Whether you’re a music lover, a fan of quirky entertainment, or just someone who loves international events, the Eurovision Song Contest is something you won’t want to miss. If you’ve never heard of Eurovision (or only know it vaguely through memes or snippets on social media), don’t worry — this guide will walk you through everything you need to know before the 2025 contest kicks off.
What Is Eurovision and Why Are People Obsessed With It?
Imagine a music competition where glitter, drama, fireworks, and wildly diverse performances all crash together in one glorious, live international event. Welcome to the Eurovision Song Contest, one of the wackiest and most beloved shows on Earth.
If you’ve never watched Eurovision before, don’t worry—you’re not alone. But once you experience it, there’s a good chance you’ll be hooked. It’s part music, part madness, and all magic.
So... What Exactly Is Eurovision?
The Eurovision Song Contest started way back in 1956, and the idea was simple: get a bunch of European countries together after World War II to compete—not on the battlefield, but on the stage. Each country submits one original song, and it’s performed live in front of a massive audience across Europe (and now, the world).
What began as a small television event has grown into an international spectacle that draws hundreds of millions of viewers every year. Over 40 countries are taking part now, including a few surprise guests like Australia (yes, really) and Israel.
The competition is famous for its over-the-top performances, outrageous costumes, power ballads, techno bangers, and the occasional deeply confusing staging choices (man in a hamster wheel? Sure. Viking techno opera? Why not?). And yes, you absolutely can’t vote for your own country, so things get interesting fast.
Where and When Is Eurovision 2025 Happening?
This year’s contest will be hosted in Switzerland, thanks to their win in 2024 with Nemo’s genre-bending track “The Code.” The city of Geneva will take the spotlight, with the Grand Final going down on May 10, 2025.
Before that, there are two semi-finals—on May 6 and May 8—where most of the countries will battle it out for a spot in the final. It’s basically like musical Hunger Games, but with more sequins and key changes.
How Does the Competition Work?
Each country sends a song and a performer (or sometimes a group) to represent them. The song has to be under three minutes, performed live, and entirely original—no covers or remixes allowed.
The two semi-finals whittle down the field, with only the top 10 songs from each night moving on to the Grand Final. Some countries, known as the “Big Five” (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK), automatically qualify every year because they fund the contest the most. The host country—in this case, Switzerland—also gets a guaranteed spot in the final.
The winner is chosen through a combo of jury votes (from music industry experts) and public votes (from people like you). It’s a weird, tense, thrilling rollercoaster of points flying in from across the globe. And yes, the points reveal is the most dramatic part—like the Oscars, but with more accents and sparkles.
Why Should You Watch?
Because where else can you see a Norwegian goth metal band, a Ukrainian folk-techno fusion, a Spanish flamenco-pop singer, and an Icelandic indie group perform back-to-back on the same stage—and somehow it all works?
Eurovision is one of the most joyful, inclusive, and absurdly entertaining things you can put on your screen. It’s famous for its unpredictability, and you never know what’s going to steal the show. Sometimes it’s a soaring vocal performance. Sometimes it’s someone yodeling in a spacesuit.
Even better? It brings people together across borders, languages, and styles. It’s camp, it’s kitsch, it’s culture—and it’s proud of it.
How Do You Watch It?
Eurovision will be streamed live from Geneva and broadcast on TV in nearly every participating country. If you’re outside of Europe, you can still catch all the action on the official Eurovision YouTube channel, which streams the semi-finals and the grand final live, or on Peacock in the United States.
Just check the time zone—it usually starts around 9 PM Central European Time (CET). So grab your snacks, your friends, and maybe a flag or two, and settle in for a truly unique night of entertainment.
And Yes, You Can Vote!
If your country is part of the contest, you’ll be able to vote using the Eurovision app or by texting in during the live show. And if you’re not in a participating country? Don’t worry—rest-of-world voting is now a thing! You’ll still get to send some love (or shade) to your favorite acts.
Eurovision is more than just a singing competition. It’s a celebration of creativity, chaos, unity, and unapologetic weirdness. Whether you’re into big ballads, catchy pop, or just want to watch a man in a glitter cape rise from a trapdoor while belting in five octaves—this is the show for you.
So tune in, cheer loud, and don’t forget to say the magic words with the rest of Europe:
“Good evening, Europe!”
