings of the night. The crowd erupted, clearly in love with Finland’s fiery pop extravaganza.

Surprises, Upsets and Big Reactions

After all 16 performances, it was time for results – and Eurovision wouldn’t be Eurovision without some nail-biting twists. This year, the producers unveiled a new way to announce qualifiers designed to ratchet up the tension. Instead of simply reading one country at a time, the hosts often revealed three names on screen at once, then dramatically announced which one of those three “might” go through, leaving the other two acts momentarily in limbo. This split-screen suspense had everyone on edge (at one point, cameras showed some singers visibly sweating as they awaited their fate). Fortunately, the tenth and final qualifier was still revealed the old-fashioned way – no extra drama needed, just a straight announcement – sparing us the sight of anyone’s shattered dreams on live TV. It was a bold format change that got fans buzzing on social media, with some calling it “thrilling” and others deeming it “cruel.” Love it or hate it, it definitely had hearts racing in the arena.

In the end, ten countries punched their tickets to Saturday’s Grand Final. The lucky qualifiers (in random order) were: Lithuania, Israel, Armenia, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Latvia, Malta, and Greece. This mix of favorites and underdogs drew loud cheers across the venue. Particularly sweet was Luxembourg’s qualification – the tiny nation only returned to Eurovision last year after a long hiatus, and now they’ve made the final two years in a row, much to the delight of their fans. Finland’s Erika Vikman was another crowd favorite, so her name getting called was met with deafening applause (and a visible sigh of relief from Erika on camera). Austria’s JJ fell to his knees in joy upon hearing he advanced, overcome that his heartfelt ballad struck a chord.

Of course, that meant six acts were left disappointed, and there were a few shock exits. The most jaw-dropping upset of the night was Australia failing to qualify. As a country that almost always sails through to the final, Australia’s non-qualification drew audible gasps in the arena. Go-Jo’s fun performance had a lot of fans dancing, but ultimately it wasn’t enough – a result that has many viewers debating what went wrong. (“The stage looked rather empty,” one fan lamented online, suggesting the zany music video for “Milkshake Man” was hard to translate to the live stage.) Also missing out was Czechia’s Adonxs, whose elimination surprised some – his slick pop number and acrobatics had been well-received, but competition was fierce this year. Georgia and Ireland also bowed out, despite delivering memorable sets (Georgia’s flag-waving spectacle and Ireland’s space-dog antics will be missed in the final). For Montenegro and Serbia, both smaller countries with passionate followings, not making it through was a tough break as well. It’s safe to say the voting results spurred plenty of debate, with fans already fiercely discussing on Twitter which performances deserved a spot and which ones fell short.

Drama and Good Vibes in Equal Measure

No Eurovision semi-final is complete without a bit of drama and controversy, and tonight had its share – though thankfully, most of it happened off-stage. Israel’s participation was under the microscope this week due to ongoing geopolitical tensions. During the afternoon rehearsal, a protester briefly disrupted Yuval Raphael’s run-through by waving a Palestinian flag and whistling, highlighting objections from some about Israel in the contest amid the conflict in Gaza. However, on the live broadcast there were no incidents; Yuval performed flawlessly and earned respectful applause. The show’s organizers had also beefed up messages of unity throughout the night – from Sandra Studer’s closing song about European togetherness, to the very interval acts chosen – perhaps mindful of keeping the focus on music over politics. Elsewhere, there were no major technical glitches or on-stage mishaps (unless you count Nina Žižić nearly disappearing into her own giant dress as a “mishap” – a comedic moment more than a crisis!). In fact, the overall vibe of the evening was positive and exuberant. Even the artists who didn’t qualify were gracious; many could be seen hugging their competitors and smiling through disappointment. As one of the hosts said in closing, “Tonight we have 10 happy countries and 6 who are sad, but in the end we all shared this amazing night together.” The spirit of Eurovision camaraderie was alive and well in Basel.

One of the highlights of the night was a truly heartwarming interval tribute. During the break while votes were counted, the show paid homage to the Eurovision Song Contest that never happened – 2020. In a nostalgic segment, four artists who were set to compete in 2020 (before the contest was cancelled) finally got their moment on the Eurovision stage. Gjon’s Tears from Switzerland gave a goosebump-inducing performance of his ballad “Répondez-moi,” hitting the same crystal-clear high notes that had made him a pre-contest favorite. Right after, Lithuanian group The Roop had the arena dancing along to their viral hit “On Fire” – the crowd knew the signature moves and joined in enthusiastically (Basel momentarily turned into TikTok, with thousands doing the “On Fire” hand dance). Next, Azerbaijan’s charismatic Efendi strutted out in full Cleopatra regalia to perform her aptly titled song “Cleopatra,” complete with snake-charmer choreography and a thumping ethnic beat. Finally, Malta’s Destiny – who would go on to win Junior Eurovision and later slay at Eurovision 2021 – closed the tribute by belting her 2020 tune “All of My Love.” By the end of this interval act, the audience was on their feet. It was a moving reminder of Eurovision’s resilience: even songs once left unheard can find new life and unite people years later.

Looking Ahead to the Grand Final

As the confetti settled and the Basel crowd began to file out, there was a palpable mix of excitement and anticipation in the air. We now know all the finalists for Eurovision 2025, and the stage is set for a spectacular showdown on Saturday night. The ten qualifiers from this semi will join the ten from the first semi-final, plus host nation Switzerland and the “Big Five” (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK) in the Grand Final lineup. Expect an eclectic mix of music styles on that final stage – from Finland’s explosive pop and Armenia’s goth-pop, to Sweden’s rumored comedic act (from Semi-Final 1) and the host country’s own entry. With so many fan-favorites and dark horses in the mix, the competition is truly wide open.

Tonight’s show gave Eurovision fans everything they could hope for: great songs, bold staging, laughs, a few tears, and more than a couple of surprises. It was a rollercoaster for the young and young-at-heart alike – one moment we were singing along to a crazy Maltese club banger, the next we were stunned by a shock non-qualifier, and then we were collectively “aww”ing at a nostalgia-filled interval act. Eurovision 2025’s Semi-Final 2 will be remembered for its fun factor and unpredictability. As we head to the Grand Final, one thing is certain: if the semi-finals were this thrilling, the final in Basel is going to be an unmissable extravaganza. Get your popcorn (and maybe a milkshake) ready – the Eurovision magic is just getting started!