From Dubai to Eurovision glory: JJ reveals his next big move after contest win


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Standing in front of the mirror at home in Dubai and singing Hannah Montana songs, 13-year-old Johannes Pietsch dreamt of one day becoming a pop star.

“I've always believed that you can never dream too big,” Pietsch, now 24, tells The National. “And that nothing is unreachable.”

Better known by his stage name JJ, he realised that dream two weeks ago when he was crowned the 2025 winner of the Eurovision Song Contest. JJ's high-pitched operatic pop number, Wasted Love, had been a bookies' favourite since he was named as Austria's representative in the long-running competition in January.

Twenty-six performers – out of an initial 37 – performed in the finals in Basel, Switzerland. Each performer represented a country from the European Broadcasting Union, and contestants were voted through to the finals by television viewers.

“It was an amazing feeling to win for Austria,” JJ says, still on a high from his win. “It was a really long show and a lot of intense waiting. But when we finally got the points, it was euphoric. I was going through a roller coaster of emotions.”

JJ moments after his win in Basel, Switzerland. AFP
JJ moments after his win in Basel, Switzerland. AFP

The son of an Austrian father and Filipina mother, JJ was born in Vienna, but spent 15 formative years in Dubai where his father ran an IT business, before the family moved back to Austria.

“I had a pretty great childhood in Dubai,” says JJ, who went to the German International School. “In Dubai we always had the latest in everything, from toys to gadgets – everything that we saw coming from the States was in Dubai a week later.

“And I remember how much fun we had as kids. It was so diverse, a lot of different cultures meeting at one place. That was really nice.”

It was also in Dubai where JJ's love for music was nurtured.

“We had karaoke parties every weekend at our house and that's where I started singing,” he says with a laugh. “The first song I learnt to sing was Because of You by Kelly Clarkson.

“And my dad was a big fan of classical music, so the next morning we'd be listening to Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and that's when I continued to develop my interest in classical music as well.”

JJ being welcomed by fans at Vienna International Airport in Austria. Reuters
JJ being welcomed by fans at Vienna International Airport in Austria. Reuters

His blend of classical and pop music with operatic flair set JJ apart from the competition at Eurovision, which is known for sparkly outfits and cheesy Europop lyrics.

He says he learnt to sing falsetto at his parents' karaoke parties.

“After going through puberty, I realised that I still had a high singing voice. At first, it was just a cool party trick to imitate a soprano, but as I got better, I continued to work on that and eventually decided that I wanted to pursue a career in opera.”

After moving back to Vienna as a teenager, JJ took part in reality shows including The Voice UK in 2020 and Austrian talent show Starmania in 2021. He also attended the opera school at Vienna State Opera where he now performs.

Last year, JJ and his collaborators wrote Wasted Love, a song about unrequited love that showcases his unique falsetto voice and blends classical music with techno beats. They sent the song to ORF, the Austrian public broadcaster, which selects the country's representative for Eurovision, and JJ was eventually picked following an audition.

At Eurovision, which began on May 13, JJ, along with Sweden's three-man band Kaj, quickly became odds-on favourites to win. But it was during rehearsals for the grand final on May 17, that he began to think he actually had a winning chance.

“My biggest competitors were Sweden, and they came up to me and said they were blown away by my stage performance. The audience was also cheering even louder when I came on stage.

“That's when it started to click. I was like 'oh, so we could actually win', because the people are more hyped for me than they were for Sweden.

JJ on stage at the Eurovision Song Contest. AFP
JJ on stage at the Eurovision Song Contest. AFP

“Then I just thought: 'OK, I'll just enjoy it and give my everything and we will see who wins.'

“But I must say, Sweden did an amazing job on their performance. I really respect them so much. They are the loveliest people, the three of them, and we have a great friendship too, so it wasn't really like a competition in that sense.”

JJ is exhausted from the press tour following his win, but grateful for everything. For now, he's looking forward to a holiday in July, before he returns to the studio to make new music. He's also in discussions for a potential tour.

“I want to say thank you so much to everybody for all of their love and support. It's been really overwhelming how much love I've been receiving from every single part of the world,” he says.

“And the entire Filipino community in Dubai, I've been feeling so much love from them, and also the locals in Dubai and all of my friends that I still have there. I can't wait to finally bring new music to all of them and hopefully come for a tour to the Middle East. I would love to come back. That would be amazing.”

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He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal

He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side

By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam

Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border

He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push

His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level

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The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.

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The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.

 

 

Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes

Cheat’s nigiri 
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.

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This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.

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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


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Joe Biden’s campaign has spent $100 million there to turn things around, understandable given the state’s crucial 29 electoral votes.

In 2016, Mr Trump’s democratic rival Hillary Clinton paid frequent visits to Florida though analysts concluded that she failed to appeal towards middle-class voters, whom Barack Obama won over in the previous election.

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Europe's top EV producers
  1. Norway (63% of cars registered in 2021)
  2. Iceland (33%)
  3. Netherlands (20%)
  4. Sweden (19%)
  5. Austria (14%)
  6. Germany (14%)
  7. Denmark (13%)
  8. Switzerland (13%)
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Source: VCOe 

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.

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Australia squads

ODI: Tim Paine (capt), Aaron Finch (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.

T20: Aaron Finch (capt), Alex Carey (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth.

BRIEF SCORES

England 353 and 313-8 dec
(B Stokes 112, A Cook 88; M Morkel 3-70, K Rabada 3-85)  
(J Bairstow 63, T Westley 59, J Root 50; K Maharaj 3-50)
South Africa 175 and 252
(T Bavuma 52; T Roland-Jones 5-57, J Anderson 3-25)
(D Elgar 136; M Ali 4-45, T Roland-Jones 3-72)

Result: England won by 239 runs
England lead four-match series 2-1

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Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove

  1. Edinburgh, Scotland 
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Engine: Duel electric motors
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Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Updated: May 30, 2025, 6:57 AM`