Eurovision Song Contest 2025 Basel: United By Music

The 69th Eurovision Song Contest will be held this year on May 13, 15, and 17, 2025, in Basel, Switzerland. Claude will perform as the 13th act in the first semi-final with the now-famous 'C'est la vie'. Are you familiar with touristy Basel? Did you know that Switzerland has issued a special stamp? What do you know about Claude? Is Eurovision fever already rising to great heights? Or are you quickly booking a return flight to Basel?

Basel (Switzerland): Eurovision Song Contest 2025

The very first Eurovision Song Contest took place on May 24, 1956, in Lugano. This makes Switzerland the birthplace of the European singing competition. At the time, it was still called the 'Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson Européenne'. The first winner was the singer and actress from the Aargau canton Lys Assia. With the song “Refrain”, she brought Switzerland to number 1. In 1988, another global star triumphed for Switzerland in Dublin: Céline Dion brought the event back with the song “Ne partez pas sans moi” – a year later, they welcomed Lausanne participants from 22 countries. Nemo made the comeback with the victory at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö. This means that one of the world's biggest music competitions, which attracts around 200 million visitors annually, will be held in Switzerland for the third time in 2025. Unfortunately, all tickets for the song contest are sold out. So, you'll have to search the black market. The Swiss Post has issued a special commemorative stamp featuring the trophy that the winning artist(s) receive. Normally, the winning country chooses last year's winner or the EBU logo (now tainted by the Malmö edition). So Switzerland chose another icon of the Eurovision Song Contest: the glass microphone the grand prize of the festival. Since 2008, the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest has taken home the iconic glass microphone. This trophy was designed especially for the Eurovision Song Contest. This unique handmade work of art in the shape of a classic microphone is made of solid transparent glass with sandblasted and painted details.

Of the 37 songs, 19 are sung in English or a combination of English and another language. That means that 18 songs are not sung in English. Conclusion: back to your mother tongue. Claude sings 'C'est la vie' in a combination of French and English.  

Claude – That's Life (2025)

The charismatic singer-songwriter Claude (2003), originally from Congo, moved to the Netherlands at the age of nine. Here he was first introduced to the Eurovision Song Contest on television and together with his family he saw Conchita Wurst walk away with the win that year. A tradition was born, and since then Claude has continued to follow the Eurovision Song Contest. His love for music developed further, and with his unique voice and talent, Claude managed to conquer the music landscape. His breakthrough came in 2022 with the debut single 'Ladada (Mon Dernier Mot)', which achieved 57 million streams. Highlights of Claude's career:

• Winner of 3FM Talent and Best Artist of the Year (Qmusic).
• Participation in the TV program Beste Zangers, where he stole the hearts of the audience.
• Ambassador of Freedom in 2024.
• International success with songs like “Layla” and an English-French version of “Ladada”, which reached the charts in 15 countries.

Claude is eagerly looking forward to 2025, in which, alongside the Eurovision Song Contest, he will shine at the legendary Pinkpop Festival, among others. Although his journey has only just begun, Claude proves with his boundless energy, sold-out shows, and millions of streams that he is a lasting force in the music world.

Claude was chosen after a careful and phased process from the 331 entries received by AVROTROS. “As the selection committee, we have chosen a meaningful, unifying, and catchy song with international appeal this year that can effortlessly win the hearts of both young and old Eurovision viewers,” stated the selection committee, consisting of Cornald Maas, Jacqueline Govaert, Sander Lantinga, Hila Noorzai, Carolien Borgers, and Jaap Reesema. Video Claude – That's Life (2025): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEHwr5k9pd0 It is official! The Netherlands has announced its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. None other than the talented Claude will represent our country with the catchy song 'C'est La Vie'. Expectations are high, and the release of the 7″ single on yellow vinyl completes the excitement. 'C'est La Vie' is a song that jumps right out of your head. With its catchy melody and positive message, it will undoubtedly become a hit among Eurovision fans all over the world. Claude is known for his unique vocal sound and charismatic performance, and we are convinced that he will light up the stage in 2025.

The participants in the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel are only allowed to display their national flag on stage and in the Green Room. Other flags, such as the rainbow or pride flagare prohibited, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirms following reports by the Danish broadcaster DR. Violations could result in sanctions, although it is not yet clear which ones. Offstage, a more lenient policy applies: the audience is allowed to bring a Pride, European, or Palestinian flag, for example, as long as these are permitted under Swiss law. LGBT interest group COC calls the ban “utterly ridiculous.” A spokesperson states: “A rainbow flag is not a political statement, but an expression of who you are.” Broadcaster AVROTROS, responsible for the Dutch entry, also acknowledges that the rainbow flag is not a political symbol, but points out that the EBU wants to adopt a uniform policy. The flag policy is particularly sensitive following previous incidents. During Eurovision 2024 in Malmö, an uproar arose when fans were required to hand in non-standard flags at the entrance. Winner Nemo revealed that they had to smuggle in the non-binary flag.  

Tourist Basel: twelve points

There are many beautiful things to see in Basel and the surrounding area. Spoiler: Switzerland is an expensive country due to the high standard of living and salaries. The country is more expensive than the Scandinavian countries, and hotel prices are currently very high due to scarcity. 37 countries with artists, including their entourages, and all journalists worldwide. This leads to a shortage of hotel rooms. If possible, choose to stay in cities in Germany and France, or opt for camping. Basel is comparable to our tri-border point Vaals. Basel borders France and Germany. Basel has over 176.000 inhabitants (2023), making it the third largest city in Switzerland by population. The entire agglomeration has approximately 830.000 inhabitants (2004). The city of Basel covers almost the entire canton. Basel-StadtIn the east of the city canton, at an altitude of approximately 450 meters, lie the more rural municipalities of Riehen and Bettingen. The officially spoken language is German. Basel is widely known as the cultural capital of Switzerland. The city is known for many museums (#40), ranging from the Kunstmuseum Basel, the world's first art collection accessible to the public (1661) and the largest art museum in Switzerland, to the Fondation Beyeler (located in Riehen) and the Museum für Gegenwartskunst Basel, the first public museum for contemporary art in Europe. Due to its strategic location, Basel is home to many international stamp exhibitions organized. In 1460, the first Swiss university founded. Due to the intellectual legacy of Erasmus of Rotterdam in the 16th century, the university is generally regarded as one of the birthplaces of Renaissance humanism. Erasmus is buried in the cathedral, the Minster of Basel. If you travel by train, for example with the German EuroCitys, you arrive at the final station. Basel SBBIt is also one of the most important border stations in Switzerland/Europe. Platforms 30-35 are used by the SNCF and are known as Basel SNCF station. This section is separated from the rest of the station by a customs post. The current station building dates from 1907. Basel has two major train stations: Basel SBB/SNCF, from where trains depart for Switzerland and France, and the German Basel Bad Bf, which is operated by Deutsche Bahn. Basel SBB(/SNCF) and Basel Bad Bf are connected by regular train services, and many long-distance trains from Germany also continue on to Basel SBB. Basel SBB is the official Swiss main station of Basel; in addition, there are the suburban stations Basel St. Johann, Basel Dreispitz, and, during sporting events, Basel St. Jakob. From October 2021, a tram named after the Swiss top tennis player runs through the streets of Basel. Roger FedererThis tram is called the 'Federer-Express'. Roger Federer is the best ambassador for Basel, because he was born in Basel. The tram, a Flexity type, is painted blue and bears the number 5040. Inside, passengers can read various facts about Federer and his sporting exploits. On the outside, images of the Swiss player's Grand Slam victories can be seen.  

<strong> More info: </strong>

The Trouw supplement *Tijdgeest* of May 3, 2025, contains an extensive article (5 pages) about Basel. You may have this supplement yourself. Otherwise, a copy is available in the library. This is Basel (tourism and ESC): https://www.basel.com/de https://www.basel.com/de/esc/esc-2025 Live Eurovision: https://www.songfestival.live/ Official site Basel: https://eurovision.tv/ NU.nl Eurovision Song Contest: https://www.nu.nl/songfestival AVROTROS site: https://www.avrotros.nl/program/eurovisie-songfestival~14/ The best stories from all participants 2025, but not this year: https://eurostory.nl/ https://eurostory.nl/eurovisie-songfestival-2025/ All the ins and outs of the 2025 edition: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovisiesongfestival_2025 Analysis: That's life. https://eurostory.nl/nederland-eurovisie-songfestival-2025-claude/ Previous Eurovision Song Festival blogs (2019 t/m 2025): https://www.postzegelblog.nl/tag/eurovisiesongfestival/