{"id":50111,"date":"2025-06-24T07:29:36","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T06:29:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ket.brussels\/?p=50111"},"modified":"2025-06-24T07:35:19","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T06:35:19","slug":"interview-with-jj-eurovision-2025-winner-live-each-day-with-pride-because-we-are-unstoppable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ket.brussels\/en\/2025\/06\/24\/interview-with-jj-eurovision-2025-winner-live-each-day-with-pride-because-we-are-unstoppable\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with JJ, Eurovision 2025 Winner: \u201cLive Each Day with Pride, Because We Are Unstoppable\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With his \u201cpop opera\u201d\u2014as he defines his music\u2014JJ brought victory to Austria at the recent and controversial Eurovision Song Contest, held in Basel, Switzerland, with the song \u201cWasted Love.\u201d Inspired by heartbreak, the song has put him on the global map.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SHANGAY: Has winning Eurovision changed you in any way?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

JJ:<\/strong> No, it hasn\u2019t changed me, but I haven\u2019t fully processed it yet. I wake up in the morning, see the trophy, and think, \u201cOh, right, something happened\u201d [laughs]. It takes time to realize you\u2019re the Eurovision winner. I\u2019m proud that my art was accepted as it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SHANGAY: For the second year in a row, the winning song doesn\u2019t fit the typical Eurovision mold. Were you ever afraid people wouldn\u2019t understand it?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

JJ:<\/strong> This is the music I\u2019ve always wanted to make; I was sure this was the path to follow. I\u2019m happy my mix of pop and opera worked so well and was received so positively across Europe and the world. I\u2019ll continue down this path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SHANGAY: Do you think Eurovision tastes are evolving?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

JJ:<\/strong> Yes, things have changed a lot. Many factors come into play: staging, the artist\u2019s charisma\u2026 I\u2019m glad people have broadened their musical tastes; that\u2019s important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Picture : <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"JJ\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pictures : Pavla Hartmanova<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SHANGAY: How do you remember the experience, now that you have some perspective?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

JJ:<\/strong> It was incredible, I had so much fun. I never stopped, but I had a great team by my side. I made wonderful friends I still talk to all the time: Sissal from Denmark, Kyle from Norway, Miriana from Malta\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SHANGAY: You and Kyle were part of the so-called \u201ctwink club\u201d\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

JJ:<\/strong> [Laughs] That\u2019s what they called us skinny gays, and we embraced it. Then Miriana renamed us, including herself, the \u201cbeauty blenders,\u201d and we adopted it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SHANGAY: There are now three consecutive Eurovision winners from the LGTBIQ+ community: Loreen, Nemo, and you. What does that mean to you?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

JJ:<\/strong> It\u2019s very important for visibility. It shows Europe is open, though we must keep fighting for our rights and greater acceptance. In the end, we\u2019re all human beings and should love and respect each other as equals. Eurovision is open to everyone, and everyone finds their community there. It\u2019s wonderful that such a broad and diverse audience comes together for the festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SHANGAY: You\u2019ve never had a problem talking about your homosexuality\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

JJ:<\/strong> Being gay is part of my identity, and I\u2019ve always chosen authenticity. I presented myself proudly as I am, which is how we should all be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pictures : Pavla Hartmanova<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SHANGAY: After winning, you said you didn\u2019t think Israel should participate. Did that cause any problems?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

JJ:<\/strong> The reactions were huge because there was more focus on me after winning. I wanted to use that moment. Now I just want to focus on my career and music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SHANGAY: You grew up in Dubai, not exactly a paradise for the community. Did you feel afraid being gay there?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

JJ:<\/strong> I had a very happy childhood and loved Dubai. My mother is Filipino, my father Austrian, so I grew up in a multicultural home and went to an international school. I never felt I had to hide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SHANGAY: When did you come out?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

JJ:<\/strong> I never officially did. My family always accepted me as I am, so it was never something that needed to be discussed. I feel very lucky to have such an understanding family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n