Mucha criticizes JJS controversial statement about Israel at ESC

Mucha criticizes JJS controversial statement about Israel at ESC

Basel, Schweiz - The Austrian musician JJ, with a full name Johannes Pietsch, ensures controversies after his victory at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest. The 24-year-old countertenor, who achieved first place on May 18, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, with his emotional song "Wasted Love", was negative about the participation of Israel in the competition during a press conference. These statements, which met with massive criticism in public, not only initiated political discussions, but also mobilized celebrities.

publisher Christian Mucha reacted to JJ's criticism and warned of the possible negative effects on Austria's international reputation. He emphasized the connecting power of music and referred to John Lennon's famous song "Imagine" as an example of peace -stifted art. Mucha criticized JJ's statements as a basic falsch and made it clear that Austria's history regarding the Holocaust had to be seriously examined. "JJ could have sent a positive message instead of gambling," said Mucha.

opponents and supporters during the competition

The Eurovision Song Contest, which was followed by around 160 million viewers, showed 26 countries that were selected in two semi -finals from 37 participants. Despite the exciting musical performances, there were protests by Pro-Palestinian demonstrators against Israel during the competition. In his explanations, however, JJ emphasized that the message of his song was the strength of love and spoke out for acceptance and equality.

The results of the competition illustrate the variety of music styles and the tensions within European societies. Israel's singer Yuval Raphael took second place with her song "New Day Will Rise", while Estonia's Tommy Cash achieved third place with "Espresso Macchiato". Over the years, the ESC has developed from an apolitical music competition to a platform for social and political statements, as well as the recent years.

a stage for political messages

according to Tagesschau The Eurovision Song Contest has now become a reflection of the socio-political atmospheres in Europe. The victory of the Swiss Act Nemo 2024, who won the first non-binary person, is another example of how the ESC is discussing identity policy and social issues. The competition reflects social debates, such as the reactions to Brexit or the war in Ukraine.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has tightened the contested code of conduct in order to demand respect for the values of universe, diversity, equality and inclusivity. Eurovision director Martin Green said that the goal of these changes was to restore a feeling of unity and cohesion in a difficult world. This shows how the ESC goes far beyond the framework of a pure music event today.