A countertenor named JJ will represent Austria at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Basel. What are the Austrian ESC 2024 chances?
The song is called “Wasted Love” and sounds – somehow – different. It stands out. Quite a bit, in fact. That’s certainly not a disadvantage at the Song Contest, where the shrill, the garish, the loud, the unconventional often score points.
That’s why Austria is even among the frontrunners in the ESC odds. But first, JJ has to survive the semi-final.
What are Austria’s chances at the ESC 2025 for JJ?
Does Austria have a (no) chance at the ESC 2025?
Will it be a successful Eurovision Song Contest for Austria or will JJ have to go home disappointed after the semi-final? These are the questions Austrian ESC fans have been asking themselves since this year’s ESC song “Wasted Love” was released.
The Austrian ESC chances for 2025 currently look quite good, if the forecasts and assessments of the sports betting providers can be trusted. The odds jugglers currently have JJ with “Wasted Love” among the ESC winner odds in the top field.
Austria is even one of the favorites to win the ESC!
However, this ESC forecast for Austria still means very little: since Austria is not one of the Big 5 nations and is not the winner of last year’s contest, JJ first had to qualify for the final show via the semi-final.
As usual, the preselection for the ESC entry was made internally. JJ – a countertenor – was chosen. JJ, whose real name is Johannes Pietsch, is already known in classical music – but not yet to the general public. That will change now, though.
The Austrian ESC song “Wasted Love” is a three-minute pop opera. There has never been anything like it before.
The song begins quietly, reminiscent of a classical opera aria, with plucked strings and gentle melodies. After 30 seconds comes the refrain. Vocally, it goes up at least one notch, with the lyrics sung over several bars.
The lyrics are about: “You left me in the deep end / I’m drowning in my feelings / How do you not see that?” So it’s not a happy number.
Do you think Austria has a chance at the ESC 2025 with this song?
The betting providers and also the fans in the various ESC online forums are in any case enthusiastic about JJ and his special number.
The betting odds see Austria as one of the top five contenders after the announcement. In contrast to Germany. The German ESC 2025 chances for Abor & TYnna to win in Basel, on the other hand, do not exist at all.
Now JJ just has to keep the Austrian ESC 2025 chances alive during his promotional appearances – and inspire them.
Then it could also work out for the semi-final. That’s where Austria has to go – in the second one on May 15. Only when this hurdle has been cleared will we see if the Austrian ESC chances with JJ are actually there for the win…
This is how the ESC 2025 with JJ works
Austria at the ESC – three victories, many disappointments
In the recent past, Austria has not always been welcome or heard at the Eurovision Song Contest. This was also the case last year with Kaleen – she only came in 24th. That was also the penultimate place.
The song “Who the hell is Edgar” by Teya and Selena was a welcome change in 2023. The duo ended up in 15th place. A result that had not been seen for a long time for the red-white-red.
In the three Song Contest editions before that, it was always over in the semi-finals.
Austria at the ESC since 2010
This should not happen again with JJ. The countertenor is not just aiming for a place in the final, he wants more: a place in the top 10 and ideally even to win.
That would be the third red-white-red triumph in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, following Udo Jürgens in 1966 and Conchita Wurst in 2014.
Austria was last successful in 2018, when Cesar Sampson came in third. In the two years before that, however, the country only managed 16th and 17th place.
Austria’s ESC participant 2025: This is JJ
JJ’s real name is Johannes Pietsch and he was born on April 29, 2001 in Vienna. His father is an Austrian IT specialist and his mother comes from the Philippines and is a trained cook. He grew up in Dubai. In 2016, the family returned to Austria.
How did he get into music?
His parents throw a karaoke party at home every weekend. A first insight into the world of pop. And he watches YouTube videos of great opera divas like Maria Callas and Monserrat Caballé – and imitates them.
After the family returns from Dubai to Vienna, he first graduates from school and then completes an apprenticeship at the opera school of the Vienna State Opera.
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In 2020, he took part in the music talent show “The Voice UK” after missing the deadline for “The Voice of Germany”. There he was selected by Will.i.am in the blind auditions and made it to the knock-outs.
In 2023, he began studying at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna, where he is studying for a bachelor’s degree in solo singing with Linda Watson.
Johannes Pietsch regularly performs at the Vienna State Opera with the soprano voice. He is currently appearing as a boy in a new production of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”.
So he knows the big stage. The voice should hold up too. “I do at least three hours of vocal training every day.”
JJ’s profile
