SCHWECHAT, Austria — Something amazing happened in Austria! A young singer named JJ, who is half-Filipino and half-Austrian, came home to Vienna on Sunday—and hundreds of people were there waiting to cheer for him. Why? Because he won the Eurovision Song Contest!
JJ is 24 years old, and his real name is Johannes Pietsch. But on stage, he uses the name “JJ.” He sang a very emotional and powerful song called “Wasted Love” in the big Eurovision music contest, which was held in Basel, Switzerland. And guess what? He won! 🎤🏆
When JJ got off the plane, he was holding a trophy and a bouquet of red roses, smiling at everyone. Fans were screaming with excitement, trying to get a closer look at him behind the security barriers.
Inside the airport, it was like a big party! People were waving heart-shaped balloons and rainbow flags, and JJ’s winning song was playing loudly through the speakers. When JJ held up his trophy, everyone clapped and cheered loudly.
JJ was very happy and thankful. He told the crowd, “Thank you all for coming. Thank you for believing in me and for being so kind,” and his voice sounded emotional, like he might cry happy tears.
Many fans said his voice was so unique and special. One fan, Samira Kalmar, said people all around the world—from America to Australia—were amazed by JJ’s voice. She always believed he would win.
Another fan, Barbara Mayer, came with her two daughters. She said JJ’s singing felt like a mix of old and new. It reminded people of Vienna’s famous opera music, but it also had a cool modern beat. His performance even ended with a techno-style surprise!
JJ’s win was such a big deal that the Austrian government will honor him at the chancellery (a very important place in Austria) on Monday morning. The country’s leader, Chancellor Christian Stocker, already said JJ’s win was a “magnificent achievement.”
Now that JJ has won, Austria gets to host Eurovision next year! The mayor of Vienna said the city is ready to do it, but other cities like Innsbruck also want the chance to host.
But there’s one big problem: hosting Eurovision costs a lot of money. In Switzerland, it cost tens of millions of euros, and the money came from public TV, the city, and other groups.
Austria’s national TV station, ORF, is a bit worried because they are facing budget cuts (which means they have less money to spend). But don’t worry — the Culture and Media Minister, Andreas Babler, said he’s sure they’ll find a way to make it work.
For now, everyone in Austria—and around the world—is just super proud of JJ, who showed that dreams really can come true when you share your voice with the world. 🎶💖