The final of the got underway Saturday with tight security and rainy weather failing to dent the enthusiasm of the fans 鈥� or that of the critics who think to the party.
After a week鈥檚 buildup, acts from 25 countries took the stage at the Wiener Stadthalle arena in Vienna to battle for the continent鈥檚 pop crown. Millions of viewers around the world will cast judgment on a fiery Finnish violinist, a Moldovan folk rapper, a Serbian metal band and many more at Eurovision鈥檚 70th anniversary event.
The contest has been clouded for a third year by calls for Israel to be excluded over its conflicts in Gaza and elsewhere, with five longtime participants 鈥� the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia 鈥� .
Here is the latest:
The glitz, the pomp, the extravaganza
Ukrainian singer Lel茅ka offered the ethereal, beautiful 鈥淩idnym,鈥� and Australian star showed what a diva should be like with her slick midtempo ballad 鈥淓clipse鈥� 鈥� and a bravura performance that saw her raised into the air above a glittery piano. Id she wins, a European country would likely host for Australia next year.
Serbian metal band Lavina provided a dramatic change of pace with the angsty 鈥淜raj Mene.鈥�
Aidan鈥檚 big-feelings 鈥淏ella,鈥� Malta鈥檚 Eurovision entry, was all about romance: strings, big belts, swooning instrumentation. It was also one of few Eurovision entries from Malta to feature the Maltese language.
The Czech Republic put their hopes in Daniel 沤i啪ka鈥檚 鈥淐rossroads,鈥� a restrained pop ballad that builds to a triumphant chorus. Bulgaria鈥檚 Dara, a veteran pop performer at this stage, delivered an up-tempo pop banger 鈥淏angaranga,鈥� easily one of the most animated tracks of the bunch this year. And on stage, it was a mood elevator.
Vocals, sure. But stunning visuals, too
Even before the show鈥檚 halfway mark, there was already fire, smoke, animal prints and lots of sunglasses worn inside. Lavina, a metal band from Serbia, performed in a digital rainfall as well as burst of flames in studded leather, 鈥淢ad Max鈥�-looking costumes.
Albania鈥檚 Alis used a smoke-filled stage with digital wings and a clock, inviting a woman depicting a mother onto the stage in a traditional folk dress for his driving, gloomy track, 鈥淣芒n.鈥� Sarah Engels of Germany added pyrotechnics to her 鈥淔ire,鈥� naturally, and Delta Goodrem of Australia added a shimmering golden piano, fire and enough wind machines to power a small town.
Greece鈥檚 Akylas was playful with his pounding house track 鈥淔erto,鈥� dressed in tiger-striped shorts and a knit hat and using a scooter to glide along the stage, adding human statues. Ukraine needed only beams of light, a blowing curtain effect and Leleka鈥檚 powerhouse vocals as she delivered 鈥淩idnym.鈥�
First performers take the stage
Denmark鈥檚 all-Danish-language Eurovision entry was first with S酶ren Torpegaard鈥檚 鈥淔酶r Vi G氓r Hjem,鈥� which he delivered with the specific skillset of someone who has starred as Tony in 鈥淲est Side Story,鈥� Angel in 鈥淜inky Boots鈥� and Romeo in 鈥淩omeo & Juliet.鈥�
Sarah Engels followed, representing her home country of Germany with 鈥淔ire.鈥� As the second performer of the night, she took the opportunity to bring pyrotechnics to the stage.
Then came Noam Bettan鈥檚 鈥淢ichelle鈥� 鈥� Israel鈥檚 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鈥檚 inclusion.
Most recently, Bettan鈥檚 performance was disrupted by protesters during the first semi-final on Tuesday; chants of 鈥淪top the genocide!鈥� were heard in the crowd. At the final, it wasn鈥檛 immediately clear if that continued.
Belgium鈥檚 Essyla took the stage with 鈥淒ancing on the Ice鈥� 鈥� a cool ride with its chilly vocal performance and production, followed by Albania鈥檚 Alis.
Protesters call for Israel鈥檚 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 鈥渁ll of Vienna hates the ESC,鈥� 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 鈥渋mportant to protest against that idea that the song contest is not political. The song contest is a very political event.鈥�
A tribute to the host as the Eurovision final kicks off
At the start, a filmed opening montage showcased Austria鈥檚 majestic scenery as a paper boat made its way to Vienna 鈥� a reference to 2025 Eurovision winner JJ鈥檚 storm-tossed performance of 鈥淲asted Love.鈥�
The show opened with a performance by last year鈥檚 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 鈥榖rilliant鈥� show amid protests
The head of the Eurovision Song Contest has urged viewers to put politics aside and enjoy the 鈥渂rilliant, wonderful, heartfelt show鈥� that is the competition鈥檚 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 鈥渃lose the curtains to the outside world and dream that something else is possible.鈥�
He told a news conference that for 70 years Eurovision has given 鈥渧oice to the voiceless鈥� and celebrated marginalized communities.
鈥淗ere鈥檚 to the next 70 years,鈥� he said.
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