News | International
14 May 2025 16:16
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > International

    This is who is going through to the Eurovision grand final from the first semifinal

    The Eurovision Song Contest is in full swing for 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. Here's who made it through to the grand final from semifinal one.


    Spoilers ahead. You have been warned.

    Glitter? Check. Sequins? Check. Leather? Oh, it must be another Eurovision semifinal.

    The 10 countries that have qualified for the Eurovision grand final from the first semifinal in order of their announcement are:

    • Norway — Kyle Alessandro — Lighter
    • Albania — Shkodra Elektronike — Zjerm
    • Sweden — KAJ — Bara Bada Bastu
    • Iceland — VAEB — RÓA
    • Netherlands — Claude — C'est La Vie
    • Poland — Justyna Steczkowska — GAJA
    • San Marino — Gabry Ponte — Tutta L'Italia
    • Estonia — Tommy Cash — Espresso Macchiato
    • Portugal — NAPA — Deslocado
    • Ukraine — Ziferblat — Bird of Pray

    That means five countries have missed out. Those who have not made it through in order of appearance are:

    • Slovenia — Klemen — How Much Time Do We Have Left
    • Belgium — Red Sebastian — Strobe Lights
    • Azerbaijan — Mamagama — Run With U
    • Croatia — Marko Bošnjak — Poison Cake
    • Cyprus — Theo Evan — Shh

    Sweden is at the top of the odds this year, with the group KAJ performing Bara Bada Bastu.

    KAJ are friends Kevin Holmström, Axel Åhman and Jakob Norrgård. They are well-known for celebrating Nordic culture with their music. Even though they are representing Sweden at Eurovision, they are not actually Swedish. The trio are all from Vörå, in the Swedish-speaking region of Ostrobothnia in Finland.

    Switzerland and the Big Five

    France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom are known as the big five. They automatically qualify for the grand final along with the previous year's winner, which, of course, is Switzerland this time around.

    Eurovision is back in the country where it all started — Switzerland — thanks to Nemo winning the competition with the song The Code last year.

    That win came 36 years after Switzerland's last win, in 1988, with Celine Dion singing Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi.

    Dion appeared via satellite to reflect on her win and express her regret for not being in Basel for the competition this year, saying it was "so beautiful to see Switzerland winning and hosting" the event once again.

    Switzerland was the inaugural winner when Lys Assia took out the competition with her song Refrain in 1956.

    When can I watch Australia compete?

    Australia's entrant, Manjimup-bred musician Marty Zambotto, known as Go-Jo, will perform first during the second semifinal, which will be broadcast live on SBS from 5am AEST on Friday.

    And hopefully, Go-Jo will be back for the grand final.

    The grand finalists will compete on Sunday from 5am AEST, with the competition broadcast on SBS TV and SBS On Demand.

    ABC News Digital will blog the final, get all the latest right here.


    ABC




    © 2025 ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved

     Other International News
     14 May: Kim Kardashian's court evidence included tears, forgiveness and details about how her life changed 'forever'
     14 May: Alex de Minaur out of Italian Open after first loss to Tommy Paul, as Jannik Sinner rolls on
     14 May: Why is a foreign country gifting the US government a luxury plane? Here's what we know
     14 May: US President Donald Trump announces America will lift all sanctions on Syria
     14 May: Singer Cassie recounts sex 'freak-offs' at Sean 'Diddy' Combs's criminal trial
     14 May: Trump signs US-Saudi $219b arms deal as officials talk up prospect of ceasefire in Gaza
     13 May: New Caledonians stockpile firearms as gun culture takes 'distressing' turn amid tensions
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Back to school for Jorja Miller as she returns to 15-aside rugby with the Black Ferns More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    ANZ's reacting staunchly to a Consumer survey ranking them poorly among customers More...



     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Danny Dyer plunged into a "spiral of madness" following the death of his mentor Harold Pinter 16:07

    Business:
    ANZ's reacting staunchly to a Consumer survey ranking them poorly among customers 16:07

    Law and Order:
    DNA evidence sees British man’s murder conviction quashed after 38 years served 16:07

    Education:
    Lockdowns have lifted at three Nelson schools, that were shuttered during a Police response 15:57

    Entertainment:
    Richard Gadd has experienced "intolerable pressure" amid the success of 'Baby Reindeer' 15:37

    Law and Order:
    An LA judge has resentenced two brothers serving life in prison - with no parole - for murdering their parents in 1989 15:27

    Entertainment:
    James Middleton offered "unconditional" support to his sister Catherine, Princess of Wales during her battle with cancer 15:07

    Business:
    Kim Kardashian's court evidence included tears, forgiveness and details about how her life changed 'forever' 14:57

    Basketball:
    The Indiana Pacers will return to the NBA's eastern conference finals after wrapping up their semi-final series against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers 14:57

    Entertainment:
    Jamie Lee Curtis is proud of her 41-year marriage to Christopher Guest because there were so many divorces in her family 14:37


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd