From popera to Brat: Eurovision winner JJ on how Charli XCX inspired ‘Wasted Love’

Austrian singer-songwriter, JJ, is celebrating a lot of firsts in 2025. After impressing viewers and judges alike with his staggering soprano range, he secured the combined vote and jury vote at The Eurovision Song Contest, winning the competition with his debut single, Wasted Love. He also became the first Eurovision winner of Southeast Asian descent, and he is the first solo Eurovision winner born in the 2000s. He shares the origins of the Eurovision-winning popera song that’s impossible to sing along to.

“That will be haunting me my entire life,” laughs a softly-spoken JJ from Warner London’s office, where he’s doing promo for Wasted Love. Despite having just experienced the joys of central London traffic firsthand, he’s riding high after his Eurovision win, and his enthusiasm and gratitude are palpable. Although he’s nothing but a joy to speak to, what’s haunting him is the very last operatic note of his already vocally challenging debut single.

“Luckily, my opera training kicks in because my classical singing teacher always told me, ‘If you were able to sing a note once, you will always be able to sing it.’ If you have a healthy technique, then you will always be able to sing the same note at any time. That's what I had in my head. I was thinking, ‘You sang this note 50 times in the studio when we were recording it, you'll be able to do it again.’ 

"Having that in my mind helped me relax my voice more to be able to reach that high note without having to force my way through. I'm pretty happy that my teacher told me that, or else I would have been stressing so much.”

JJ (real name Johannes Pietsch) was born in Vienna, but spent the majority of his childhood in Dubai before moving back to Austria with his family in 2016. His father is an Austrian IT specialist, and his mother is a cook from the Philippines. 

He inherits his dad’s love of opera and classical music, while his mum introduced him to the biggest pop divas through karaoke parties. If you know anything about Filipinos, they don’t play when it comes to karaoke.

“Exactly,” nods JJ, recalling the first song he learned for a family karaoke night. “It was Because Of You by Kelly Clarkson, which is very insane for a six-year-old to learn,” he laughs. He might be Gen Z, but his musical taste is pure Millennial.

“We’d all be performing songs by the ‘90s divas – Mariah, Whitney, Celine – that was mainly the music that I listened to growing up. Then my dad showed us classical music, especially Bach and Beethoven, although he can't sing at all,” he points out good-naturedly, “which is hilarious, but I love the enthusiasm when he tries to sing. He just wanted to teach us about Austrian culture, so there were long weekends listening to classical music, but it made me start to like classical. 

"Growing up in Dubai was a place with multiple cultures and different backgrounds, so my mum was determined to bring us up with Filipino culture, and my dad was the same with Austrian culture. I'm so grateful that I got the chance to grow up listening to both musical worlds because they're different, yet not so different. They have a lot of similarities.”

Growing up in Dubai, a pre-teen having an interest in opera was unusual, to say the least. While his friends obsessed over the latest pop release, JJ found himself transfixed by Der Hölle Rache, a coloratura soprano aria sung by the Queen of the Night from Mozart's opera, The Magic Flute.

“Yeah, it was a huge difference [to the tastes of my friends],” he acknowledges. “The Queen of the Night aria is where she sings really, really high. I thought it was really impressive how a human voice could produce such sounds. After going through puberty, I realised that I still had a high singing voice. I love to imitate voices and sounds, so I thought that would be a cool party trick, to imitate a soprano. But then I started to like it so much, and I saw that people were impressed by what I could do, that I thought, ‘Why not make it a profession?’”

A countertenor with a distinctive voice that can reach soprano heights is bound to get anyone noticed, so it's no surprise that before Eurovision, JJ had already made a name for himself in the classical music world. He attended the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna after attending the opera school of the Vienna State Opera and has performed at the Vienna State Opera numerous times. 

2020 saw him audition for The Voice UK after missing the deadline for The Voice of Germany. He advanced to the knockout stages with the help of his coach, will.i.am. The following year, he took part in the fifth season of the Austrian show, Starmania, where he made it to the first final show.

After his landmark Eurovision win, JJ joins the ranks of Eurovision legends, marking a new chapter in his promising and still very young career. After the song's victory in the contest, Wasted Love enjoyed commercial success in numerous countries, peaking at number one in its native Austria and Greece, within the top five in Lithuania and Switzerland, and the top 10 in five additional countries. 

Many artists release singles for a long time before gaining traction, so it’s still sinking in for JJ that his debut single connected so powerfully to an audience of more than 160 million.

“To have my debut single be a part of something so huge, and then winning Eurovision with it is the craziest feeling ever,” he shares, genuinely sounding like he’s still in the ‘pinch-me’ stage. “I can't describe it. I have a lot of friends who are in music, and they have had a different experience just building themselves up, so having this with my debut single is the craziest experience of my life. I'm so grateful for everybody who's been behind this entire project, and I'm so happy about how it turned out.”

Wasted Love was written by JJ alongside Teodora Špirić and Thomas Thurner, with production handled by Thurner, Pele Loriano, and Wojciech Kostrzewa. The lyrics describe JJ’s personal experiences with unrequited love. JJ was in a safe pair of hands with Špirić, who was one of the co-writers of Austria’s 2023 Eurovision entry, Who the Hell Is Edgar? by Teya and Salena.

“I texted Teodora and I said, ‘Hey, I had a rough experience, and I want to write a song for Eurovision. Could you help me?’ She said to come by the studio, and the song was born in Berlin, just with the producer, the songwriter and I. It was pretty hard in the beginning because I had to tell her exactly what happened,” he discloses.

“I had to relive the experience, and it was pretty tough to go back, but it was a therapeutic studio session, and I started to move on from that situation. I had let everything out when recording the song. I'm glad that I could move on with my life and close that chapter in my story. 

"After we were done recording it, we listened through the entire song, and she said, ‘Guys, you don't understand. We just created something beautiful. We have to hand it in for Eurovision.’ That's how the entire process began. It was pure magic.”

JJ is proud to be a voice for the queer community in Austria. He shares that the breakup-inspired pop-opera track has helped other people process their heartbreak. He reflects on the way Wasted Love is resonating as an emotional anthem for others, especially in the context of representing LGBTQ+ visibility and acceptance.

“I wanted to tell my story and have people resonate with it and help them get through a rough situation,” he says sincerely. “To hear that people are moving on from a situation through my song, or that it’s helping them gain confidence to get out of a situation, is so heartwarming. It is so nice to hear that I helped people just by talking about my own story, especially in regards to helping anyone in the queer community that might be going through the same situation that I did. It touches my heart to hear that I've helped people move on.”

The song isn’t all operatic ballad, however, as towards the end, a surprising, frantic techno segment lurches into the track to take it home to its dizzying soprano-note finale. Combined with the live visuals – shot in black and white, JJ clings to a boat amid stormy seas, ominous clouds rolling behind – it’s a perfect blend of emotional rawness and theatrics, with a side of EDM. 

He reveals that he, too, had a Brat summer last year. “I love Charli XCX,” he enthuses. “That's where the EDM techno inspiration came from, so that did influence it a lot. We went into the studio, but we all had no idea how we would blend the two genres,” he confesses.

“Teodora and Thomas had no idea how to do something classically, and this was my very first time in a studio setting, so I had no idea how we would do it either! So we just let our creative minds flow. We knew we wanted to switch up something different from what we already had, and then Thomas came up with the idea of adding EDM or techno into the track. 

"He created something quickly while we had a bathroom break, and that was what you could hear in the song. I'm very happy that he insisted on putting that in,” he smiles, adding that his favourite vocal divas influenced the song too. “The breathy parts of my song are mainly inspired by Ariana Grande and Mariah Carey, and classically, Maria Callas.”

On becoming the first Eurovision winner of Southeast Asian descent, JJ feels nothing but pride.

“That was the most amazing feeling ever, because being half Filipino, that's always going to be a part of me, and I get to bring this side of me with me wherever I go. I want to make Southeast Asia proud and the Philippines especially proud, and to bring my culture with me. I brought my Austrian culture with me, too,” he points out, “which is classical singing. 

"But having my Filipino heritage with me was an amazing feeling, and to showcase that on such a huge platform. My uncles, aunties and my cousins all still live in the Philippines, from my mum's side, and it was so nice to see that the entire Philippines was rooting for me, especially considering that for them, this is something new. 

"They don't really watch Eurovision – it's not a thing in Southeast Asia,” he explains. “But once they heard that a Filipino was representing Austria at Eurovision, they thought, ‘We have to watch it!’ So they had a huge public viewing at the main square, which was amazing.”

The last Austrian to win Eurovision was Conchita Wurst in 2014, who secured a victory with Rise Like a Phoenix. JJ has since paired up with Wurst on a Rise Like A Phoenix x Wasted Love mashup. He marvels at how things have come full circle:

“It’s so crazy to think about being one of the three Eurovision winners from Austria,” he admits, shaking his head in disbelief. “That's so insane. She's an icon in Austria. Having done the mashup with Conchita holds a very special place in my heart, because 2014 was the first time I watched Eurovision with my family, and that was when Conchita won. 

"So witnessing that for the first time, and then being at Eurovision, and then winning – to have her support is such a full circle moment, and I will never forget this for my entire life. I'm so happy that I had her support from day one and that she was willing to pass on the throne to me.”

JJ is still new enough into his career to still be reading the comments under his videos (and to honestly answer Headliner’s question about anything people would be surprised to learn about him: he uses an app called Poop Map – Google it), although at a glance, they are refreshingly complimentary. Perhaps even the fiercest of keyboard warriors know they couldn’t hit a C♯6 to save their life.

Check Reddit for the eagle-(eared?) fan who spotted that JJ’s final high note is the same pitch as the sound of the B-Series trains in his city (the transition is seamless). Headliner shares a few favourites with JJ: “The ending is like Beethoven on steroids. It’s a piece of art,” – “Oh, my God, that's so cute,” he says, delighted. “I love Beethoven on steroids. That’s wild!”, and, “So this guy just came with his first single and won Eurovision in the first attempt. Iconic,” – “That's so, so sweet. I do love to read comments,” he admits.

“It’s crazy because I was one of those people always commenting under someone's post, being like, ‘Oh my God, such a diva! Amazing performance!’ – and now people are writing that about me…” he trails off in amazement. “How the roles reverse! To be in the spotlight is something that I've always dreamed of, but never thought that I would achieve. My life right now is such a beautiful time that I will always cherish.”

In terms of new music, JJ wants Wasted Love to have its time in the spotlight before he moves on to release more material, but reassures Headliner that his operatic sound will be front and centre.

“I'm going to be heading right back into the studio to record new music,” he nods. “I'm going to keep my operatic sound because I want to take my musical beginnings with me throughout this entire journey. I'm excited to experiment in the studio with my little team. 

"I can't wait to release new music and then hopefully go on tour as well. I'll let Wasted Love have its deserved hype, of course, but once it feels right, I'll be bringing out new music.”

In terms of releasing a Eurovision song that fans can’t do anything but murder in karaoke, JJ is nothing but complimentary about any versions of his songs he’s seen and heard.

“I’ve seen a lot of TikToks of people singing Wasted Love, which was such an amazing honour because it warms my heart to see everyone singing it so passionately and with so much joy,” he smiles. ‘I see a lot of people there commenting under their videos saying, ‘It's not that good, but I still tried,’ and I'm like, ‘No, thank you!’ No matter how it sounds, I'm so happy to see people showing me their rendition of my song.”

Behind a Eurovision-winning strategy:

Franz Pleterski, General Manager of Warner Music Austria and President of the IFPI Austria, explains the label’s Eurovision-winning strategy.

From the moment Wasted Love was first pitched internally, what was the initial reaction at Warner Music Central Europe? Did you know you were working with something that could be a Eurovision winner?

At Warner Music, we’ve built up quite a bit of experience with the Eurovision Song Contest. This was our fourth consecutive year working closely with Austria’s national broadcaster ORF on the ESC. ORF selects the song and artist, but we’re closely involved in the process and have gained deep insights into how to develop talent for this stage. 

When we first heard Wasted Love in autumn 2024, we immediately felt that both the song and the artist were truly special. We saw great potential from day one, especially given the combination of the track, JJ’s unique artistry and our learnings from past Eurovision experiences to make it a success.

Launching a completely new artist on one of the world’s most competitive music stages is a massive gamble. What were the key challenges in building trust and visibility for JJ from zero, seeing as this was his debut single?

JJ had some recognition in Austria, but Eurovision meant stepping onto the biggest stage in Europe. The biggest challenge was building credibility fast. With no previous releases, everything had to rely on the strength of the song, JJ’s presence, and a focused narrative that helped audiences connect with him instantly. And all of that had to happen across borders, in a very short time.

Given that there was no back catalogue, no previous singles, and no safety net, how did you develop a full artist identity and story for JJ around just one track?

The most important thing is a clear plan. We didn’t see it as a limitation but rather as an opportunity. Our belief in both the song and JJ was, and still is, so strong that it became our driving force. Plus, we benefit from a strong internal Eurovision network within Warner Music Group globally. We exchanged knowledge and supported each other, and that really paid off.

The key was building JJ as a persona, not just a performer. While popera as a genre isn’t new, the way JJ blends operatic technique with contemporary pop is truly unique. His experience performing at the Vienna State Opera gave him a strong foundation. This crossover between classical training and pop sensibility became central to his positioning.

JJ’s win was historic for Austria and an emotional moment for millions across Europe. What was Warner’s overarching strategy in positioning JJ as not just a contestant, but a serious contender on the global stage?

Austria has now won Eurovision three times, which is remarkable for a market of its size. The last win was Conchita Wurst in 2015, so this was a major moment.

We shaped JJ’s image around the concept of ‘The Voice of Modern Elegance’. He’s a popera artist with a strong pop focus. Visually and musically, the campaign was unified around this vision. JJ and the team were aligned from the start, and the next steps are already in motion. 

We’re building on the Eurovision momentum with upcoming releases, including genre-crossing remixes like the one from DJ and producer Cyril, signed to Spinnin’ Records, to broaden his reach across new audiences.”

JJ is a new name for many outside Austria. What were the key narratives you wanted to communicate about him as an artist, not just as a performer of Wasted Love, but as a cultural voice?

We positioned JJ as more than just the voice behind Wasted Love. His unique blend of opera and pop (popera) allowed us to tell a story that connects Austria’s classical heritage with a fresh, modern edge. The key narrative was that JJ wasn’t just performing a song. He’s redefining tradition and opening up classical music to a new generation across Europe.

How important was JJ’s national identity in shaping the campaign? Did you lean into Austrian cultural themes or take a more pan-European approach?

Austria’s classical music heritage definitely played a role in the campaign. JJ is deeply connected to it and represents that authentically. So yes, we integrated those elements, but in a modern, accessible way that resonated across Europe.

Was there a viral component to JJ’s rise in terms of TikTok, Reels, or fan reaction videos? How did the Warner team respond to and fuel that momentum?

It was part of our strategy from the beginning. We closely monitor what’s working, what gains traction, and where to double down. Social media, especially short-form content, is a crucial element in engaging fans and amplifying JJ’s presence beyond traditional Eurovision circles.

Winning Eurovision can sometimes be a blessing and a burden. How is Warner Music positioning JJ to build a long-term career post-contest and avoid being typecast as just a Eurovision act?

We see Eurovision as a fantastic platform. A launchpad, not a limitation. JJ brought joy to millions, and that connection is a strong foundation. Now, together with him and his management team at Manifester Music, we’re building for the long term. 

The artist camp around him is incredibly strong. They are doing great work, and Teya, who has Eurovision experience herself, is also part of the team. The vision is clear: JJ is here to stay.

JJ photographer credits:

Main image, 6 & 7: Alma-Bengtsson

2, 3 & 8: Sarah Louise Bennett

4, 5 & 9: Corinne Cumming