Nick “does” 2025 – Austria

AUSTRIA – Wasted Love – JJ

Dearest reader, it has been brought to my attention that my marks appear a little, shall we say, eccentric this year. I am no longer the mainstream, that would be you lot (actually I’m not sure about you lot, either). Anyway, this pattern is very much about to NOT change.

There’s a genre of Eurosong that’s probably always been there but seems to have gained more prominence in recent years, and it’s the composition designed to show off how very excellently the performer can sing notes and do stuff because juries absolutely LOVE that kind of thing. If it pays off, it pays off big time, and it’s why we’re all off to Basel in May.

It’s also why Austria are second-favourites in the betting at time of writing. There’s no doubt about it, by all academic and technical measures JJ sings very excellently indeed (assuming he can do it live on three particular nights – I’m looking at YOU here, Amaury), but… that’s about all there is? A guy who can sing in the upper registers saying “Look, I can sing in the upper registers!”. The song hasn’t connected with me at all, and while I’m reasonably admiring of it, I can’t find anything to actually like.

Indeed, in the weeks since I wrote the bulk of this review, it’s become the song that comes on, gets a resounding “OH SHUT UP WITH YOUR WHINING” after approximately two seconds, and gets insta-skipped unless the concept of a Countdown actually obliges me to listen to it in full – dammit, concept!

Now, I’m forced to accept that this will get far enough in the competition to be showered with jury love and end up on the top left of the board, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see him wearing a glum face in the final split screen if he only scores about 40 points from the televote.

It gets some highly grudging admiration points here, but no enjoyment ones whatsoever. If it were down to me, he’d be sitting on the first bus home on Friday morning.

Nick’s score: 3