Eurovision 2025 According to Sketching Details

Long before I was a writer, I was a musician. I've played piano for going on 36 years, sung my entire life, and picked up the entire woodwind section, guitar, bass, ukulele, and theremin before starting school for a BM in Music Business. I still compose for theater and music direct, on top of scoring my own projects. Music I know. It's my life blood.

Eurovision 2025 is absolutely stacked with fantastic songs. I can only think of a small handful that I don't think are particularly interesting to me, and even those are well constructed as pop songs. It's a matter of taste, and the audience is being prepared to vote out a bunch of could-be Eurovision winners during Semi-Final 2. The draw for the brackets is random and, unfortunately, some truly wonderful, creative songs are going to miss the Finals because of it.

Rather than rate each individual entry or even rank them, I'm going to explore my five favorites in each Semi-Final, plus my favorite of the Big 5 and impressions of the host country Switzerland.

Semi-Final 1

Poland, Justyna Steczkowska, "Gaja"

I've already praised the big witch energy of Eurovision. No one is bringing it like Justyna Steczkowska this year. She's even doing interviews saying she's 152 years old and doesn't look it because of the chant she's graciously sharing in this song. "Gaja" is an exciting composition, blending folk instruments, English and Polish lyrics, and the unique vocal endurance and whistle tones of Justyna into a one of a kind experience. Nothing else sounds like this in Eurovision this year, and what we've seen of the staging shows us this witch is about to take off.

Albania, Shkodra Elektronike, "Zjerm"

Speaking of big witch energy, Albania is casting their own spell of kindness, hoping to spread "shine" onto the world. Beatriçe Gjergji's voice is sensational, and she undeniably has star power in spades. Her confidence in her solo dance break is unmatched this year in Eurovision. The staging, with the massive flashes of flame in time to the beating of the grid of drumpads onstage is impressive. The melody gets stuck in your head even if you don't speak a word of Albanian, and the spoken word section from Kolë Laca is filled with passion and intensity. Honestly, Albania is my personal winner for the year and I hope the audience show out with support in the televote.

Sweden, KAJ, "Bara bada bastu"

I fear "Bara bada bastu" will forever repeat through my head, just like "Only Teardrops" and "Fairytale" before it. It's a catchy little earworm that comes with a fun dance and great staging. The composition of the song encourages that kind of audience participation, with the "bara bada bastu" chanted breakdown into the key change for the final chorus and the countdown to "sauna" as a pre-chorus. KAJ sound great on the song, the rap is fun, and it's just a good time of a silly pop song. There's a reason Sweden is the odds-on favorite to win the competition this year.

Norway, Kyle Alessandro, "Lighter"

I might as well just announce myself as a Norway stan at this point. I haven't found a Eurovision entry from the country I don't immensely enjoy yet. Kyle Alessandro's is no exception. This young tenor belts his heart out in a loving tribute to his mother's battle with cancer, and he brings authentic emotion to the bridge. He was almost in tears during the rehearsal footage shared from this week while singing it. The song has a great mix of folk instruments, a catchy chorus, and beautiful, clear vocals.

Belgium, Red Sebastian, "Strobe Lights"

Eurovision is nothing without its dance anthems and Red Sebastian has one of the best this year. The production of the song is the best in the contest, with excellent instrumentation, balance, and beats. What sells it is the strength of Red Sebastian's vocals. He has a beautiful passaggio, effortlessly going from his lowest register to a fantastic falsetto mix that carries over a dense EDM soundscape. The staging is going to be unlike anything else in the contest, too.

Semi-Final 2

Ireland, Emmy, "Laika Party"

I unapologetically love "Laika Party" as a pop song. Emmy's unique vocal timbre combined with a hopeful reimagining of the fate of the infamous Soviet space dog is just catchy. The lyrics are good, the melody sticks in your head, and you want to dance around to the "bum bum..." chorus. Is it the most "Eurovision" of entries? No, but it's a fantastic little pop song.

Greece, Klavdia, "Asteromata"

Klavdia has the greatest vocal agility of any contestant on display this year. Her flips and melisma feel both effortless and essential to the longing driving "Asteromata." It's a soaring, sweeping kind of pop ballad that has the potential to dominate the entire competition if her and her staging capture the audience's attention. It's easily my favorite of the ballads this year.

Malta, Miriana Conte, "Serving"

The journey of "Serving" is one that will be referenced for years in Eurovision discussion. Miriana Conte easily won her national song selection with an infectious dance/pop song about self-confidence and serving "Kant," a Maltese word for vocals. The EBU first approved the use of the word, then rejected it right when Conte and her team were going to record the music video. The updated version "Serving" still works, and the audience at the live performances so far has done their part to scream out "Kant" during the chorus where Conte herself now sighs. Aside from the drama, it's a really solid, modern feeling dance/pop song that has that extra Eurovision grandeur with the integration of folk instruments, shifts in vocal technique, and expansive orchestration as the song hits its final chorus.

Latvia, Tautumeitas, "Bur man liami"

Tautumeitas has the best vocal harmonies and arrangements in the competition. Period. There is no competition. That "Bur man laimi" has been dismissed for being too simple is an insult to the creative use of A/B song form. The chorus is repetitive because it's a chant, and the chant is a spell fighting against the evils of the world. The verses shift through the restorative role of nature as the seasons progress, promising a return to relative goodness and safety. The vocal harmonies become more and more complex as the song progresses, not just repeating the same melody but expanding on it's reach, growing like the natural forces they're invoking as they sing their chant. The song is effortless, not simple, and that is a testament to the six singers of Tautumeitas.

Montenegro, Nina Žižić, "Dobrodošli"

Montenegro has a fantastic power ballad performed by Nina Žižić, a seasoned professional. Like Justyna, Nina has previously completed in Eurovision, which does come with the advantage of knowing how the rehearsal/press/performance process works. The emotion of the song comes through loud and clear regardless of the language. There is an intensity to the arrangement and the vocal that forces you to pay attention. Nina is calling on women to embrace their inner strength and keep fighting, no matter what, a powerful message backed up by a fantastic arrangement.

The Big 5

For those new to Eurovision, the Big 5 are the lead organizational nations for the Eurovision Song Contest. They are guaranteed a slot in the Grand Final each year, meaning they do not compete in the Semi-Finals like the other participating nations. They are France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. I actually quite like all their entries this year, but I will only be discussing my favorite in depth.

Germany, Abor & Tynna, "Baller"

Talk about a wildcard. Abor & Tynna are so on trend with the EDM/pop style that has taken over the world in the wake of Charli XCX's Brat Summer. The song is infectious, with a great beat, strong use of vocal effects, and that gorgeous cello line. I have no clue how this is going to be embraced by the Eurovision televoters and jury, but I've been bopping to the song in my car for weeks.

The Host

Every year, the previous winner's nation gets a guaranteed spot in the Grand Final of Eurovision. Nemo landed on top with his fantastic pop/operatic/rap song "The Code" last year, guaranteeing Switzerland a spot in the finals and the opportunity to host Eurovision in Basel this year.

Switzerland, Zoë Më, "Voyage"

Zoë Më has my favorite voice in this year's contest. She has such a unique, expressive tone and clearly has mastery over its use. This bittersweet love song promises to join her lover on a journey if her lover chooses to go. It's achingly beautiful and just, again, fits her voice so perfectly. Like so many other contestants this year, I've been going on a deep dive into Zoë Më's back catalog and I can say I'm a big fan now. This is another song where I'm not sure how the televoters will take to it, but the strength of the composition and her vocal skill will surely be a hit with the judges.

Will any of my favorites win Eurovision 2025 next week? I have no clue. My track record is terrible in picking a winner, and I don't even view the contest in those terms. Some of my favorite entries of all time came in last place in the Grand Final or didn't even qualify. This is a celebration of music on the largest televised platform the medium has. Find your favorite, support them in the contest, and keep supporting their career after so they can release more amazing songs.

Eurovision Song Contest 2025 happens next week. Semi-Final 1 is May 13. Semi-Final 2 is May 15. The Grand Final is May 17. The contest is streaming exclusively on Peacock for the USA.