
Meet Austria's artist for Basel - JJ
30 January 2025 at 07:00 CET
At just 23 years of age, Austrian-Filipino countertenor JJ is already making big waves in the world of classical music. Now, in May of this year, JJ will be singing for Austria at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel.
With what's been called a rare vocal talent, as well as a performance that he hints will combine timeless artistry with contemporary energy, JJ is aiming to create a show-stopping moment at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest.
Stefanie Groiss Horowitz, Programme Director at broadcaster ORF, is enthusiastic about the artist's selection for Austria:
"JJ is an exceptional talent! With him, we are sending a unique artist to Basel who brings his own magic to the Eurovision Song Contest stage, with captivating pop and classical singing."

JJ - an artist in which pop meets classical
What may initially seem like the fusion of two completely worlds, opera and pop, is actually a harmonious whole for the artist JJ. As a countertenor with a distinctive voice that reaches soprano heights, JJ has already made a name for himself with his exceptional range and heartfelt performances.
JJ, whose real name is Johannes Pietsch, was born in Vienna in 2001 and grew up in Dubai before returning to Vienna in 2016. Music fans may recognise JJ from the ORF show Starmania, where he showcased his extraordinary voice and made it to the finals of the show in 2021.
Currently, JJ performs at the Vienna State Opera and has participated in numerous productions, including Die Zauberflöte, Von der Liebe Tod, Tschick, and many other classical masterpieces. Offstage, he continues to refine his craft by studying classical music at the renowned Music and Art Private University of Vienna (MUK) under the guidance of Univ.-Prof. Kammersängerin Linda Watson, where he is recognised as an outstanding talent in his field.
In 2025, JJ will represent Austria at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, combining his classical roots with a modern artistic vision. Before then, Austrian audiences will be able to get a glimpse of JJ's talent on Friday 7 February at 21:00 CET on ORF 2, during the broadcast of the new production of Die Zauberflöte from the Vienna State Opera, where he will be the first boy on stage.
JJ's song for the Basel 2025 will be presented in early March.

Austria's search for JJ
The search for Austria's artist for the 69th Eurovision Song Contest began in the early summer of 2024. Eurovision-experienced talent scouts scoured the domestic scene, and for the first time, a songwriting camp was held with authors, composers and performers; with the goal of writing THE song for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025!
In the next step, the most promising songs were evaluated by a national and international jury of 30 experts, including music producers, performers, journalists, music professionals and music editors. Additionally, representatives from nearly 30 OGAEs - the official fan clubs of the Eurovision Song Contest - from 5 countries, as well as the ORF ESC editorial team, cast their votes.
Based on all the evaluations, JJ was selected as Austria's act for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.

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