Who Is Johannes “JJ” Pietsch? Facts About the Austrian-Filipino Winner of Eurovision

The Filipino throat chakra continues to dominate the global stage with an Austrian-Filipino clinching victory at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest. Johannes Pietsch, also known as JJ, represented Austria and rose above 25 other countries in the world’s longest-running international song competition that was held in Basel, Switzerland on May 17, 2025.

Eurovision is one of, if not the biggest, global singing contests. According to their website, “The 2024 competition reached over 163 million TV viewers in 37 markets and millions more online,” and it will be no surprise if the recently concluded one attained or exceeded this record. JJ’s success put an end to Austria’s 11-year win drought, with the previous winners from the country being Conchita Wurst in 2014 and Udo Jürgens in 1966.

With Filipino blood running through JJ’s veins, we couldn’t help but feel proud and eager to learn more about him. Here are some facts about the 24-year-old singer who is currently writing music history.

JJ was born in Vienna, Austria on April 29, 2001. His father is an Austrian IT specialist, while his mother is a Filipino cook.

He speaks fluent German, English, and Filipino. He also has basic knowledge of French and Arabic.

He spent years growing up in Dubai, where his father set up a business. In conversation with The National, JJ shared that he discovered his admiration for classical music in the country.

“When I was a kid, my parents hosted karaoke parties almost every weekend, and me and my sisters loved to sing along–especially songs by Kelly Clarkson and Mariah Carey. My father would also make us listen to classical music. So I guess this is also a reason why I sing 'popera' now. It is a privilege to be able to combine both worlds.”

JJ and his family returned to Austria in 2016, where he honed his skills by taking roles in opera productions and participating in local talent shows.

Half a decade before Eurovision, he competed on The Voice UK where he advanced to The Knockouts with the guidance of his mentor, Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am.

He is widely recognized as a countertenor, which means he has “a singing voice that is higher than usual for a tenor and similar to a low female voice,” as defined by the Cambridge Dictionary. Given his range, JJ also considers himself as a male soprano—the highest singing voice, mostly common among females. OperaVision calls sopranos as “the protagonists of the opera.”

According to an article by ITV News, he expressed how he felt that his win symbolizes the “amazing acceptance and equality for everyone,” which made him beyond happy to represent the community. He added a short but sweet message saying, “Let’s spread love.”

Wasted Love is an operatic ballad that gives listeners a peek into JJ's deepest thoughts. The song spotlights unrequited love, with its opening line being “I'm an ocean of love, and you're scared of water.” Through Wasted Love, he melded the classical genre with techno club music, putting a remarkably modern twist to Austria’s rich operatic heritage. It was co-written by Teodora Špirić and Thomas Turner.

JJ is the second Filipino to represent Austria in the competition, following Vincent Bueno in 2021. As the first Eurovision champion of Filipino descent, JJ shared a message through That Eurovision Site. "Be proud of who you are and where you come from," he said. "No matter who you are, there is always someone out there who will love you, and you should really believe in yourself.”