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JJ (singer)
Austrian singer (born 2001)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Johannes Pietsch (German pronunciation: [joˈhanəs ˈpiːtʃ]; born 29 April 2001[1]), also known by his stage name JJ, is an Austrian singer. He won the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 for Austria with the song "Wasted Love".
Early life
Pietsch was born on 29 April 2001 in Vienna to an Austrian father and a Filipino mother. He spent the majority of his childhood in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he was introduced to both pop through karaoke parties with his family and opera through his father. Both have influenced his current pop-opera style.[1] In 2016, the family moved back to Vienna.[2]
Musical career
In 2020, Pietsch took part in the ninth series of The Voice UK after missing the deadline for The Voice of Germany.[1][3] He advanced to the Knockouts with the help of his coach will.i.am.[3] The following year, he took part in the fifth season of Starmania, where he made it to the first final show.[4] He attends the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna after having attended the opera school of the Vienna State Opera.[5]
On 30 January 2025, "Wasted Love" performed by Pietsch, under the stage name JJ, was announced by ORF as the Austrian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 during the radio show Ö3-Wecker, aired on Ö3. "Wasted Love" was co-written by JJ, Austrian 2023 representative Teodora Špirić and music producer Thomas Thurner, and was released on 6 March 2025.[6] He won in the grand final on 17 May, after receiving a total of 436 points.[7] He won the jury vote with 258 points and received 178 points in the televote.[8] He became the first Eurovision winner of Southeast Asian descent as well as the first solo Eurovision winner born in the 2000s and the 21st century.[9]
In December 2025, JJ won two fan-voted Eurovision Awards in the categories Outstanding Vocals and #ALBM Cover of the Year for his and Conchita Wurst's mashup of their Eurovision entries, "Rise Like a Phoenix" and "Wasted Love."[10][11]
Musical style
Pietsch's musical style combines elements of opera and pop. As a sopranist ("soprano" type of countertenor) with a range reaching into high soprano heights, he explores both genres through an intense and expressive vocal and interpretative approach.[12][13]
Personal life
Pietsch speaks German, English and Tagalog.[5] Pietsch has stated that he is queer[14] and wants to be a voice for the queer community in Austria. At a press conference following his Eurovision victory, he stated that he has a boyfriend.[15]
After the competition, Pietsch expressed "disappointment" over Israel's participation in the event and stated in an interview with El País, "I would like Eurovision to be held in Vienna next year but without Israel. But the ball is in the EBU's court. We, the artists, can only raise our voices on the matter."[16][17][18]
Discography
EPs
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Into the Unknown |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUT [19] |
FIN [20] |
GER [21] |
IRE [22] |
LTU [23] |
NLD [24] |
NOR [25] |
SWE [26] |
UK [27] |
WW [28] | ||||
| "Wasted Love" | 2025 | 1 | 10 | 13 | 53 | 5 | 36 | 27 | 8 | 53 | 167 | Into the Unknown | |
| "Back to Forgetting" | 61 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Haunting Me" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Shapeshifter" | 2026 | —[A] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Ballerina" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Eurovision Awards | Outstanding Vocals | Himself | Won | [10][11] |
| #ALBM Cover of the Year | Himself and Conchita Wurst for "Rise Like a Phoenix x Wasted Love (Mashup)" | Won | |||
| 2026 | Amadeus Austrian Music Awards | Ö3 Song of the Year | "Wasted Love" | Nominated | [31][32] |
Tour
Promotional
- Act I: The Introduction (2026)
See also
Notes
- "Shapeshifter" did not reach the Ö3 Austria Top 40, but peaked at number 49 at the Austrian airplay chart.[30]
