Eurovision 2025 is behind us but we’re still talking about it. And probably will be for a while. This year’s contest gave us one of the most unpredictable finals we’ve seen in recent memory. From countries we never expected to see in the top 10 to some truly bizarre voting results, the surprises just kept coming.
In this blog, we’re looking back at the Eurovision 2025 biggest surprises. The moments that made us cheer, cringe, and yell “WHAT?!” at the TV. We reflected on this year’s contest, and here’s what came out of it.
The countries we were shocked (and delighted) to see do well
Let’s start on a positive note. Some of the best surprises of the night came from countries we didn’t expect to see on the left side of the scoreboard.
Latvia was the big one. Bur Man Laimi was bold, different, and not what most of us thought would be embraced by a wide audience. And yet? They nailed it. The staging worked, the vocals delivered, and the televote was kind. It’s the kind of Eurovision surprise we love to see.
Italy also did better than expected. Their entry felt subtle compared to some of the flashier acts, but the emotion came through live and clearly resonated with voters.
Then there’s Greece. A song that felt a bit middle-of-the-pack going into the contest. Klavdia sang beautifully, but the staging wasn’t especially memorable. Still, she made it work, and the result was better than most of us predicted.
The biggest robbery of the year
No Eurovision is complete without a few heartbreaks, and this year gave us plenty to be mad about. Let’s just say the televote was not kind to some very deserving acts.
Belgium was probably the biggest disappointment for many of us. After a strong national final performance, expectations were high. But the magic just didn’t translate to the Eurovision stage. The live vocals weren’t as sharp, and the new staging felt too chaotic compared to the original. It didn’t even qualify for the final, and that hurt.
Another major blow? Switzerland. A beautiful, well-crafted song with strong live vocals and emotional imppact. Completelly ignored by the public in the final. Zero points from the televote. Zero. We still don’t understand how that happened, and honestly, we probably never will.
Then there were two more semi-final casualties: Czechia and Australia. Both acts brought solid vocals, striking visuals, and performances that absolutely deserved to be in the final. Their early exits were a shock, and in our opinion, totally undeserved.
This year’s Eurovision 2025 biggest surprises weren’t just about unexpected succes, they were also about who got left behind. And some of those subs still sting.
Jury or public vote: what surprised us more?
No doubt about it. The televote left us the most confused this year.
The most talked-about shocker was Switzerland getting zero points from the public. It was a polished entry with great vocals, and while it leaned more jury-friendly, none of us expected it to be totally ignored by the viewers at home. It just didn’t make sense.
Israel‘s televote win also raised eyebrows. Yes, the vocals were strong and the staging was slick, but most of us thought it would appeal more to juries than the public. The televote clearly saw something we didn’t.
While the jury vote had its moments, it was really the televote that gave us the biggest head-scratchers this year.
Studio vs. stage: who changed our minds?
One of the best parts of Eurovision is seeing how a song transforms (or flops) in a live setting. This year delivered a few standout surprises on that front too.
France was a performance that totally elevated the song. What felt like a mid-tier ballad in studio suddenly became one of the most moving performances of the night. It just worked live.
Albania also blew us away. The song didn’t feel like a guaranteed success on paper, but they brought it to life with stunning staging and powerful vocals. It was one of the best “glow-ups” of the year.
Then there was Estonia. This one left us torn. The studio version was likeable, but the live vocals were rough. Frankly, it sounded pretty bad. That said, the staging was fun, colourful, and full of quirky charm. It was visually engaging and didn’t take itself too seriously, which clearly worked for a lot of viewers. Despite the shaky vocals, Estonia still pulled off a surprisingly good result. It wasn’t perfect, but it had personality. And sometimes, that’s enough.
Wrapping it up: the chaos we didn’t see coming
Between surprising successes, painful snubs, and baffling voting results, this year delivered some of the Eurovision 2025 biggest surprises we’ve seen in a long time.
Latvia charmed us. Belgium broke our hearts. Switzerland left us confused. Israel sparked endless debate. And somehow, the final scoreboard still feels like a plot twist.
But that’s Eurovision, isn’t it? Just when you think you’ve figured it out, it flips the script. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
What were your Eurovision 2025 biggest surprises? Did your favourite flop or fly? Let us know in the comments or come yell about it with us on Instagram!
Want more reactions? Check out our latest Eurovision from A-Z podcast episode where we spill even more thoughts, theories, and Eurovision chaos.
