Austria's JJ Wins Eurovision, Defeating Favorite KAJ

The last two months, the betting companies and fans seemed united: "Bara bada bastu" should win the European Championship. But it didn't turn out as everyone thought, JJ with "Wasted love" – a techno pop song with opera influences – takes home the competition.

In an interview with German program leader Hazel Brugger, the Austrian singer says the message in "Wasted love" is that love is never wasted.

Love is the strongest force that exists and hate is the most unnecessary force that exists.

The artist answers when asked what he's going to do now:

Sleep. I've had four sleepless nights before this. I'm completely exhausted.

Israel won the audience vote

The last point distribution of the audience's votes became a real nail-biter. Israel was long in the top with high points from both the viewers. Austria received fewer votes – but since they became the jury's favorite, JJ took home the competition anyway.

Behind the artist name hides the Austrian-Filipino singer Johannes Pietsch. 24 years old, he has previously competed in the British version of "The Voice". The voice also took a hit from performing "Wasted love" an extra time in the end, says JJ after the win.

I'm classically trained, but it was just screaming, he says.

KAJ finished fourth

Inside the arena in Basel, there was great jubilation and Swedish flags waving during KAJ's performance – but when it was time for jury votes, they were no favorite. Their only twelve points came from Iceland. However, the trio received more audience votes than Austria, which ended up fourth, while KAJ came third among the viewers.

Kristina "Keyyo" Petrushina delivered Sweden's votes. Sweden's twelve points went to Austria, ten points to Switzerland's "Voyage" and eight to France's "Maman".

Dress from -91

It was Switzerland that hosted since Nemo's win with "The code" last year. The winner also got the honor of opening this year's competition.

The program leaders were Michelle Hunziker, Hazel Brugger, and Sandra Studer, who herself competed for her home country in 1991. In one of the evening's interludes, she sang "Canzone per te" wearing her old dress. She came fifth back then – after Carola's "Fångad av en stormvind" which secured Sweden's third Eurovision win.

This is the 66th Eurovision final in order and the very first was held in Switzerland in 1956. Therefore, this year's competition had the theme "welcome home".

Finnish Käärijä and Croatian Baby Lasagna did an interlude together during the evening. A kind of battle of their respective Eurovision seconds "Cha cha cha" and "Rim tim tigi dim". Then they performed the joint single "Eurodab".

1. Austria: 436 points

2. Israel: 357 points

3. Estonia: 356 points

4. Sweden: 321 points

5. Italy: 256 points

6. Greece: 231 points

7. France: 230 points

8. Albania: 218 points

9. Ukraine: 218 points

10. Switzerland: 214 points

11. Finland: 196 points

12. Netherlands: 175 points