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Ten countries have gone through to the Eurovision 2025 Grand Final, including the favourites to win, Sweden, and other popular delegates from Estonia, Albania and Norway.
The first semi-final of this year’s competition saw 18 acts perform at the 12,000-capacity St Jakobshalle arena on Tuesday 13 May. Of those 18, three were guaranteed a place in the final: Switzerland, as the host country, and Italy and Spain, two of the “big five” countries that make the biggest financial contribution to the European Broadcasting Union.
The 10 countries voted through to the grand final are as follows:
- Norway: Kyle Alessandro – “Lighter”
- Albania: Shkodra Elektronike – “Zjerm”
- Sweden: KAJ – “Bara Bada Bastu”
- Iceland: VÆB – “RÓA”
- Netherlands: Claude – “C’est La Vie”
- Poland: Justyna Steczkowska – “GAJA”
- San Marino: Gabry Ponte – “Tutta L’Italia”
- Estonia: Tommy Cash – “Espresso Macchiato”
- Portugal: NAPA – “Deslocado”
- Ukraine: Ziferblat – “Bird of Pray”
Sweden’s entry KAJ are the first ever Finnish act to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest, while “Bara Bada Bastu” is the first Swedish-language song the country has submitted since 1998.
The Vörå-formed trio comprises comedians and musicians Kevin Holmström, Axel Åhman and Jakob Norrgård, who have released seven albums and also written and performed two musicals at the Wasa Theatre in their native Finland.
Should they win, the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest contest would return to the country just two years after it was held in Malmö, following Loreen’s triumph.
The second semi-final will air live on BBC One, iPlayer, Radio 2 and BBC Sounds from 8pm on Thursday 15 May. Among the countries to perform are the UK’s entry, Remember Monday, who are guaranteed a place in the final along with fellow “big five” members Germany and France.
The second semi-final will mark the first performance on the Eurovision stage from Remember Monday, who will sing “What the Hell Just Happened” in the hope of keeping the UK from the dreaded nul points score.
Thursday will also include a performance from Israel, with contestant Yuval Raphael, a 7 October survivor, singing “New Day Will Rise”.
Earlier this week, an open letter signed by former Eurovision contestants called on the European Broadcasting Union, which organises Eurovision, to ban Israel and its national broadcaster KAN from the contest.
About 1,300 Swiss police officers will be on duty in Basel while the contest is taking place, with more forces drafted in from the Swiss Armed Forces, federal police and neighbouring countries Germany and France ahead of the two semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday, and the Grand Final on Saturday.
Basel police’s head of communications Adrian Plachesi told the Press Association that no permission has been granted for protests, but officers would be stationed for expected pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
He added officers “might have to intervene” if demonstrations interfere with “public safety”.
You can find the running order for the second semi-final here.
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