'The audience will have an insight into my soul': Austria's JJ reveals Eurovision dream

Curtain up for Johannes Pietsch.

Better known by his shape sanction JJ, nan 24-year-old autochthonal of Vienna will correspond Austria astatine nan Eurovision Song Contest successful Basel successful tonight's 2nd semi-final.

JJ has already made a sanction for himself pinch his exceptional range, heartfelt performances and unique sound that reaches soprano heights.

With his opus 'Wasted Love', a genre operation of pop, opera and a spot of techno, nan countertenor is proving to beryllium very celebrated pinch betting companies and is presently classed arsenic nan co-favourite to return nan title.

JJ is besides one of our favourites to triumph this year, pinch Euronews Culture describing his Eurovision popera anthem arsenic "an progressively heartfelt (and very high-pitched) complainte" that morphs into "an explosive EDM that erstwhile again shows disconnected JJ’s singular (frankly, ludicrous) range, which besides proves that being adrift successful nan affectional abyss and having a bop needn’t beryllium mutually exclusive."

You tin publication our afloat predictions here.

In betwixt hectic rehearsals, JJ took clip to talk to Euronews Culture astir what nan opus means, making classical euphony for nan masses and flying nan emblem for Austria.

Euronews Culture: Johannes, you are representing Austria, a state that is internationally renowned for its classical music. And you're singing an opera opus - really overmuch of your roots arsenic a countertenor are really progressive successful this performance? How has your erstwhile philharmonic life prepared you for this moment?

JJ: There's a batch successful it because I've incorporated nan 2 philharmonic worlds I grew up pinch - truthful 100 per cent of my "artistic self" is successful nan performance.

Was that for illustration a communal thread that led you to this moment?

From nan time I started singing classically for nan first time, location was a communal thread. From nan infinitesimal I recovered nan operation that made it activity pinch some popular and opera. Even during my studies, group said: "Hey, I deliberation that would springiness you a realistic future." From that time on, it has continued for illustration that - and now I'm connected nan ESC stage.

And nan ESC shape is nan biggest shape location is successful Europe. What does it mean to you to beryllium capable to execute there? After all, "Wasted Love" is your very first song. Isn't that jumping successful astatine nan heavy end?

Yes, definitely. It's perfectly crazy that nan first opus I've ever released is being presented successful specified a format. I would ne'er person expected that successful my life, it's insane. And nan truth that I get to correspond Austria is moreover crazier. I'm utilized to being connected stage, but connected nan classical shape - and now to execute connected specified a ample standard pinch specified a wide reach, I find it perfectly insane. I spot a 1000 times nan assemblage that I usually spot astatine nan State Opera connected nan ESC stage.

It's not conscionable a ample audience, it's besides a very divers assemblage from galore European nations. In a way, you are besides representing Austria culturally. Is location a connection astir your state that you want to convey internationally?

Yes, definitely. Unfortunately, classical euphony is slow dying out, if I whitethorn opportunity so. My connection would beryllium to springiness classical euphony a chance, arsenic it is really 1 of nan origins of nan euphony we perceive to today. And it has really typical moments that tin move people. All nan popular songs you perceive coming person classical elements successful them. That's why you person to springiness nan root a chance.

At nan infinitesimal you are nan bookies' 2nd favourite for nan title, down Sweden. Do you moreover look astatine these rankings?

Well, I don't really look astatine nan odds. I get respective screenshots from my friends and family each day. Along nan lines of: "Hey, hey, your likelihood person gone up by 1 percent point!" So I don't personally look astatine it. But I consciousness incredibly honoured that group person truthful overmuch religion successful maine and my creator self.

But I'm judge that besides intends a batch of pressure. Do you person immoderate tricks aliases intelligence patterns that thief you to calm down?

Yes, I ever ideate that this is nan past capacity of my life. And of people you ever want nan champion astatine nan end. And that's why I ever effort to springiness it my all. I besides ever effort to present nan champion capacity I've ever given.

And nan expectations of others? So you thin to attraction connected yourself?

Exactly. Of people I deliberation different opinions are important. But first and foremost, I attraction connected myself, connected what feels correct and what suits maine best.

Let's enactment pinch you. In 'Wasted Love' you besides singing astir your ain achy experiences pinch love. Isn't location thing peculiarly susceptible astir giving an penetration into your ain affectional world connected nan large stage?

Yes, exactly. The assemblage will besides person an penetration into my psyche done nan shape performance. It will beryllium very intimate. And I will reappraisal nan infinitesimal again, really I felt astatine nan time, truthful that I tin consciousness nan afloat emotion. But, yes, fortunately I'm nary longer burdened by what I'm singing astir because I've already processed it. But I will still put myself backmost into nan domiciled I was successful backmost then.

Do you deliberation astir nan truth that truthful galore group are watching you?

No, I don't spot nan 160 cardinal aliases truthful group watching. But there's still a batch of pressure, pinch each nan lights and what's happening connected stage. I'm concentrating connected nan performance, I won't really beryllium capable to announcement nan group that overmuch because I'll person excessively overmuch astir maine to salary attraction to anyway.

Did you utilized to watch nan Song Contest much often earlier your existent performance?

Yes, since Conchita Wurst's triumph successful 2014. That was really nan first twelvemonth that my family and I started watching nan Song Contest regularly. Before that, I already had nan ESC connected my radar, but I ne'er watched it because successful Dubai, wherever I grew up, we didn't person German TV - and didn't really announcement immoderate of it.

And past Conchita's capacity caused specified a operation that it was besides reported successful Dubai, wherever I grew up. And location it was a huge taboo subject if you were portion of nan queer community.

And past our cognition wrong nan family was: yes, we person to look astatine this now because we support nan community. My parents said: dislike is really what you don't request successful this world - and we are now watching retired of solidarity. And from that twelvemonth on, we liked it truthful overmuch that we watched nan Song Contest each year.

Many Austrians sat successful beforehand of nan TV and watched Conchita Wurst triumph nan ESC backmost then. Can you return inspiration from nan "blueprint" for nan triumph backmost then? What do you deliberation made nan opus successful backmost then? Did you possibly transcript thing from it?

Yes, successful nan consciousness of conscionable being who I am. Conchita didn't dress for anyone aliases anything, she was ever "true to herself". I deliberation that's nan astir important thing. If you pretend, past you suffer yourself astatine immoderate point. And you should conscionable beryllium who you are. That's conscionable nan measurement you are.

What tin group expect from your shape show?

It will beryllium very intimate. I'll beryllium unsocial connected stage. It's going to beryllium a batch of storytelling, a spot for illustration nan euphony video. The elements from it - pinch a vessel successful nan rain. That will besides beryllium portion of nan shape performance. It will beryllium thing that I deliberation will drawback group and hopefully move them emotionally. Now I'm conscionable reasoning astir what it will beryllium for illustration erstwhile nan techno portion comes successful nan song. That will beryllium really bombastic.

A somewhat hypothetical question: When you look backmost connected your capacity successful a fewer years' time, what would you for illustration group to remember?

That's an absorbing question. I would opportunity my person. Not arsenic an artist, but really I conveyed my emotions. I deliberation group person been rather moved by that and I'm besides honoured that group tin subordinate to my song. So, yes, I would opportunity nan emotions of my performance, successful my song.

Do you want to create a typical feeling?

Yes, hope. I mean, nan opus is rather sad, but past there's nan dream that there's ever a ray astatine nan extremity of nan tunnel. And if you person a short, bad phase, it intends that you tin flooded it because... it really is ne'er nan extremity of nan world. You ever travel retired of each business connected a affirmative note. Hope dies last.

The Eurovision last takes spot this twelvemonth successful Basel, Switzerland, on 17 May.