The opera is known for drama: big characters, gorgeous settings and incredible voices. And so it’s only fitting that countertenor JJ is serving all of that and more in the music video for “Wasted Love” — Austria’s entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
JJ — real nameJohannes Pietsch — has delivered one of the most unique songs of the year. Although it starts with light and airy opera, it progresses to opera underscored with heavy techno beats. Think Kate Miller-Heidke mixed with Go_A and you’ll start to understand the drama and payoff of the finish.
But behind that musical journey is a story of love — or rather love that never quite finds a place to land. That unrequited love can be overwhelming. As JJ sings: “I’m an ocean of love and you’re scared of water. You don’t want to go under, so you let me go under.”
JJ reveals “Wasted Love” — Austria’s Eurovision 2025 song
“This song perfectly captures my experience with unreciprocated love,” JJ says in the official press release sent by Austrian broadcaster ORF. “There’s a unique kind of heartbreak in having so much love to give but nowhere for it to land.”
“It feels like being adrift at sea on a fragile paper boat—grasping at any sliver of hope, only to watch it dissolve beneath you.”
“And yet, there’s something undeniably beautiful in that naïve devotion. Because, in the end, simply being able to love—no matter how wasted—is a beautiful thing in itself.”
Reaction video coming soon!
The music video is gorgeous and reflects the emotional intensity of the song. Directed by Marek Vesely, it was filmed in various locations, including a pine forest near Wiener Neustadt, the Stadttheater Baden, and the “I Dive Diving School” in Vienna, where JJ submerged for his underwater shots. A forest with water and snow was recreated in a studio in Lower Austria.
According to Marek, the music video “is intended to be a visual journey into the deep abyss of unrequited love, underscored by dramatic elements. It is structured in five acts and plays with the opera vibe as its underlying mood.”
You can thank a certain “Rise Like a Phoenix” singer for nurturing JJ’s love of Eurovision.
“My family and I have watched the ESC every year since Conchita’s victory, eating together and discussing the contestants,” he says. “It has brought us closer.“
Are you loving “Wasted Love”? Do you think that it can win it all? What type of staging would you like to see? Let us know in the comments box down below!
I’m sure it will score well, but not for me.
If Sweden should send this song. People should screen a copy, but not now. This is the same song as Nemo Lady year
Woooah This is epic. This is the quality song/ ballad esque style that Eurovision 2025 has been waiting for if the vocal can match the video quality when performed live. When the running order is announced this is one performer i would not want to follow on stage at Basel.
Studio cut didn’t really impress me. I’m not a huge fan of opera but I can clearly see it growing on me with a great staging.
Same thing was with Bamby Thug – didn’t like studio, loved performance
This is superb.
Falsetto, opera, techno and papyroflexia are four of my favorite things <3
Wannabe Krassimir Avramov.
Illusion>Wasted Love
I swear, Teodora Špiri? simply CANNOT miss. I think I’ve just discovered my new favorite Eurovision genre. It’s been masterpiece after masterpiece ever since “Who The Hell Is Edgar?”. Oh, how we could’ve also had “Heaven Sent” this year as well… For me at least, Wasted Love currently sits in my 3rd place, it instantly hooked me and I’m a massive sucker for the opera & techno fusion. The song personally keeps me engaged at all times and JJ is, in my humble opinion, the strongest vocalist we’ve had in Eurovision since Estonia’s Elina.
AND Gjon’s Tears, a blasphemy I forgot about him
Impressive song and a great music video along with it – first song that feels like a proper Eurovision winner to me – and that is including the hot fave in Sweden, but we havent seen it live yet though. If he is able to perform and surprise us all and do a Nemo, then he definitely is in with a chance for sure as this would be vocally more impressive. Song definitely feel like it could have been on the soundtrack of “The Fifth Element” so that makes me even more excited for it now 🙂
This is really good and I got almost the same chills and winning vibes when I first listened to Nemo last year. Well done, Austria! It’s a contender. Now, there are two aspects to consider: -operatic songs usually don’t score that well with televote but this song may win the jury vote -it remains to be seen how all this comes to life on stage. Such songs need a powerful (Nemo-style) staging and performance. the operatic part has to be toned down, ok, his voice is angelic, we know that, but if that gets too much, it takes away points… Read more »
I’m not a fan of Opera but this is really good. If he pull this off live, it will get a good result, especially with the juries
Austria 5/12 – a little bit overhyped for me
Wow the best song !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!in eurovision 2025 ! 12 point from italy!!!!
To be honest, it sure is not the worst entry of the season. But the song is quite boring and largely repetitive, and (sorry) relies only on vocals effects.
The word “wasted” should be censored and banned by the EBU for promoting unhealthy habits amongst young viewers!!
Bitter sweet comment – no, you KANT ban this word :p
I really really wanted to like this one. But something in his voice feels like nails on a chalkboard. Has nothing to do with his talent, just with my ears I think.
I don’t mean anything positive or negative, I just find that in the high register his voice sounds eerily like a violin. It may be interesting to produce an instrumental version of this song.
When mans zelmerlöw hears this one how is he gonna feel!! Should I find a way to withdraw from Melodifestivallen, should I invest my money in paying jury to secure top votes, public knows me anyway I have that advantage opportunity too, I got to do something more than just performing to overcome my fears if I want to ? win the victory to make historical double, if Johnny and Loreen did why can’t I am HEROOOWOOWOWWOW, Watch out revolution is coming lol, anyway, Austria has got high expectation this year with contemporary contender, best ? of luck
Then we send Bara Bada Bastu instead 😀 However Måns has an international hit, this is not. And then we have something called staging and to perform the song as well. Måns has proven he can do this more than well with Revolution. So why should he withdraw?
I wouldnt call that “trapped in that v a gi n a-box” for a very innovative staging…
:))))))) I laughed my head off
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who thinks it looks like a vagina…. I was doubting my own dirty mind;-)
I’m not a huge fan of both songs but Man’s sounds pleasant and doesn’t give me chills in a negative way way.
Read comment again it’s ironic, I didn’t say you should withdraw,
This IS Nemo meets the autralian Guy with a mask (i dont remember his name and too lazy to Google It) but the first whole minute is on the boring side so televoters might switch to Twitter.
Sheldon Riley
a huge garbage bag wrapped in cellophane paper and standard quality coating. Pretentious and prefabricated song
OMG. I hope you get that detailed and eloquent when describing a song you like!
I don’t want to jump to conclusions yet since we don’t have the full line-up yet but predictions are just for fun: if he nails the vocals I see absolutely no reason why he should not win the jury vote over Mans, this is a way better song. Both definitely won’t win the public vote so this should mean Mans has no more chance of winning, of course in a fair world that is.. it’s still Sweden and he’s a returning winner. (Also still hoping for Klara and KAJ)
Wait this is “he” ??? I thought its “she” (facial features, voice). Ups.
Me too. First I listened to the song and I believed it was a female singer with a short haircut. It was only afterwards that I read JJ is a male singer.
So you mean Switzerland win a higher public vote than Måns.. not sure about that.
this is clearly a song that will works way better on stage. So to understand the real potential we have to wait in May. Still a pretty good song
Out of the songs released so far, this is the one that stands out in terms of topping the jury. However, I feel it may struggle with the public vote
Strong contender to top the jury vote if they can hit the notes live
My daughter 10 “please mom can you turn the noise off…” I think this song is quality, but not for all ages, the high notes are spot on but not very pleasant for the ears, and it’s too soon after Nemo who somehow was a lot more authentic, The techno seems a forced attempt to gain votes, for me the song is a 7/10.
Regarding the beat drop: too little, too late.
Another copycat of the previous winner. This happends every year, if a rock song wins next year we’ll have at least one rock song copycat….
Nemo’s song had drum’n’bass and rap as well – this is a ballad and opera – and more “La Forza” than “The Code” – so dont make silly comparisons – also the opera part in “The Code” was way smaller…
It’s a tough song to sit through if you can’t stand the shrieking operatic style, and the tempo change at the end seems cheap and forced
OH.
MY.
GOD.
WOW!
I literally was not ready for this. What a wonderfully sonic 2:58 journey! I absolutely love the video and I love that last 20 or 30 second switch up in sound.
THIS is what I was waiting for.
I am not sure. Yes it is obviously great but I cannot imagine this being a hit in Europe or have significant charts presence. It is a top 3 material but not a winner for me.
Great, song. Charismatic singer. Top 3.
The more I listen the more I love it.
A fairytale opera called – Titanic Techno
Winner sounds are happening and I use that word very little. But this has that something
I don’t know, cool ending. But how will that ending execute live.? This feels also like Nemo last year. And Gjon’s Tears. Is that the right way to go? Again. It seems Switzerland has taken a patent on songs like this.
Switzerland seem to be taking over the crown from Sweden as the annoying jury favourite. If this continues. Because this is a jurybait song. He’s a bit high in the notes for my taste though..
He’s representing Austria, though.
I got goosebumps just from the music video so imagine listening to this live!! Love the rave part at the end, although I wish it came in earlier so it didn’t feel so much like an afterthought, this is still firmly in my Top 5 at the moment though if not my winner
This song is so very beautiful. I am very surprised. Good luck to JJ and Austria..
A bit over the top for me.
It’s well executed and will certainly be impressive. It might even win (especially as there aren’t that many competitors at the moment).
However, it sounds a lot like last year’s winner, and it seems to me that in recent years we’ve not seen two similar songs win Eurovision back to back. At this stage I’d prefer the Netherlands to win (while we wait for France’s song?). We’ll see 🙂
I don’t think it sounds like last year’s winner. If that is the case, still would prefer it over Sweden’s song.
You gvent Nemos song last year. Its the same song
Wow this is instant, so well produced, captivating, interesting. Haunting vocals, which he surely will be able to perform live. Beautiful video, it has great staging potential.
It surely comes for the win.
My only problem with it is the use of elements (mix of techno and opera) that proved to be a winning formula in the past year and it not having that rememberable hook on first listen.
But well done JJ and Austria and good luck to you in May
I don’t like it, it sounds overproduced. I still believe that among all these loud and extrovert entries a simple and reduced performance will shine and win.
Great voice but the song is not for me.. the high register does sound a bit annoying to me at times and the ending with the beat we have seen so many times.. Shum, Mata Hari, Cleopatra and this year Ich komme to name a few.. will do well
And we have our winner!I just went straight to a betting site after hearing this.
If the voice is as good live and the staging is impressive- we will be in Austria 2026. I
Agree; it would definitely win the Jury voting
Italy: Sending very slow tempo, outdated and also boring song with weak vocals; singing as is he doesnt want to sing actually.
Its neighbour Austria: Sending very modern, strong song with excellent vocals.
Shows how two neighbouring countries can be different from each other for choosing their Eurovision entries ?
I congratulate Austria for this entry, it can win Eurovision.
WOW. Goosebumps, this is a Eurovision winner song. The opera x techno at the end is BRILLIANT.
There is always this song that looks like the succesor from the previous year..
That was Baby Lasagne last year (the songs were obvious different but everyone still made the comparison at the time) and he still won the televote
Because of the DQ of Joost maybe?
PHENOMENAL! In love!!! This is so far the only song I could see winning this year. So good!
I don’t think the comparisons to Nemo are warranted. It’s probably the last 30 seconds that are doing it but this feels much better than Nemo!
For me it’s less authentic than Nemo and over produced, not bad, but I’m not in love with those high notes.
Objectively: Top 5. Top 3 even if the remaining songs will be average.
Subjectively: Not my thing, but I fully respect a great entry and the profesionalism of this song.
Juries will eat this up, and they better put on an amazing light show for the last part of the song.
I think this can win Eurovision 2025; definitely jury winner 🙂
Way better than many entries selected so far.
Austria coming for their 3rd Eurovision win. I absolutely L O V E this
It’s in the same lane as Nemo’s song from last year.
Personally I don’t like it,
I find it very tacky,
but it will probably do well.
damn, I really got goosebumps. what an amazing entry. Good luck Austria.
If this is staged right it’ll be there at the end.
Live singing it will be a test but it’s different and has potential. Stopping the Sweden machine right now will be tough