The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 is set to take place in Basel, marking its 69th edition. Following Nemo's victory in 2024, the Swiss city will host the event, which promises exciting changes and updates.
Germany's performance has seen fluctuations, with singer Isaak achieving a respectable 12th place with "Always on the Run" in 2024, following two consecutive last-place finishes. The previous decade saw only Michael Schulte's 4th place in 2018 surpassing this.
In 2024, Nemo from Switzerland topped the leaderboard, followed by Croatia's Baby Lasagna and Ukraine's duo Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil, who brought a unique mix of pop and rap to the stage. Notably, the Norwegian group Gåte ended up last, a position previously held by Germany's Lord of the Lost.
Controversy surrounded Dutch contestant Joost Klein, who was disqualified due to an incident involving a camera operator. Despite this, his song "Europapa" reached number one in several EU countries, including Germany, before the final.
This year, Stefan Raab leads the German selection process, collaborating with RTL and ARD for four live shows titled "Chefsache ESC 2025 - Who Will Sing for Germany?" The final will air on March 1 at 20:15, with a total of 3281 applications received, marking a new high since 2010.
Since its inception in 1956, the ESC has become a staple of European culture, with the 2020 edition canceled due to the pandemic. The theme for 2023, "United By Music," reflects a commitment to unity and the power of music.
Basel was chosen as the host city, beating out Geneva, Zurich, and the Bern-Biel duo. The final will take place on May 17, 2025, following semi-finals on May 13 and 15. Hazel Brugger and Sandra Studer will host, with Michelle Hunziker joining for the final.
Participating countries are drawn annually, with the host nation and the Big Five countries (Germany, France, UK, Spain, Italy) automatically qualifying. The total number of participating countries was reduced to 37 after Moldova's withdrawal.
Montenegro returns to the competition after a three-year hiatus, with singer Nina Žižić representing the country. Cyprus will send Theo Evan, while the Czech Republic will feature Slovakian artist Adonxs. Notably, Israeli singer Yuval Raphael survived a tragic attack at the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023.