Ziferblat won their Eurovision semi-final outright. Four days later the same Ukrainian band finished ninth in the grand final.
According to the European Broadcasting Union figures cited by the New Voice of Ukraine, the group topped the first semi-final in Basel with 137 points, ahead of every other act among the 15 countries competing that night. The band posted a short thank-you on Telegram: “Friends, you are incredible. Thank you to everyone who supported us… I love you very much.” The semi-final tally was only published after the grand final on May 17.
A retro staging with wings
Ziferblat went on fifth in that semi-final with “Bird of Pray”. The Gaze described the staging as retro, bathed in soft pink light, with a pair of giant wings unfurling at the climax. Mariia Korostelova directed the number and the Ukrainian designer Ivan Frolov made the costumes. Lead vocalist Daniil Leshchynskyi ended the performance by thanking Europe for its continued support.
Ten of the 15 acts went through, among them Norway, Albania, Sweden, Iceland, the Netherlands, Poland, San Marino, Estonia, Portugal and Ukraine.
Ninth, level with Albania
In the final the band collected 218 points, 60 from the juries and 158 from viewers. That total was identical to Albania’s. Ukraine was placed ninth.
The top of the table belonged to Austria. JJ’s “Wasted Love” reached 436 points, built from 258 jury points and 178 from the public, and edged out Israel’s Yuval Raphael, who had held the lead on 357 for a time. Estonia’s Tommy Cash took third with 356 and Sweden’s KAJ fourth with 321. Italy’s Lucio Corsi followed on 256, then Greece’s Klavdia on 231 and France’s Louane on 230.
Austria’s victory carried the 2026 contest to Vienna. The singer named Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko, known for her support of Vladimir Putin, as an inspiration for the track, a detail that sparked reactions online.
How Ukraine got to Basel
Ziferblat had won Ukraine’s national selection in February. The jury gave them 9 points there, but the public handed them a perfect 10. Music producer Tina Karol led the selection, which started with ten finalists.
Thirty-seven countries took part in the 2025 contest, with Montenegro back after several years away. The Big Five of Germany, France, the UK, Spain and Italy, plus host Switzerland, skipped the semi-finals and went straight to the final.
Sources
- Ukraine’s Ziferblat reacts to Eurovision 2025 results / The New Voice of Ukraine
- Eurovision 2025: Austria's JJ crowned winner after nail biting finale – full list of results (Bucks Herald)
- Ukraine Advances to Eurovision 2025 Grand Final with “Bird of Pray” (The Gaze)
- Ukraine’s Ziferblat to perform tonight in Eurovision 2025 semifinal in Basel (The New Voice of Ukraine)
