Eurovision 2025 is officially underway — and honey, the semi-finals are already proving to be a queer fever dream of high notes, high fashion, and some low-key political vibes. The first semi-final, held in glitzy Basel, Switzerland (yes, we’re still recovering from Nemo’s era-defining win last year), delivered 10 Grand Final qualifiers, and, naturally, a dose of drama. With a handful of queer artists sashaying through to the finals and a few fan favorites booted, the gayest week of the year just served its first dish.
The “Big Five” countries — France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK — have already secured their spots in the Grand Final. Switzerland, as last year’s winner, joins them without breaking a sweat. But for the rest? They had to werk for it. And werk they did. Making the cut were Norway’s dreamy Kyle Alessandro, whose track “Lighter” had the girls gagging, and Estonia’s Tommy Cash, who delivered “Espresso Macchiato” — because what’s queerer than coffee and chaos?
San Marino’s Gabry Ponte charmed his way in with “Tutta L’Italia,” while Sweden gave us sauna realness with “Bara Bada Bastu” by KAJ. Ukraine’s Ziferblat soared with the poetic “Bird of Pray,” and Portugal’s NAPA made it through with “Deslocado.” Other qualifiers included Albania’s Shkodra Elektronike, Iceland’s VAEB, Poland’s Justyna Steczkowska, and Claude from the Netherlands — whose “C’est La Vie” was anything but laissez-faire.
Not everyone made it to the queer promised land, though. Belgium’s Red Sebastian, a favorite among LGBTQ+ fans for his flamboyant, Disney-esque style, was cruelly snubbed. Croatia’s “Poison Cake” by Marko Bošnjak didn’t rise, while Azerbaijan, Slovenia, and Cyprus also failed to land a ticket to Saturday’s final stage. Somewhere, a drag queen is crying into her sequin pillow.
The next 10 countries that have qualified for Eurovision 2025 in order of announcement include:
Norway – “Lighter” by Kyle Alessandro
Albania – “Zjerm” by Shkodra Elektronike
Sweden – “Bara Bada Bastu” by KAJ
Iceland – “RÓA” by VAEB
Netherlands – “C’est La Vie” by Claude
Poland – “GAJA” by Justyna Steczkowska
San Marino – “Tutta L’Italia” by Gabry Ponte
Estonia – “Espresso Macchiato” by Tommy Cash
Portugal – “Deslocado” by NAPA
Ukraine – “Bird of Pray” by Ziferblat
The five countries missing out on a place in the Eurovision Grand Final include:
Slovenia – “How Much Time Do We Have Left” by Klemen
Belgium – “Strobe Lights” by Red Sebastian
Azerbaijan – “Run With U” by Mamagama
Croatia – “Poison Cake” by Marko Bošnjak
Cyprus – “Shh” by Theo Evan
The competition remains fierce. Betting odds, as of earlier this week, point to a fiery face-off between Austria and Sweden, with the latter holding a slight edge. Let’s be honest — Eurovision’s never been just about music. It’s camp politics, pop theater, and queer spectacle all wrapped into one dazzling rhinestoned package. And this year, queer visibility is front and center.
In a world still battling waves of conservatism and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, seeing openly queer artists not just participate but thrive on a global stage like Eurovision is no small feat. It matters — not just for visibility, but for celebration. Eurovision remains one of the last truly international, unapologetically queer institutions. It’s not just a music contest. It’s a mirror ball revolution.
And as we gear up for the second semi-final and the glitter-bombed Grand Final, one thing’s clear: the LGBTQ+ community isn’t just attending this party — we’re running the damn show.