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It is now clear which red-white-red act will be in the ESC race. According to media reports, Johannes Pietsch will represent Austria at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in Basel under his stage name JJ. The 23-year-old Austrian-Filipino countertenor has already caused a sensation in the world of classical music.
The countertenor, Johannes Pietsch, will represent Austria under JJ’s stage name at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in Basel. This was confirmed by ORF on Thursday morning. The 23-year-old, who has been successful on the State Opera stage to date and has also been a candidate on “Starmania,” will therefore enter the ESC race on 15 May during the 2nd semi-final. There, JJ will have to compete with a total of 15 other artists, including those from Ireland, the Czech Republic, and Denmark, to win one of the ten coveted final tickets for May 17.
“It’s a great honor for me to represent Austria in Basel. My heart beats for the big show—and there is nothing bigger than the Eurovision Song Contest. I am very happy about the trust that has been placed in me. Over the next few weeks, we will work hard to put on an unforgettable performance on stage in May,” JJ is quoted as saying in an ORF broadcast.
JJ is currently studying classical music at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna (MUK) after training at the Vienna State Opera’s opera school. It is “a great honor” to be able to represent Austria in Basel, says JJ. “My heart beats for the big show, and nothing is bigger than the Eurovision Song Contest.” He is delighted about the trust and promised to work hard to “put on an unforgettable performance on stage.”
Special voice
Johannes was born in Vienna in 2001. His mother is from the Philippines, and his father is Austrian. As a child, he lived in Dubai for several years. He returned to Austria at the age of 15. As a child, he discovered his love of music and developed his special voice.
Johannes sings as a countertenor. This means his voice is unusually high—higher than most men’s. It sounds almost like a woman’s, making his voice special. Countertenors often take on special roles in opera. JJ has already sung in many operas, including “The Magic Flute.”
A mixture of pop and opera
Fans of “Starmania” have also known JJ for a long time. He was impressed with his voice on the casting show. Today, he performs at the Vienna State Opera—where he trained at the opera school. He is currently studying classical music at university.
At the Eurovision Song Contest, JJ wants to show how well classical music and modern pop go together. If you want to hear him beforehand, you can watch the opera “Die Zauberflöte” on television on 7 February, in which he plays the First Boy. (ORF 2, 21:20)
Big show
The young singer is really looking forward to the Song Contest. “I will do my best to make my performance unforgettable,” he promises. What exactly the audience can expect is still a secret. The only certain thing is that JJ will represent Austria with the song “Wasted Love” (pronounced “weistid laff”).
- hector pascua/picture: screenshot ZIB, orf.at
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