Eurovision 2025 winner JJ on new single ‘Back to Forgetting’, Pride and WhatsApp group with rival contestants (EXCLUSIVE)
After taking home the Eurovision 2025 crown with his song ‘Wasted Love’, JJ shows no signs of slowing down as he prepares to release a brand-new single, ‘Back to Forgetting'
By Aaron Sugg & Martijn Tulp
Eurovision winner JJ, who brought the crown back to Austria in January this year, is set to release his second single ‘Back to Forgetting’ this Friday (5 September).
He impressed us with his powerhouse vocals on his winning song ‘Wasted Love’ and stole our hearts with close bonds with fellow contestants Kyle Alessandro, Miriana Conte and Remember Monday, leaving a lasting impression.
Speaking to Attitude ahead of his new single release, JJ reflects on life since taking the Eurovision stage and connecting with fans around the world.
So, you weren’t there last year, but there were reports about the backstage area being kind of intimidating for artists at Eurovision. What was your experience like?
Yeah, this year it was very well organized. I must say, Switzerland did an amazing job. We had two areas – one disconnected area and one connected area. All of our wardrobes were in the disconnected area, so no phones, no cameras. It was a safe space where we could just kick our legs up and relax for a few minutes, even with a very tight and hectic schedule. It was also really nice to hang out with the other contestants. It was very sweet.
I saw a picture of you hugging the Norwegian contestant. Did you make any friends?
Yes, I made a lot of friends! Especially Kyle from Norway, Cicel from Denmark, Mirjana from Malta, and Claude from the Netherlands.
Is there a WhatsApp group?
Yes, we do have a group. It’s called the Beauty Blenders. The name came up during our livestreams, and we just kept it.
You only have three minutes on stage, but you’re giving a lot emotionally. What’s it like immediately after you come off stage?
I felt really euphoric and happy that I got through the three minutes, and that I could finally relax after such a stressful time. But I still felt all the emotion. Walking off stage, I got very emotional and started crying. It was a big relief — all the hard work we put into this week was finally done.
You’re the third queer Eurovision winner in a row. What do you think that means for representation?
I think it shows there’s more acceptance. Eurovision is a place for everybody – everyone has their place there. I’m very happy that I’m the third queer person in a row to win.
This year, artists weren’t allowed to bring non-participating countries’ flags, including Pride flags. How did that feel for you?
The rules from the EBU were clearly communicated and respected. The audience did the job for us: they brought all their flags and waved them proudly. It was nice to see that.
But if it had been allowed, would you have wanted to show a Pride flag on stage?
From the beginning I’ve been representing the queer community. People already knew about my queerness, so I felt that was enough representation. We were all following the rules, and I appreciated that they were clearly communicated beforehand. That way there weren’t any issues behind the scenes.
Some Eurovision winners wait quite a while before releasing new music. Do you have something ready?
Yes! We already have a song prepared. After the promo tour we’ll have songwriting sessions and experiment more. We’ll definitely keep the operatic sound – that’s what people know me for, and I don’t want to forget my musical beginnings. We’ll see what works well with classical music, but we have a great team, and I’m very happy to be working with them again.
So you’re planning to release something soon?
Yes, definitely.
What does Pride mean to you personally?
To live freely, be happy and proud of who you are, and shine through whatever situation you’re going through. Pride is about being proud of yourself and what you represent. I’m happy about that.
I read that ‘Wasted Love’ is based on a relationship. To perform it, do you disconnect from the memory or use it to evoke emotion?
I relive the moment in my head before performing, so I can really feel the full emotion again. It’s hard, but it’s part of my story, and it always will be. That helps me bring out the emotion during the performance.
Your voice is very demanding technically. Do you ever wake up and wonder if it’s even there that day?
Yeah, every morning I do lip trills to see if my voice is awake. If the notes come out, I let it rest a bit, have breakfast, coffee or tea, and then warm up again. I usually warm up in the shower for about half an hour, and throughout the day I keep doing little warm-ups.
Are there days where it’s just not working?
Sometimes, yeah. Then it just takes longer to warm up. Sometimes I do vocal warm-ups for two hours instead of one. But my voice always comes back.
How do you deal with the response you get from the audience? That must be intense – both the love and maybe the criticism.
I try to go through my DMs and reply, but there are so many. I could feel so much love in the arena – it was so loud and full of energy, like a force hitting you. Everyone was so accepting, both in the arena and on social media. I’m really happy about that.
How do you deal with negative comments?
I don’t let them get to me. Everyone has their opinion, and that’s okay. Honestly, it’s sometimes hilarious how much energy people put into spreading negativity. But it doesn’t affect me. There’s so much more love than hate – people often forget that. If there’s one bad comment, just scroll past. There’s always another good one coming.
Let’s talk odds. You were second place in the bookmakers, and things were shifting all the time. Did that add pressure?
I didn’t look at the odds myself, but my family kept updating me. “You went up by 1%!” they’d say. So I didn’t need to check. Of course it added a bit of pressure – especially since I didn’t go through a national selection. People had no idea what to expect. But doing the pre-parties helped relieve that stress. I saw people reacting well to my performance, and that helped me stay calm.
What was your relationship with Eurovision before you joined? Do you have a favourite memory?
The first time I watched was in 2014, when Conchita Wurst won. Austria hadn’t won in 47 years. Everyone was so proud and accepting – that made me think: I want to do this too. I want to make my country proud. Austria has so much to offer. And now we’re hosting the 70th Eurovision. I’m so happy.
Whose rehearsals did you always watch this year?
There was a big screen backstage showing the live feed, so we got to see other acts. My favourite was Cicel from Denmark. It was such a Europop song, she topped everyone for me. We talk every day. I really love her.
She had vocal issues, right?
Yeah, she was sick. But I told her, “Girl, I couldn’t even tell!” She said her voice was terrible, but I really didn’t hear it. Poor thing, but she got through it.
What can we expect from you in the coming months?
New music is coming soon. I’ve already performed at Vienna Pride and London Pride. I’ll also be at the Winq Awards in Amsterdam on September 26. This summer we’ll be in the studio writing and recording.
Maybe a collab with Cicel?
I would love that! Performing live with her again, reconnecting the Beauty Blender gang – that would be amazing.
A Eurovision supergroup?
Yes! We’ll be the next Spice Girls.
‘Back to Forgetting’ is available to pre-save across streaming services now, prior to the official release tomorrow.