Germany will be represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, which will be held in Basel, Switzerland. The German participating broadcaster on behalf of ARD, Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), is selecting its entry for the contest through the national final Chefsache ESC 2025 – Wer singt für Deutschland?, in collaboration with private broadcaster RTL.
| Eurovision Song Contest 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participating broadcaster | ARD – Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) | |||
| Country |  Germany | |||
| National selection | ||||
| Selection process | Chefsache ESC 2025 – Wer singt für Deutschland? | |||
| Selection date(s) | Heats: 14 February 2025 15 February 2025 Semi-final: 22 February 2025 Final: 1 March 2025 | |||
| Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest | ||||
| ||||
Background
editPrior to the 2025 contest, ARD has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Germany 67 times since its debut at the inaugural contest in 1956, making Germany, to this point, the country with the most entries in the contest: they have taken part in every edition except in 1996 when they were eliminated in a pre-qualification round.[1] They have won the contest on two occasions: in 1982 with the song "Ein bißchen Frieden" performed by Nicole, and in 2010 with the song "Satellite" performed by Lena. In 2024, "Always on the Run" performed by Isaak placed 12th out of 26 competing songs in the final with 117 points.[2]
As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, ARD organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. ARD confirmed its participation in the 2025 contest on 27 May 2024.[3] Since 1996, ARD has delegated the participation in the contest to its member Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR). Since 2022, NDR had set up national finals with several artists to choose both the song and performer to compete in the contest. On 29 October 2024, the broadcaster announced that it would organise a multi-artist national final in collaboration with private broadcaster RTL and Stefan Raab.[4] Raab, a three-time German Eurovision participant (as singer and/or songwriter) and co-presenter of the 2011 contest in Düsseldorf, had previously worked with NDR on its national finals between 2010 and 2012, which resulted in Lena's win and two further top ten results.[5][6]
Before Eurovision
editChefsache ESC 2025 – Wer singt für Deutschland?
editChefsache ESC 2025 – Wer singt für Deutschland? (English: Top priority ESC 2025 – Who sings for Germany?) is the competition that will select the German entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.[7] The competition consists of two heats, a semi-final and a final that is taking place between 14 February 2025 and 1 March 2025 at the EMG Studio 8 in Hürth, hosted by Barbara Schöneberger.[8] The heats and semi-final are broadcast on RTL and online via RTL+, while the final will be broadcast on Das Erste and One as well as online via the ARD Mediathek platform and ARD's Eurovision Song Contest website eurovision.de.[9][10]
Format
editThe competition consists of four shows: two heats on 14 February 2025 and 15 February 2025, a semi-final on 22 February 2025 and a final on 1 March 2025. In each of the two heats, 12 of the 24 competing acts compete. A maximum of 14 acts are selected to proceed to the semi-final where nine acts will be selected to proceed to the final. The results of the heats and semi-final shows are determined by an expert jury, while results in the final are determined entirely by public voting.[11]
Competing artists
editInterested artists and composers were able to submit their entries for the competition between 6 and 28 November 2024. Artists without their own songs were also able to apply and had to submit an introduction video along with a performance clip of a cover song.[9][12] By the end of the process, it was announced that 3,281 applications were received, of which 1,198 included an own song.[9] The 24 competing acts were selected by a panel consisting of representatives of Raab Entertainment, ARD and RTL, and announced on 4 February 2025.[13][14]
|
Shows
editHeats
editThe two televised heats take place on 14 and 15 February 2025. In each heat each of the twelve participating artists performs a cover song or one of their older songs, and an expert jury selects the top acts to proceed to the semi-final. The jury panel for both shows consists of Stefan Raab, singer and actress Yvonne Catterfeld, and presenter Elton, while German 2004 entrant Max Mutzke and singer-songwriter Johannes Oerding are featured as guest jurors in the first and second heat, respectively.[10][15]
| Draw | Artist | Song (Original artists) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Julika | "Run" (Leona Lewis) | Qualified |
| 2 | Benjamin Braatz | "Breakfast" (own song) | Qualified |
| 3 | Fannie | "Easy" (own song) | Eliminated |
| 4 | Chase | "Million Years Ago" (Adele) | Eliminated |
| 5 | Enny-Mae x Paradigm | "Arcade" (Duncan Laurence) | Eliminated |
| 6 | Jonathan Henrich | "Golden Hour" (Jvke) | Qualified |
| 7 | Feuerschwanz | "Dragostea din tei" (O-Zone) | Qualified |
| 8 | Cage | "Wrong Places" (H.E.R.) | Qualified |
| 9 | Equa Tu | "Gaga" (own song) | Eliminated |
| 10 | Janine | "Can't Help Falling in Love" (Elvis Presley) | Eliminated |
| 11 | Cosby | "Loved for Who I Am" (own song) | Qualified |
| 12 | Abor and Tynna | "Skyfall" (Adele) | Qualified |
| Draw | Artist | Song (Original artists) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adina | "In the Air Tonight" (own song) | Eliminated |
| 2 | Jaln | "Lose Control" (Teddy Swims) | Qualified |
| 3 | Leonora | "Good Day" (own song) | Qualified |
| 4 | Ni-ka | "The Way You Make Me Feel" (Michael Jackson) | Eliminated |
| 5 | From Fall to Spring | "Control" (own song) | Qualified |
| 6 | Noah Levi | "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" (Shawn Mendes) | Eliminated |
| 7 | Cloudy June | "Sad Girl Era" (own song) | Qualified |
| 8 | Parallel | "Noi" (own song) | Eliminated |
| 9 | Moss Kena | "Die with a Smile" (Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars) | Qualified |
| 10 | Vincent Varus | "Coffee" (own song) | Eliminated |
| 11 | The Great Leslie | "Fix You" (Coldplay) | Qualified |
| 12 | Lyza | "Voilà" (Barbara Pravi) | Qualified |
Semi-final
editThe 14 qualified semi-finalists will perform their Eurovision song and the jury will select 9 acts for the final. The jury panel for the semi-final will consist of Stefan Raab, singer and actress Yvonne Catterfeld, and presenter Elton and a guest judge.
| Draw | Artist | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBA | Julika | TBA | |
| Benjamin Braatz | |||
| Jonathan Henrich | |||
| Feuerschwanz | |||
| Cage | |||
| Cosby | |||
| Abor and Tynna | |||
| Jaln | |||
| Leonora | |||
| From Fall to Spring | |||
| Cloudy June | |||
| Moss Kena | |||
| The Great Leslie | |||
| Lyza | |||
References
edit- ^ "Germany Country Profile". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 21 September 2014.
- ^ "Germany". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ^ Jiandani, Sanjay (Sergio) (27 May 2024). "Germany: ARD confirms participation at Eurovision 2025". ESCToday. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "ARD, RTL und Stefan Raab organisieren ESC-Vorentscheid 2025" [ARD, RTL and Stefan Raab organize ESC preliminary round 2025]. eurovision.de (in German). Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "🇩🇪 ARD, RTL and Stefan Raab to organise Germany's Eurovision 2025 selection". That Eurovision Site. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ Argyriou, Giannis (29 October 2024). "Germany: ARD, RTL, and Stefan Raab Collaborate for Eurovision 2025 Representative Selection". Eurovisionfun. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "'Chefsache ESC 2025 – Wer singt für Deutschland?' dates revealed". ESCXTRA.com. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ Dijk, Sem Anne Van (22 December 2024). "🇩🇪 Germany: Tickets Sale for Chefsache ESC 2025 Started". Eurovoix. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
- ^ a b c "Wer fährt für Deutschland zum ESC 2025 in Basel? Startschuss für den Vorentscheid ist im Februar" [German ESC Preliminary Decision 2025: All information about acts, songs and voting]. eurovision.de (in German). Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Stefan Raab, Yvonne Catterfeld und Elton bilden Hauptjury im Vorentscheid". eurovision.de (in German). Retrieved 13 February 2025.
- ^ Stephenson, James (31 October 2024). "🇩🇪 Germany: "Chefsache ESC 2025 - Wer singt für Deutschland?" Revealed as New National Final". Eurovoix. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "Bewerbung ESC-vorentscheid Deutschland" [Application ESC Preliminary Decision Germany]. raab-casting.de (in German). Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "'Chefsache ESC 2025 – Wer singt für Deutschland?' So wird die deutsche ESC-Vorentscheidung mit ARD, RTL und Stefan Raab" ['ESC 2025 is a matter for the boss – who will sing for Germany?' This is how the German ESC preliminary decision with ARD, RTL and Stefan Raab will be]. ESC kompakt (in German). 31 October 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "Auswahl zum ESC-Vorentscheid 2025: Diese 24 Acts sind dabei" [Selection for the ESC preliminary round 2025: These 24 acts are there]. Eurovision.de (in German). NDR. 4 February 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
- ^ "Artists split for Chefsache ESC 2025 has been announced". ESCBubble. 11 February 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2025.