Showtime as Eurovision Song Contest final begins

Showtime as Eurovision Song Contest final begins

The Eurovision Song Contest final kicked off Saturday in a blaze of pyrotechnics as 26 countries did battle at the world's biggest live music television event.

An estimated 160 million people across Europe and beyond were expected to tune in for the annual TV spectacle, where kitsch, glam and spectacular staging go hand in hand.

And the drama could be turned up to the max if Canadian star Celine Dion -- who won Eurovision in 1988 when competing for Switzerland -- makes an appearance, despite concerns around her struggles with Stiff Person Syndrome, a painful autoimmune disorder.

As t

he contest got underway at the St. Jakobshalle arena in Basel, elsewhere in the Swiss city police clashed with protesters demonstrating against Israel's involvement.

Sweden has long been the bookmakers' hot favourite to win the 69th edition of the contest with the comedy trio KAJ's "Bara Bada Bastu" song on the delights of sweating it out in a sauna.

But Austria, France, Finland, the Netherlands and Israel are eyeing the chances of an upset after strong performances throughout Eurovision week.

- Pro-Palestinian protests -

Israel's participation in Eurovision 2025 has drawn a series of protests in Basel over the war in Gaza.

Israel's entrant Yuval Raphael survived the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the Gaza war, hiding beneath bodies as Hamas gunmen attacked a music festival, killing hundreds.

During the performance of her song "New Day Will Rise", loud whistles could be heard in the arena, according to an AFP photographer in the hall.

Elsewhere in Basel, Pro-Palestinian demonstrators clashed briefly with riot police. Blows were exchanged and police used tear gas as they sought to block the protesters from marching through the city centre.

Amid a sea of Palestinian flags, hundreds of demonstrators carried signs stating: "No Music for Murder", and "Singing while Gaza Burns". Some burned giant Israeli and US flags.

- 'I'm so excited! -

Some 6,500 excited ticket holders packed out the St Jakobshalle arena in Basel, dressed up to the nines and ready to party.

"This is my first live show at Eurovision. I have goosebumps, I'm so excited!" said Luena Beeler, 20, wearing a red sequin-covered Tirol-style dress, and a big Austrian flag on her shoulders.

"This is one of my life dreams!" 

Sascha Loth, 36, from Germany, said his money was on Estonia's wobbly-legged Tommy Cash, with his light-hearted Italianesque song "Espresso Macchiato".

"For me it's Estonia because he's so funny. He's pretty unique in his charismatic style. I really like the song, it's in my head relentlessly."

- Turning up the heat -

The 26 finalists took the stage carrying their national flags at the start of the show, to the thundering sound of a traditional drum corps.

Norway's Kyle Alessandro, at 19 the youngest competitor at Eurovision 2025, was then the first act to perform, opening the concert with "Lighter", appropriately amid jets of flame shooting up from the stage.

Next in the running order was Luxembourg's Laura Thorn in an LED dolls' house, then Estonia's Cash.

Finland's Erika Vikman -- who has been gaining momentum during Eurovision week with the orgasmic "Ich Komme" -- finished by being hoisted in the air on a spark-emitting golden microphone, triggering a big response in the arena.

The Netherlands' competitor Claude broke into tears after performing his song "C'est La Vie".

- 'Profound, beautiful statement' -

"The creative direction in some of those acts is extraordinary," said Eurovision director Martin Green.

"I am just in awe of this thing for making a really profound, beautiful statement to the rest of the world," he added.

The 26 songs in contention are a showcase of Europe's different musical scenes.

They include a Portuguese guitar ballad, a Maltese diva, Lithuanian alternative rock, Austrian operatics, an Italian singalong, a Greek power ballad, ethereal Latvian choral folk and German booming beats.

After a whirlwind tour around the continent, France, San Marino and Albania have the final slots.

- The final countdown -

Following two hours of performances, the nail-biting drama will begin as the votes come in from around Europe.

Separate jury and viewer votes from each of this year's 37 participating countries -- with equal weight -- plus an extra vote from the rest of the world combined, will decide who wins the coveted microphone-shaped trophy.

The juries' votes are already in, based on Friday's untelevised full dress rehearsal.

Eurovision voting supremo Thomas Niedermeyer said this week's semi-finals -- when 20 countries progressed and 11 were eliminated -- had been "really close".

"It's going to be a close race for the winner."

Some 36,000 partygoers were watching a live transmission of the show at the football stadium opposite the arena.

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Originally published as Showtime as Eurovision Song Contest final begins