What a night! The 69th Eurovision Song Contest brought drama, surprises, and some serious high notes – and in the end, Austria walked away with the trophy for a third time!

The grand finale took place in dazzling Basel, Switzerland, where 24-year-old Viennese powerhouse JJ stunned Europe with her operatic pop-ballad Wasted Love. The track – a gorgeous blend of soaring vocals and techno-pumped crescendos – had juries across the continent handing Austria top marks.

But the real drama? That came during the voting. For a nail-biting stretch, it looked like Israel was heading for victory after topping the public televote. Their entry, New Day Will Rise by Yuval Raphael, even led the scoreboard... until Austria's jury score came in and flipped the script. With a final score of 436 points, Austria surged ahead – leaving Israel in second place, 79 points behind.

Israel's participation had already drawn global attention due to political tensions and calls for reconsideration from several broadcasters, including Ireland’s RTÉ. Yuval, a survivor of the October 7 Nova festival attacks, delivered an emotional performance that sparked both cheers and controversy in the arena.

Meanwhile, pre-show favourites Sweden – aiming to beat Ireland’s joint record of seven Eurovision wins – brought the laughs with their sauna-inspired banger Bara Bada Bastu. But despite the catchy chorus and plenty of steam, they had to settle for *fourth place*.

So, Eurovision 2025? Already looking spicy. But for now, hats off to Austria – and especially JJ – for turning Wasted Love into pure gold!