Fifteen countries will compete. But only ten will advance to the grand final. Welcome to Semi-Final 1 of Eurovision 2025.
The first show in this year’s contest has some big hitters. It includes the bookies favourites to win the entire contest: Sweden’s KAJ and The Netherlands’ Claude. But beyond the odds table, it offers a wide mix of genres and styles — from the euro dance of Iceland’s Vaeb and San Marino’s Gabry Ponte to the spiritual folk of Albania’s Shkodra Elektronike.
The first semi will be their first reckoning — and in a televote only system.
Running Order
During the semi-final allocation draw, the fifteen countries were drawn into the first half or second half. Producers are now deciding the precise running order based on making the most interesting show (considering things like visual flow) and also practicality (the time and difficulty of moving acts and their props on and off the stage).
First Half
🇸🇪 Sweden – KAJ with “Bara bada bastu”
🇺🇦 Ukraine – Ziferblat with “Bird of Pray”
🇸🇮 Slovenia – Klemen with “How Much Time Do We Have Left”
🇮🇸 Iceland – Væb with “Róa”
🇪🇪 Estonia – Tommy Cash with “Espresso Macchiato”
🇵🇱 Poland – Justyna Steczkowska with “Gaja”
🇵🇹 Portugal – Napa with “Deslocado”
Second Half
🇳🇱 Netherlands – Claude with “C’est la vie”
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan – Mamagama with “Run with U”
🇦🇱 Albania – Shkodra Elektronike with “Zjerm”
🇸🇲 San Marino – Gabry Ponte with “Tutta l’Italia”
🇧🇪 Belgium – Red Sebastian with “Strobe Lights”
🇨🇾 Cyprus – Theo Evan with “Shh”
🇭🇷 Croatia – Marko Bosnjak with “Poison Cake”
🇳🇴 Norway – Kyle Alessandro with “Lighter”
Automatic qualifiers
These countries will perform their acts in full during the semi-final. However, because they are all automatic qualifiers, viewers will not be able to vote for them. Viewers in these countries will vote in this semi-final.
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇮🇹 Italy
🇪🇸 Spain
Now we want to know what you think. We’ve got two polls below: one to name the winner, and one to name the 10 qualifiers.
Who should win Semi-Final 1 of Eurovision 2025?
Who is your winner? Use this poll to vote for your absolute favourites who you’d like to see win this semi.
You can vote for as many countries as you want, but you can only submit your votes ONE time. Be sure to click the box next to each country you want to support before hitting submit.
Who should qualify from Semi-Final 1 of Eurovision 2025?
And which 10 countries do you want to see qualify for the final? Support your ten qualifiers by voting for them in the poll below.
As above, you can only submit your votes ONE time. Be sure to click the box next to each country you want to support before hitting submit.
GREECE
i would love for Slovenia to qualify its so beautiful
Why is France in such an up place on the odds?
I love Slovenia. Its my top 5
https://x.com/EuroScoreboard/status/1902432372769067105?t=tnA4-1_aDFdQq7s790-l4g&s=19
Al_anians massvoting themselves, most likely here too, as well as in other places.
That poll is quite meaningless for different reasons.
1 THE BEST ENTRY THE COUNTRY HAS TO OFFER SINCE NORRSKEN
2 Fire
3 There’s three
4 Everybody
I like the dance song of Azer bedyan,
and Ukraine is nice and rocky.
I drew up this proposed running order for semifinal one. Let me know what you would do.
1-Estonia
2- Ukraine
3- Poland
4- Slovenia
5- Iceland
—break—
6- Spain
7- Portugal
8- Sweden
9- Cyprus/Belgium
—break—
10- Italy
11- Croatia
12- Alban is
13- San Marino
14- Norway
—break—
15- Switzerland
16- Azerbaijan
17- Netherlands
18- Belgium/Cyprus
Seems like the dislike bots are at it again. Seeing them downvote even the comments that are just asking simple and even non provocative stuff makes it kind of obvious of their existence.
Indeed
Indeed again.
Hi, why there’s not polls for 2nd semi and for whole 2025 Contest??
Wiwibloggs won’t put all the polls on the same day, but will spread them out, so we will keep visiting the site, for engagement and advertisement money.
Unless we use duckduckgo browser or add blocker ofcourse.
It was just published today
I’m a little bit in love with a member of NAPA :-/
Are you now? 🙂
Have you seen the news on Mans? Better stay away from that vile piece of s***.
The guy on the right with cropped hair and glasses. He so ciwt! Lol you are so harsh on Måns, maybe he’s having a midlife crisis?!
Awwww lol. The one on the left is a keeper too.
Oh I don’t think I am really. We knew him to be pretty f****** insufferable, but this is next level horrible… HORRIBLE. Disgusting a******! ugh
I heard san marino’s song on the french radio today
Sérieusement??
Sur quelle radio?
Seeing Albanai so high on the poll makes me happy to see! Really hope Shkodra Elektronike help give the country its best result since 2012.
Personally, I dont like theb vibe of Sweden’s song. I am not a bot 🙂
So you’re a top? 😉
I don’t care who wins the semis, it really doesn’t matter overall.
I just want Iceland to qualify. Their song puts me in such a great mood every single time I hear it.
Go, Iceland! Crossing my fingers for you. ???
If you’re from a country that is in semifinal one, then vote for Iceland to your heart’s content
The anti-Sweden bots are working hard today downvoting everyone who supports KAJ. Embarrassing behaviour.
There are 35 downvotes for someone who said he DIDN’T like the Swedish song so much.
Embarrassing Swedes.
I would be anti-Sweden if they had chosen Mans, but with these guys I´m absolutely happy.
What bothers me in this ESC is that absolutely none of the 37 songs screams winner. No epic vibes, no banger, nothing. Not everything is bad of course but nothing has the potential to go viral on a global scale. I’m usually pretty good at guessing who has the potential to win (in other words I have really mainstream tastes). From 2019 to 2024, every winning song left me a great impression at the first listen and everytime I said “yeah, this is the winner” (except for 2022 but that year was a special case). This year, nothing. In that… Read more »
Kaj is viral. The most viral song in the world on Spotify..
KAJ is viral for now and they will probably be for 1 or 2 weeks after Eurovision but I fear people will forget them rather quickly :/
I think most people will watch it for the first time in May.
Did Nemo go viral last year? Not really.
Or Loreen?
That’s why I said “potential”. Of the 37 acts from 2024, Nemo was the one with the most potential. For Loreen, her song made quite an effect after she won the contest. I mean it was everywhere on the radio and on TV shows.
Hum… Loreen was viral
Loreen went really viral. Tatoo was everywhere after ESC.
I heard it once after Eurovision in a soccer stadium.
Austria this year has ‘winner’ written all over it. It leaves as much of an impression as Switzerland last year, if not more. The opera element is far more powerful than Nemo’s, it also includes different genres (pop, techno) like Switzerland did (pop, rap) and has huge staging potential. I agree with you that it would be fun to see Sweden win this year, just to see if the ‘public favourite’ and the more fun, novelty song can actually beat the jury winner for once. It’s been building up to this for a while now, with the second places of… Read more »
Maybe people don’t want the the same kind of winner all over again. Including juries. He will surely be more than able to perform it live. But could come across as pretentious with people. However, Austria will absolutely be in top 3.
The code was more authentic, and Nemo is a great performer, his high notes where a lot more pleasant for my ears. I need to hear JJ’s song live on a big stage to be able to judge it, in his The Voice performances he had zero stage presence, for now I think France will be the jury winner, and Sweden will win the public vote.
France sounds like a communist military song.
Maman Maman Maman
It is pompous in the refrain indeed, however it has also lovely and memorable parts.
This is the reason why I love the swiss song more. But nevertheless France is in my top 10. too.
Sweden is viral, maybe a little too early but it’s viral
zjerm was a 9/10 when it was selected and it’s only gotten better over time. it’s my EASY winner for this semi. i wouldn’t be upset if sweden won (it’s fun and silly) but it would be so special if zjerm won. unfortunately alb seems doomed to be a country that never wins unless it pulls a baby lasagna of sorts
Sweden, really? i mean it’s fun but not a winner material at all
It’s the most televote friendly song of the semi-final.
What’s winning material this year tho?
Nobody really agree this year.
Many people don’t see Austria or France neither.
And the most alternative or risky entries (except maybe Al ba nia) haven’t been getting that much support /hype from fandom or bookies.
Maybe this IS the year when humour wins. The juries need to loosen up a bit. Kaj are excellent performers and singers like anyone who sings their heart out about love and peace. It’s theatre and about the music at the same time. Not an easy thing and should be rewarded.
Juries like humour as long as it is not clowning about. As do the voters I believe.
I mean look at Käärija. Very much humour entry but it was still very musical. Now compare that to last year and the computer guy. That was just being clown for the sake of being silly. No one liked it. You can even argue Netta won with humour. So it’s not that rare
Käärijä’s voice was not good, if the judges went by that. He felt a bit all over the place. And No rules was just silly with a dated song. Kaj’s humour and performance is on another level imo. Every inch is so well planned and thought out and they CAN sing.
Netta was an exception. But Toy had serious undertones well placed in time. with the Me too-movement going on. But I felt it was mostly the dancers being silly..
Me too was long after Netta’s song.
No, Käärija was not a good singer. But he did not need to be it either, it was not that type of song. Of course they took that into consideration. Its how the voice served the overall impression
But aren’t we talking about juries now? People don’t care about it that much. But juries.. And also.. he had some tough competition, if you know what I mean.. This year I think about Austria as this years Loreen and Kaj is a kind of Käärijä.
Yes but even with juries vocals are not everything. They are important but not the only thing that matters. Even there you look for the overall impression of the act based on the criteria you have. So even if Käärija did not have the voice juries still saw the creativity which why he ended up fourth place with them. So the juries can enyoy humour if it is presented well and not just a silly novelty thing. So KAJ should not worry
Well why not? It’s not like in 2023 when it was only about two songs. This year is open, no clear favourite. Sweden could very well take it. Let us not forget that KAJ are in fact actual musicians that can sing well. That can impress juries. Even Käärija impreseed them enough to land in 4th place with them and he was not that good of a singer
It will win the public vote with a landslide, don’t know about the jury’s
Sweden can send a banana all orange and they’ll still make it and still do well
Does help have an a Swedish supervisor that tells you everything
Let’s face it, this is not a strong year for the contest. We’ve been absolutely spoiled the past four years but the calibre of songs this year just isn’t it… So disappointed. I absolutely love Spain, Denmark and UK but usually I like most of the songs. Only positive is more countries singing in their own language (too bad the songs are just not very good)
Maybe not the strongest of the 2020s, but it’s still a lot better than some past contests.
No, since pre-recorded vocals ESC has been worse each year. guess 2026 will be even worse than this year.
Yup, 2025 outshines every 2000s year except 2009. It also outshines 2010, 2011, 2012 (which was carried by Loreen), 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2022.
The 2020s are just so damn peak that people have such a high standard now. They don’t notice the quality we have this year.
If I ever write a book about this era, I would call it Triumphs and Troubles: Eurovision in the 2020s. It is the contrast of having the highest quality songs we’ve had at Eurovision, against the backdrop of a very troubled decade with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Israel- Gaza. Lord knows if we end up with World War III.
If I ever write a book about this era, I would call it Triumphs and Troubles: Eurovision in the 2020s. It is the contrast of having the highest quality songs we’ve had at Eurovision, against the backdrop of a very troubled decade with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Israel-G@za. Lord knows if we end up with World War III.
For me it´s quite strong (so far better than 2023 and 2024)
My Top 15 of the “Eurovision Song Contest 2025”, Semi-final 1: *QUALIFIERS:* 1. Sweden – “Bara Bada Bastu” (10/10) 2. Alb ania – “Zjerm” (9.5/10) 3. Poland – “Gaja” (9/10) 4. San Marino – “Tutta L’ Italia” (8/10) 5. Netherlands “C’ Est La Vie” (7.5/10) 6. Norway – “Lighter” (7.5/10) 7. Estonia – “Espresso Macchiato” (7/10) 8. Cyprus “Shh” (7/10) 9. Ukraine – “Bird Of Pray” (7/10) 10. Belgium – “Strobe Lights (6.5/10) – – – – – – – – – – – *NON-QUALIFIERS:* 11. Azerbaijan – “Run With U” (6.5/10) 12. Croatia – “Poison Cake” (5/10) 13. Portugal… Read more »
I think Poland will win the semi
I LOVE KAI but i dont want sweden to win again. I’m just fed up of sweden winning and we were just there! Lets go somewhere new or where we haven’t been in a while
Or… how about it be a song contest? If Sweden have the best song, then Sweden should win.
To be honest, I also think it would be way too soon for Sweden to win again, but if it happens, it happens.
C’est la vie
Yeah, same. Or we could end up with a dark horse winter that is completely out of nowhere. Anything can happen.
Where were you when Ireland won 4 contests in the 90’s?
The 90s might be the only decade where there was no first time winner at all, as there was a 12 year gap between Yugoslavia winning in 1989 and Estonia winning in 2001. I hope the 2020s don’t end up the same way, whether this year or in the future.
Unpopular opinion I know, but my winners are Azerbaijan and Slovenia!
A fascinating semi final from a rather silly year. Let’s look at the first poll results so far… In the lead of both polls, it’s Sweden! (Pretends to be shocked.) So many Wiwibloggs fans love saunas. I wonder why. In 2nd for the firs poll, it’s Alba n i a. Now that really IS a surprise to me. I must go back and listen to that one again, because I honestly don’t remember it after many months. Here is a strange statistical uncertainty so far: Iceland. 568 voters want Iceland to qualify, but not enough of you voted it into… Read more »
Just to add: San Marino have never (yet) outscored Italy at the ESC. The closest statistic on this was in 2014, when Italy finished 21st with 33 points compared to San Marino finishing 24th with 14 points.
All of Italy may vote for “Tutta l’Italia” this year though, so a statistical first time upside-down result could happen. (No stresso Rai.)
Don’t they have to change the name of the song? (reference to another country)
Not to my knowledge, but time my correct me. Tutta L’Europa would probably better anyhow.
I think you are right, but this seems a little inappropriate, moreover the ties between Italy and San M. What about Tutta Greenland or Gulf of Mexico?
Sweden will win and make Eurovision great again <3
We will win the contest this year by a landslide, nothing even getting close to the quality and level we brought to the table. Last year we were robbed by the juries – which would give it 1st place if it wasn’t a bunch w0ke c0wards. This year they won’t have the excuse to not give points to a v!ct!m of the N0va Festival m@ss@cre with such a masterpiece. None else stand a chance.
Judith Butler, Theodore Allen, Ruth Frankenberg, *all* of the Frankfurt School… “W0ke-ness” is a Hebrew invention, designed to weaken Western states. Like a golem, it’s turned on its creators. Have the integrity to deal with that, then we can talk about Eurovision.
“Something is wrong…? let’s blame the J3ws”. You know what’s that behavior called? I hope your brain is big enough to understand, tough I’m highly doubt it is. You can whine all that you want, we will win Eurovision this year, and next year when it’ll be in our country. And as for all of you Ha$#m$@s support3rs, you won’t be allowed in. Including wiwibloggs team and I’ll personally make sure of that.
“And as for all of you Ha$#m$@s support3rs, you won’t be allowed in. Including wiwibloggs team and I’ll personally make sure of that.”
You sound exactly like a certain orange guy from the other side of Atlantic Ocean. Like really. It tells a lot about you.
This guy is one the bravest guys in this world, wh0 f!ghts against all the rubb!sh this world turned into. Thank you for the comparation.
If it makes you feel better… One thing is for sure, I don’t know what you’re doing here, on this blog.
I love the contest, as far as I know the world is still democratic and even if I don’t have the same opinions as you, I’m still allowed to voice my opinion. hyp0crite.
Yeah, true. You’ve got that point right. Doesn’t make you any better though. It’s when a human being talks the way you talk that I lose hope in this world.
I refuse to believe that there’s an actual human being that is being serious behind this profile.
Don’t worry hon, I don’t think they want to.
NURSE!
One thing I’ll admit – this year’s Eurovision is so bad (worst that I remember in the last 13-14 years, that it’s disappointing. There’s no even a competition. It will be too much easy to win.
Have no ill will towards Israel but god you should be banned you insufferable pr1ck!
This Semi is going to be a snoring fest.
It’s funny how each year everybody says that specific Semi Final is stronger before the songs are out, and then when they are, it’s suddenly turned out the opposite, every freaking time.
Very week Semi-Final. One of the worst I can remember. The only song I might be able to listen from the beginning till the end is “Run with U”.
“Run with U” is my winner <3!! Runner-up is the sauna song!
I cannot remember any weaker semifinal than this one. Ever!!!
From a gents’ toilet last year to a sauna this year; whatever next?
Rehearsals change everything but, if I were to predict based on what we’ve seen so far…
Q: Zjerm, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Estonia, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Ukraine
Maybe: Cyprus, Poland, Portugal, San Marino
NQ: Croatia, Iceland, Slovenia
I love how you invented a new country named “Zjerm” 😀
Keep in mind:
“The top ten countries to visit wiwibloggs are (in order): United Kingdom, Spain, United States, Sweden, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland, Australia, Malta and Greece.”
Malta? Fascinating.
Yes, very surprising numbers.
More Swedish, Dutch, Maltese and Greek people are viewing and probably voting in the polls than from big countries like France or Italy.
Am I the only one who finds Sweden’s Sony quite overhyped and overrated this year?
I mean, even if Swedish entrants do not sing any song for 3 minutes; either juries or the public overrate it.
Their song is just Swedish schlager. if that song was sent from Norway; no one was mentioning about it even.
Nr.1 viral song in the world for several days.. So it’s gone beyond the community it seems..
Folksong, pop, schlager. A mixture of all those, is what I call Bara Bada Bastu. A song that is about other things than peace, love and war, that is the most usual ingredients to a song these days. So it’s definetely not generic. And a perfect stage show with charismatic singers with good voices combined with a song that have a contagious beat. Simply a happy pill.
And not to forget.. humour on a perfect level.
And the choreoagraphy is so easy to do and follow. And every one can sing Bara bada Bastu, even if it’s in another language. I can go on and on and on. I’m not convinced it will win, but these are the good good things about Sweden’s entry.
And then we have the culural aspect. Not only finnish but a bit of nordic culture in the song and performance. And the swedish-finnish dialect. And the co-lab between Finland and Sweden. It has healed much from the events of 2023.
Get ready to SHNDRIT in May
Lose those towels!
I wholeheartedly agree
ITS GOTTA BE OUR ESPRESSO MACCHIATO KING
Jail the mofo and tbrow away the key! That is an abomination.
the most important thing here is qualification. it’s a televoting-only sf, it doesn’t really matter if you finished 1st or 10th….
I always say that NOBODY wins, that’s not how it works!
I really hope Alb do well and qualify its been near my top since December 24
See the Ukrainians have been raiding the polls.
God help us in semi final two’s result. lol
We all know what’s gonna happen
Your obsession with us is beyond word. Get well soon.
Yeah we know that the most loved songs dye to either emotional or humorous cheerful quality, will top. And we all know that then bitter people as yourself looking for hate will cry to their pillows. Or maybe you’ll switch some brain cells and be happy to whoever qualifies, because, after all, you’re such a “sweet loving person” and a “true Eurovision “fan” “.
“The most loved songs will top, due to…”
I am so wholeheartedly delighted to see that the odds for the two best songs this year (BE and EE) are so much higher than the fandom rankings!
Well, I politely wrote a comment in which I gave my top 15 of this semi but it seems it is stuck somewhere… I was very respectful but apparently making a top was still too much.
To resume my opinion: Sweden is winning this, Netherlands and Belgium are completing my top 3. My bottom 3 are Ukraine, Croatia and Slovenia.
For some reason on wiwi if you just type the Zjerm country name it gets filtered.
A L B A N I A is always flagged by the moderation system, nobody knows why.
Ah that’s the reason. I thought my other choice might have been why mine were filtered. I’ll just say the two countries starting with A are the best then. And not only in this semi.
A z er bedyan is filtered too.
Ah, double filtered. I pick well.
Sweden or Estonia will win the semifinal as it is televote only. Let’s not get mad about that. 100% sure qualifiers for me in a random order: Sweden Estonia Poland Netherlands Alb Belgium Not 100% sure qualifiers: Azerbaijan Norway Border qualifiers that will be decided by the stage performance: Slovenia Portugal Cyprus Croatia San Marino Who I don’t want to see in the finals: Ukraine Iceland I still believe Ukraine will make it but I just don’t want them to qualify with a song like this. Ukraine always brings their A game and I just want them to experience what… Read more »
Estonia win this SF? No, I don’t think so.
Yes. Who will vote for this ? It’s not even funny.
There are enough people who find it funny. It even entered the official Italian Singles Charts.
Well, That’s my opinion. It’s either Sweden or Estonia. If you disagree with me, please, let me know who is your Winner.
Sooo, I think we can all agree that Sweden or Estonia is going to open and Slovenia is going second?
Sweden shouldn’t open in all fairness. We opened GF last year.
What an irony, I literally couldn’t remember who represented Sweden last year, so asked Google and then saw THE TITLE ???
Iceland will probably open
You really expect the EBU to let a country whole stole their song to open the contest? LOL.
if the ebu recognized any kind of theft, the song would not be competing
Iceland could open and that may not the best for them knowing what will come later.
Estonia or Sweden could but they are the big favourites for locals.
I wouldn’t mind if somehow Ukraine opens as well. It could work
I’d love Strobe Lights to take the win, however I think it will be Sweden or Estonia, they are the most overtly “televote-friendly” entries.
Im with you with Strobe Lights.
Its a good ED track.
That drop in the beat is insane.
I think Sweden will win this semi and I’m happy with this result. I only like 6 songs in this semi (Alb, Bel, Ned, Nor, Pol, Swe) so as long these 6 qualify I’m not particularly interested in the other qualifiers but I do expect that Estonia will -unfortunately- make it and then it’s anyone’s guess. I think that Ukraine has enough diaspora to make it through and my instict says that Slovenia will be the surprise qualifier, with either Cyprus or San Marino as the 10th qualifier. Best of luck to all participants is semi 1!
Shndrit shndrit shndrit shndrit
i am as obsessed with Zjerm, as i was with Emma Muscat I Am What I Am
<3
How dare you to compare that soulless song with the magical Zjerm
exactly… it’s comparing the sea with the sewer
Slovenia has one of the most heartfelt and beautiful songs this year, such a shame it is so wildly underappreciated. Sometimes the fandom astonishes me.
Word ??
I’d completely discounted this song and it kept playing in a playlist after my favourite and I now want it to qualify!
Also this is such a noisy semi that I think it could well stand out for being completely different to everything else
All good compared to Austria, which is just screaming.
Agree, can’t believe Austria decided to copycat last years winner. Might even NQ?
Ironic that people on this site think JJ is a scream act, while those same people would hype up Go_A. Rofl
Go_A are a solid group with their own musical identity while JJ’s song is very specifically made for Eurovision
I expected such a cope argument.
Both have their own musical identity, which is why I gave the
“I expected such a cope argument.”
But eh, people on this damn site only like the unique stuff instead of looking for quality in any kind of genre. Y’all are a bunch of attention seekers.
Also, I never claimed Go_A was bad or anything. It’s just, despite Go_A’s quality, they pretty much are the definition of a scream act. I was just pointing at the hypocrisy you all have.
Are you scared Austria will win the whole thing? They most likely will – both jury and televote – and it will be a good outcome. Salzburg 2026
Never ever…
This is the part where I take lyrics from all the songs of the semi final and try to make a silly poem out of them (for no reason) :
Sweating in the sauna with my friends, I place wood on wood and taste my poison cake,
But everyone in Italy knows,
It doesn’t move me,
Gaja, mi amore, please have mercy on us,
Turn off your strobe lights, be our lighter and we’ll promise to run with you, and never talk about you,
We never know how much time we have together, but that’s life.
Aww I forgot this gem of a lyric:
“Fate has entrusted the light to the last of us.”
Though I’ve no idea how that fits in with strobe lights, a lighter and a sauna
Fate is the name of the caretaker at the sauna, he let the boys stay late and asked them to turn the lights out when they’re leaving.
Perfect . Oui oui C’est la Vie!
La vie en rose
La vie en noir.