Music: ESC analysis: The fall of the Ra -evening country – or not?

The Eurovision Song Contest is a happy, sometimes absurd stage show in XXL format-somewhere between the music festival, costume parade and show show of the wind machinery industry. But when Stefan Raab got the floor on Sunday night, it first sounded like a government crisis.

“I take responsibility,” said “Germany’s ESC king”, in order to then decrypt his strategy of the past few weeks and months for the audience. “Of course I always promise that we win. And until the opposite has been proven.” Otherwise you don’t even need to compete.

It was clear that Germany had not won the ESC 2025 – which was actually the goal of Raab and the ARD responsible for the competition. The much praised pop duo Abor & Tynna landed in 15th – somewhere beyond good and evil. The top ten, for which Raab was once considered a guarantee, were also missed. Instead, Austria got the victory. In the edge, the competition of protests against the participation of Israel was clouded.

ARD cheers over a dream quota

What does that mean now? That will probably only show the next few weeks and months. Shortly after the ESC final, the analysis machine began to run slowly.

On the one hand, the ARD reported a dream quota – the best at the ESC for 14 years. An average of 9.13 million spectators sat in front of the screen. “With a creative alliance from Stefan Raab, RTL and ARD, it has been possible to reach new target groups and to give the ESC new relevance and radiance in Germany,” cheered ARD program director Christine Strobl.

On the other hand, the fall height was extremely high. And Raab admitted: “Unfortunately, the placement was not as good as we hoped.”

“Baller” is celebrated – but not rewarded

At first it didn’t look bad. The siblings Abor & Tynna kept the hopes placed in them with a lot of energy. Tynna danced on a gigantic radio recorder when performing, brother Abor played on a cello with LED lighting. The instrument was painted white – and thus stands in a line with the famous white guitar, with which Nicole won the ESC for Germany for the first time in 1982.

The act was well received in the hall in Basel. ARD commentator Thorsten Schorn did his best to spread optimism. “” Baller “is the hit,” he sent the domestic audience. “This is celebrated here.” After the result was announced, more irony mingled with his analysis: “Rank 15 has been the third best result since 2012.”

In fact, 15th place is not a bad result. In the past decade, Germany has brought in a number of complete bankruptcy – it didn’t happen that bad this time. Raab also did not drop his protégés. “Even if they have not come into the top ten, I think their career is going to start now – the calls to their song speak a clear language,” he said.

Audience and jury flocks apart again

Against the countertenor JJ, who won the victory for Austria, the two Austrians who competed for Germany did not arrive. Above all, the juries across Europe were so enthusiastic about his three-minute pop opera entitled “Wasted Love” that it was hailing. Again, however, it became clear how much the taste of the juries differs from that of the audience – and what effects it can have.

Israel was clearly ahead with the audience. The country had sent the singer Yuval Raphael to Basel. The 24-year-old is a survivor of the Islamist Hamas massacre and other terrorist groups of October 7, 2023. Because of the Gaza War, there were always protests in Basel. In the evening, according to the ESC spokesman of the Swiss broadcaster SRF, even a man and a woman at the end of the Israeli appearance tried to get on stage as a symbol of blood with a red color bag. They were stopped.

In the end, despite the many Israeli audience points, it was enough for Austria. Eleven years after the triumph of Conchita Wurst, the Alpine Republic has an ESC winner again.

“Now Stefan Raab is awake”

Two juries also awarded the maximum rating of 12 points to Germany – Ukraine and the Czech Republic. When the result was announced from Ukraine, Raab jumped up and clenched the fist. Maybe something went? “Now Stefan Raab is also awake,” said commentator Schorn. It turned out differently.

What the picture also clouded: Singer Isaak had won a 12th place for Germany last year – so the bottom line was better. Only then had Raab been reinstalled to the German ESC selection and should strive for even higher destinations. The ARD had a cooperation with Raab’s new house broadcaster RTL.

At the latest since Lena Meyer-Landrut won under his aegis in 2010, the now 58-year-old surrounds the Aura of the ESC gurus. He also achieved a top ten result as a composer for Guildo Horn (1998, “Guildo”) and at his own appearance (2000, “Wadde Hadde Dudde”).

Ferred “Raabinator” comeback?

With this balance sheet in the back, Raab then used the whole force of his name to choose Abor & Tynna in several selection shows for the German contribution. The decision in the end made the audience, but Raab was responsible for the pre -selection. In the past few days, he had already drummed intensively for the song. Among other things, he tried to move Germans in Mallorca to a voice for Abor & Tynna. But a Raab effect? Get stuck somewhere between Mallorca and mediocrity.

There was also a lot at stake for Raab at the ESC. It was only last September that he had ended his years of screen break with a lot of time.

In the meantime, however, his resumed career in front of the camera has stalled. Just a few days ago, his home broadcaster RTL announced that the quotas of Raab’s weekly show (“You don’t win the million with Stefan Raab”) was no longer satisfied and that it would end in its current form. There should be a new format in autumn. What this can look like is in the stars.

Can the “Raabinator” back to the ESC tax again? Questionable. The ARD had coupled the cooperation with the hoped -for success. When ARD program director Christine Strobl was asked by the “Hörzu” in January whether the concept with Raab would be put back on hold, she should not jump out, she replied: “Absolutely.” The claim is “very clear” to win.

That has not occurred.