A Eurovision fan promotes love, peace and happiness on a t-shirt ahead of the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
English drag queen Ginger Johnson laughs in the sun in the Basel city center ahead of the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Gabry Ponte from San Marino performs the song “Tutta L’Italia” during the dress rehearsal for the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Claude from the Netherlands performs the song “C’est La Vie” during the dress rehearsal for the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
KAJ from Sweden performs the song “Bara Bada Bastu” during the dress rehearsal for the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
It’s showtime: Eurovision competitors battle it out in the pop extravaganza’s first semifinal
BASEL, Switzerland (AP) 鈥 Competition in the 69th Eurovision Song Contest kicks off Tuesday, with performers from 15 countries battling it out in Basel, Switzerland during the first of two semifinals of the pan-continental music extravaganza.
A Eurovision fan promotes love, peace and happiness on a t-shirt ahead of the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
By Martin Meissner And Jill Lawless The Associated Press
BASEL, Switzerland (AP) 鈥 Competition in the 69th Eurovision Song Contest kicks off Tuesday, with performers from 15 countries battling it out in Basel, Switzerland during the first of two semifinals of the pan-continental music extravaganza.
The lineup includes bookies鈥 favorite KAJ, a trio of Swedish-speaking Finns representing Sweden with 鈥淏ara Bada Bastu鈥 鈥 an upbeat ode to steam and heat whose title translates roughly as 鈥渏ust take a sauna鈥 鈥 and Dutch singer Claude, whose ballad 鈥淐鈥檈st La Vie鈥 is another favorite with oddsmakers.
Claude hopes to win for his country after the Netherlands鈥 2024 contestant, , was kicked out of Eurovision last year over a backstage altercation.
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Other performers Tuesday include Icelandic brother duo VAEB with enthusiastic rowing song 鈥淩贸a,鈥 Slovenian singer Klemen鈥檚 soulful 鈥淗ow Much Time Do We Have Left,鈥 Italian DJ Gabry Ponte, representing San Marino with the upbeat 鈥淭utta L鈥橧talia鈥 and Estonia鈥檚 highly caffeinated entry, 鈥淓spresso Macchiatio鈥 by Tommy Cash.
Tuesday鈥檚 showdown and a second semifinal on Thursday will narrow the field of 37 nations down to 26 who will compete in Saturday鈥檚 grand final. Twenty finalists will be decided by viewers鈥 votes, while six countries automatically qualify for the final: the host, Switzerland, and the 鈥淏ig Five鈥 who pay the most to the contest 鈥 France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K.
Music fans across Europe and beyond have traveled to the northern Swiss city of Basel, which is hosting Eurovision because won last year鈥檚 contest in Sweden.
Eurovision was founded in 1956, partly to foster unity on a continent scarred by World War II, and its motto is 鈥淯nited by Music.鈥 But political divisions often cloud the contest, despite organizers鈥 efforts to keep politics out. Officials say more than 1,000 police officers are on duty in Basel this week, and organizers are expecting protests against because of the country鈥檚 conduct of its war against Hamas in Gaza.
Israel鈥檚 entry, singer Yuval Raphael, is a survivor of Hamas militants鈥 Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people. More than 52,800 people in Gaza have been killed in Israel鈥檚 retaliatory offensive, according to the territory鈥檚 health ministry.
Following tensions over Israel鈥檚 participation and Klein鈥檚 expulsion last year, the European Broadcasting Union that organizes Eurovision has tightened the contest鈥檚 code of conduct, calling on participants to respect Eurovision鈥檚 values of 鈥渦niversality, diversity, equality and inclusivity鈥 and its political neutrality.
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Audience members will be allowed to wave Palestinian flags inside Basel鈥檚 St. Jakobshalle arena, after a contentious . Participants, however, can only wave their own national flag onstage or in other on-camera areas. Some delegations have protested that effectively bans LGBTQ+ pride flags from an event with a huge gay following.
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