What to know about the Eurovision Song Contest as Switzerland prepares to host

Loreen of Sweden performs after winning the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, England on May 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

LONDON — Get out the glitter balls, sew on the sequins and prepare to party: The Eurovision Song Contest approaches.

The 69th annual musical extravaganza takes place in Basel, Switzerland in May. It will see acts from 37 countries vie for the continent’s musical crown in a contest that has been likened to a pop Olympics, complete with triumph, tears and geopolitical rivalries.

Here’s a guide to the wonderful world of Eurovision:

What is Eurovision?

Eurovision is an international pop music competition, in which acts from countries across Europe — and a few beyond it — compete in a live televised contest. Each singer or group performs a three-minute song, with the winner decided by votes from national juries and viewers around the world.

Launched in 1956 to test new live-broadcasting technology and foster unity after World War II, Eurovision has become a campy yet heartfelt celebration of diversity, national pride and the joyous power of pop. It has grown from seven countries to almost 40, including non-European nations such as Israel and Australia. Organizers say last year’s competition was watched by 163 million people around the world.

Eurovision has become synonymous with elaborate costumes, spectacular staging and songs that range from anthemic to extremely silly. Past winners include songs with titles like “La, La, La” and “Boom Bang-a-Bang,” as well as soaring power ballads and slick disco dancefloor-fillers.

Past champions range from Sweden’s ABBA — with “Waterloo” in 1974 – to Finnish metalheads Lordi in 2006, Austrian drag performer Conchita Wurst in 2014, Italian rock band Måneskin in 2021 and Ukrainian folk-rap group Kalush Orchestra in 2022.

When and where is Eurovision taking place?

Traditionally the competition is hosted by the previous year’s winner, and last year’s victor was nonbinary Swiss singer Nemo with their operatic anthem “The Code.” The 2025 contest will be held at the St. Jakobshalle arena in Basel, a largely German-speaking city bordering France and Germany.

Two semifinals, on May 13 and 15, will be followed by a grand Saturday night final on May 17, hosted by Swiss broadcasters Hazel Brugger, Michelle Hunziker and Sandra Studer.

Switzerland is the birthplace of Eurovision — it staged the first-ever contest, and the European Broadcasting Union, which runs the show, is based in Geneva. It has won twice before: in 1956 and in 1988, when Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion competed under the Swiss flag.

Do pop and politics mix?

Eurovision’s motto is “united by music,” an admirable goal that’s not always achieved.

Contest rules ban overtly political lyrics or symbols, but regional rivalries are rife and global tensions often intrude. Russia has been banned since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine won Eurovision that year, but could not host in 2023 because of the ongoing war, so the English city of Liverpool stood in.

Last year’s event in the Swedish city of Malmo attracted large pro-Palestinian protests that called for Israel to be dropped from the contest over its conduct of its war against Hamas.

Tensions spilled over into the competition, where Israeli singer Eden Golan was given tight security. Israel was ordered to change the lyrics of its competing song, originally titled “October Rain,” an apparent reference to Hamas’ cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023 that killed some 1,200 Israelis. Renamed “Hurricane,” the power ballad came fifth.

Last year’s contest also saw Dutch contender Joost Klein expelled mid-competition after an altercation with a member of the production crew.

Organizers have tightened up the contest’s code of conduct, calling on participants to respect Eurovision’s values of “universality, diversity, equality, and inclusivity” and its political neutrality.

Who are this year’s favourites?

Sweden has won Eurovision seven times and is bookies’ favourite to take the title again, which would take it past Ireland for the most victories. Swedish entry “Bara Bada Bastu” is an upbeat ode to sauna culture performed by KAJ, a trio from Finland’s Swedish-speaking minority.

Also highly ranked by the betting markets are classically-trained Austrian singer JJ’s “popera” song “Wasted Love,” French singer Louane’s ballad “maman,” Dutch entry Claude’s “C’est La Vie” and Israeli singer Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the Oct. 7 attacks, with “New Day Will Rise.”

Intriguing outsiders include highly caffeinated Estonian entry ”Espresso Macchiato” by Tony Cash, Icelandic brother duo VAEB with “Róa” — it’s about rowing — and Irish entrant Emmy’s ode to a doomed space dog, “Laika Party.”

“There’s a lot of novelty acts this year,” said Paul Jordan, an expert on the contest known as Dr. Eurovision. “I think it’s kind of reflective of the chaos in the world. It’s almost like people are looking for a bit of escapism.

“There’s a lot of innuendo this year as well,” he said, citing “Milkshake Man” by Australian entrant Go-Jo and “Serving” by Malta’s Miriana Conte, which has already had its title and lyrics changed on the orders of contest organizers.

How can I watch Eurovision and vote?

The competition will be aired by national broadcasters in participating nations, on streaming service Peacock in the United States and on the Eurovision YouTube channel in some countries.

Most of the acts will perform over two semifinals that will decide 20 to go through to the grand final. Another six countries — France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K. and host Switzerland — automatically qualify for the final.

Voting for the winner will open at the start of the final on May 17. Viewers in participating countries can vote by phone, text message or the Eurovision app — but are not allowed to vote for their own country’s act. Viewers in the U.S. and other nonparticipating countries can vote online or with the app.

After a voting interval, each country in turn announces its jury and public voting results, with the points tallied on-screen until a winner emerges. The fast-changing rankings and suspense about whether any country gets the dreaded “nul points” — zero points — are all part of the fun.

“Everyone seems to think that Sweden has it in the bag,” Jordan said. “But it could well be that a country sneaks up the middle.”

Jill Lawless, The Associated Press