Eurovision 2025. The final sea takes place this evening. The appearance of Celine Dion, under the question mark
Sweden is the undeniable favorite of the Eurovision 2025 competition, which will take place on Saturday in the city of Swiss Basel, with an unusual song about sauna, which could calm the recent controversy in the show, reports Reuters. Romania and the Republic of Moldova do not participate in this year's edition.
Eurovision 2025 final. Where can you see
The Eurovision 2025 final takes place on Saturday evening from 10.00 pm, Romania time. TVR will not broadcast this year's edition, but fans can watch the competition online on the YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpsn888jafu
EUVOVISON 2025. Who are the favorites
The bookmakers grant the Kaj trio, the representative of Sweden, 41% chance of winning the largest musical event in the world, which takes place against the backdrop of Israel's participation, due to the military attack on the Palestinian Gaza enclure.
A victory for Kaj would be the eighth for Sweden, which would overcome Ireland and become the most successful country in Eurovision history.
The play Kaj, Bada Bastu Bar, translates to “Let's go to the sauna” and celebrate the power of saunas.
“It is a valuable way of life, in which you relax, connect and stay quiet,” said Kevin Holmstrom, a member of the Kaj band, for Reuters before the final.
Austria, represented by the JJ singer, who combines opera and techno elements in his Wasted Love play, is quoted with the second chance.
“If you look at the bookmakers, it is a race between two horses,” said the expert Eurovision William Lee Adams, who described the Kaj song as “fun, fun and eccentric” – key ingredients for success at Eurovision.
Millions of people are watching Eurovision 2025
It is expected that over 160 million people will follow Eurovision, which could benefit from the presence of Canadian Megastar Celine Dion, who won in 1988 representing Switzerland.
Dion, who may not be able to participate due to health problems, said in a video broadcast on Tuesday, during the semifinal, that nothing would be more pleasure than to be in Basel.
The organizers left the fans in suspense when asked if Dion would appear.
“You will have to wait and see,” director of Eurovision, Martin Green, said on Saturday.
Switzerland won the right to host Eurovision after rapper and singer Nemo won last year's Malmo contest in Sweden.
The fans have traveled from all over Europe and from outside Basel, 100,000 people participating in Eurovision events in the city, including at the end.
Hermann Heyn has traveled from Chile for a unique life experience. “I came very, very far,” he told Reuters. “We do not even participate in the contest, but we had to be here.”
Controversies at Eurovision 2025
Eurovision, which emphasizes its political neutrality, has again confronted controversies this year because of the war in Gaza.
The Israeli participant, Yuval Raphael, was at the Nova Music Festival during October 7, 2023 of Hamas militants on south of Israel, who killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
Pro-Palestinian groups have asked the European Broadcasting Union to exclude Israel because of the conflict in Gaza, where over 50,000 people were killed in the Israeli offensive, according to local health officials.
They accuse EBU of hypocrisy for allowing Israel to participate, while Russia was excluded after the invasion of Ukraine.
“How can Israel participate in a cheerful competition like Eurovision, who celebrates tolerance, when he kills thousands of people and bombard hospitals in Gaza?”, Said Geri Mueller, president of the Swiss Association for Palestine.
EBU said he hopes that the contest will exceed the divisions.
“EBU is not immune to global events, but, together with our members, our role is to ensure that the contest remains a universal event that promotes connections, diversity and inclusion through music,” said EBU.
