Austria AUSTRIA 2025 - JJ - Wasted Love

[ESC United Mod Team]

 

[aef]

can anyone tell me what’s exactly a copy of Nemo? The only similarity is the opera element of the song but I mean that’s a genre, it’s as if someone would say you can’t do more unusual genres like Reagge/ Jazz/ Hip Hop anymore at Eurovision because someone already did it before.

In my opinion the opera elements are totally different and all in all the song structures of the two songs have got nothing in common.

Yes they are both young singers with quite some vocal abilities, but that’s more or less it!

 

[lasse braun]

But also very Nemo.

this was exactly my first thought when i heard it for the first time last night here.
croatia the same try - mans copy only himself...grrr.
the first 45 seconds create an expectation of an very good ballad with haunting voice but the following is "pop opera trash" and of course maybe the right thing for the ESC because the bubble love stuff like this - for outside the bubble i am not so optimistic.
sometimes i like shrill music but not here...and now mans is done?

 

[b4ld3r]

The comparison comes from the fact that that both Nemo and JJ are young, obviously LGBTQ+ singer performing a song with opera vocals and genre-mixing. I'm not sure how good the comparison is however, the first thing I think of when I think of Nemo is not exactly popera lol. I always disliked The Code and prefer this, I think the rave part is pretty fun.

No idea how this will do. Obviously the vocals are a jawdrop moment at first when you hear the chorus, but then I go back and listen to La Forza and remember how that went. Or Il Volo for that matter. And that's good, I don't think it should be enough to bring an opera singer and expect to be among the jury favourites.

 

[RainyWoods]

can anyone tell me what’s exactly a copy of Nemo? The only similarity is the opera element of the song but I mean that’s a genre, it’s as if someone would say you can’t do more unusual genres like Reagge/ Jazz/ Hip Hop anymore at Eurovision because someone already did it before.

In my opinion the opera elements are totally different and all in all the song structures of the two songs have got nothing in common.

Yes they are both young singers with quite some vocal abilities, but that’s more or less it!

The songs aren't very similar at all really besides them both being formulaic, "we're coming for your jury points" typical Eurovision entries. The natural comparison I think comes from the voices and I suppose the jarring aspects each entry has in an attempt to get your attention, in this case the random techno part at the end. Fundamentally both are kitschy OTT pop opera Eurovision songs. Wasted Love is not a The Code copy, true, but it naturally will ride on its coattails a little though, coming the year straight after its victory.

 

[deletingpoint]

The Code was a lot more accesible, imo. And the video helped to sell it better as well.

 

[aef]

The songs aren't very similar at all really besides them both being formulaic, "we're coming for your jury points" typical Eurovision entries. The natural comparison I think comes from the voices and I suppose the jarring aspects each entry has in an attempt to get your attention, in this case the random techno part at the end. Fundamentally both are kitschy OTT pop opera Eurovision songs. Wasted Love is not a The Code copy, true, but it naturally will ride on its coattails a little though, coming the year straight after its victory.

Well you can say „formulatic“ about 90 percent of this years songs. I’d say non-Eurovision-like songs, good tracks you’d also dig outside the Eurovision bubble, are very much missing this year.

 

[aef]

this was exactly my first thought when i heard it for the first time last night here.
croatia the same try - mans copy only himself...grrr.
the first 45 seconds create an expectation of an very good ballad with haunting voice but the following is "pop opera trash" and of course maybe the right thing for the ESC because the bubble love stuff like this - for outside the bubble i am not so optimistic.
sometimes i like shrill music but not here...and now mans is done?

Comparing Poison cake to Nemo is even more ridiculous.

 

[randajad]

Vienna 2026

 

[Sammy]

can anyone tell me what’s exactly a copy of Nemo?

Actually - nothing.

It‘s not like this tries to copy Nemo, it‘s people who try to quick find a vague similarity.

Of course one can be remembered by sth, But that doesn‘t mean its the same thing.

And people don‘t make the effort to make distinctions between things (too much work I suppose) - so inevitably everything sounds similar to them.

 

[RainyWoods]

Well you can say „formulatic“ about 80 percent of this years songs. I’d say non-Eurovision-like songs, good tracks you’d also dig outside the Eurovision bubble, are very much missing this year.

Yeah, this is true. I'd say only Lithuania fits that bill. Maybe Albania too, although that sounds very much itself like a slightly off-kilter Festivali i kenges song which is a whole other thing. Oh, also Italy, not that it's doing anything particularly special but it doesn't sound like it was crafted with Eurovision in mind at all.

I think still that's where the comparisons between Wasted Love and The Code will come. Both are operatic and ticking specific boxes for Eurovision. As you say, the structures in both songs are different, but they're well polished to within an inch of their lives, OTT pop opera tracks, the kind you pretty much will only ever experience with this formula at our contest. That is what they share in common.

Also, to clarify, I think comparing these two songs is natural. However, they should never be accused of being copies. That would be akin to fans under the assumption that Maneskin created rock music or every bop since Fuego was a copy of it. Compare them, sure, but other artists with similar sounds, vibes and voices exist.

 

[aef]

Actually - nothing.

It‘s not like this tries to copy Nemo, it‘s people who try to quick find a vague similarity.

Of course one can be remembered by sth, But that doesn‘t mean its the same thing.

And people don‘t make the effort to make distinctions between things (too much work I suppose) - so inevitably everything sounds similar to them.

We have too make a difference between sounding similar and having general similarities. Of course I can see general similarities between JJ and Nemo.

 

[Sammy]

Yeah, this is true. I'd say only Lithuania fits that bill. Maybe Albania too, although that sounds very much itself like a slightly off-kilter Festivali i kenges song which is a whole other thing. Oh, also Italy, not that it's doing anything particularly special but it doesn't sound like it was crafted with Eurovision in mind at all.

I think still that's where the comparisons between Wasted Love and The Code will come. Both are operatic and ticking specific boxes for Eurovision. As you say, the structures in both songs are different, but they're well polished to within an inch of their lives, OTT pop opera tracks, the kind you pretty much will only ever experience with this formula at our contest. That is what they share in common.

Also, to clarify, I think comparing these two songs is natural. However, they should never be accused of being copies. That would be akin to fans under the assumption that Maneskin created rock music or every bop since Fuego was a copy of it. Compare them, sure, but other artists with similar sounds, vibes and voices exist.

If only they would REALLY compare it (mention what’s similar AND what’s different) instead of just belting out „Nemo“ „Fuego“ „Måneskin“ or for the lazy ones „last year“

 

[ayzelto]

Guys, of course, The Code and this one are different songs, but when we say The Code 2.0, we are referring to the concept itself. They are indeed very similar—this song just comes too early in time, and if Nemo was 5th in the televote, this won’t do any better. The reminiscence is there, and in my opinion, Nemo’s song was nicely composed, while this one feels less organic.

 

[aef]

Guys, of course, The Code and this one are different songs, but when we say The Code 2.0, we are referring to the concept itself. They are indeed very similar—this song just comes too early in time, and if Nemo was 5th in the televote, this won’t do any better. The reminiscence is there, and in my opinion, Nemo’s song was nicely composed, while this one feels less organic.

The songs don’t have a similar concept or structure at all.

Calling Code „organic“ is funny btw.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s no need for me to defend the entry or artist, these arguments are just too „interesting“.

 

[theditz83]

I'm finding it hard to connect to this one. His voice is otherworldly, but I think that's just the challenge - it will potentially be too much for some. The last 25 seconds also seems a bit random on first listen, so need to let this embed a bit more and see if I can get used to it!

Points to follow...

 

[marty]

I think this discussion doesnt make much sense in the end because the average televoter just votes for the song he likes without analyzing it as much as we fans do. the jurys indeed love copies of other stuff (loreen).

 

[Datura]

I think this discussion doesnt make much sense in the end because the average televoter just votes for the song he likes without analyzing it as much as we fans do. the jurys indeed love copies of other stuff (loreen).

why do u think the juries voted for loreen because they "love copies".

 

[henhu]

At this point Eurovision 2025 top 3 could be repeat of Eurovision 2014 top 3...

 

[Gera11]

I'm not getting the Nemo comparisons at all, like yes, "The Code" had operatic elements, but it was this energic run through a bunch of genres, smashing them together in a way that works somehow. The MV on "The Code" is exactly how I feel/I'm picturing the song, running through a moving train. A gravity defying hit. It was an anthem of self-discovery.

Now "Wasted Love". Starting on a much darker note, it's mysterious, nocturnal, a regretful goodbye. An explosion of darker emotion that explodes into that rave part. Ascending a la @John1. It's more akin to Dimash Qudaibergen's ballads. It's the first song this year that gives me goosebumps and I feel winning vibes towards (tbf i still need to hear non-acoustic Czechia but-).

 

[Smudy]

I respect this on a technical level (production, his talent) but i don't feel much else towards it, leaves me rather cold.