First ESC semi -finals: scandal rapper, favorite band and King singer -Who will make it to the final?

For 15 countries, everything revolves around the sausage in the first ESC semi-final. Those who want to make it to the final have to fight hard. The Swedish sauna band Kaj is a difficult favorite. Here you will find all information for your ESC party.

Popcorn, potato chips and salted sticks ready? Drinks already chilled? Go, go – because the first semi -finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 begins in Basel today.

15 countries compete for a place in the Grand Final, including the favorite band Kaj from Sweden with her lively sauna song “Bara Bada Bastu”, the scandalous rapper Tommy Cash from Estonia with “Espresso Macchiato” and singer Claude, who have already inspired the Dutch Royals.

Swiss hopeful Zoë Më from Friborg also takes part in the first semi -finals. Because Switzerland has won the competition last year with NEMO, it is automatically sown as a host country for the final where it will start with number 19.

The Big 5 countries of the ESC are also in the final: Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.

Ten of the acts will make it to the final.

Mamma Mia, rapper Tommy Cash's “Espresso Macchiato”, caused angered comments in the run -up to the show, especially in Kafiland Italy.

In any case, the funny Kafi song polarizes. Fans either hate or love it, cash does not leave anyone with his funny ESC song in Esperanto (?) And his curious dance movements!

Kaj are Kevin Holmström, Axel Åman and Jakob Norrgård, the band name simply consists of the first letters of their first names.

The sauna gang are school friends who have met in their hometown Vörå. This is a small town in the Westfinnish region of Austria. The capital of the region is Vaasa, a center of Finnish-Swedish culture: around 80 percent of people along this coastal strip speak Swedish as a mother tongue.

Since its foundation in 2009, Kaj has built a loyal fan base among Swedish -speaking Finns with humorous songs in the local dialect. In 2012 they published their debut album “Professella Pjasalappar”. You now have seven albums and two musicals in your name. They are among the favorites.

Do you want to sing along? No problem, here is an important part: Bara Bada Bastu, Bara Bada Bastu Bara Bada, Bara Bada, Bara Bada Bastu, Bara Bada Bastu, Bara Bada Bastu, Bara Bada, Bara Bada, Bara Bada Bastu. sauna… here you will find the complete texts.

Nomene omen – at least for Red Sebastian. The Belgian appears with a tomato -red short hairstyle and his show is an ode on Strobe Disco Lights, which is why his video is equipped with a warning. A strong performance for a strong song.

Red Sebastian, aka Seppe Herreman, fulfills the ESC cliché perfectly: Sing lessons at the age of twelve and reached the final of “Belgien's Got Talent” at 14. He then studied singing in the Royal Conservatory in Ghent

Herreman has been called Red Sebastian for six years. The reason? His role model is the red crab “Ariel the Mermaid”: Like the Disney character, the Dutch blooms in the music world.

“C'est La Vie” is the name of the ESC song of Claude from the Netherlands. After Holland's ESC candidate was disqualified by Holland, Joost Klein, the Tulip land now sends Claude into the starting line with a ballad.

Claude Kiambe fled with his family from the Congo to the Netherlands when he was nine years old. He discovered his passion for music in Enkhuizen at a young age.

Claude became known through Casting shows and his debut single Ladada (Mon Dernier Mot) became a hit in several languages. In 2023 he appeared in the Johan Cruyff Arena and in front of the Dutch royal couple.

Sandra Studer and Hazel Brugger organize the two semi -finals in the St. Jakobshalle.

Mélanie Freymond and Sven Epiney organize the pre-show and the public tour in the “Arena Plus”, the converted St. Jakob Park soccer stadium.

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