Georgia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025

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Georgia in the
Eurovision Song Contest 2025
Eurovision Song Contest 2025
Participating broadcaster Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB)
CountryFlag of Georgia.svg  Georgia
Selection processInternal selection
Announcement date14 March 2025
Competing entry
Song"Freedom"
Artist Mariam Shengelia
Songwriters
  • Buka Kartozia
  • Keti Gabisiani
Placement
Semi-final resultFailed to qualify (15th)
Participation chronology
◄20242025

Georgia was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song "Freedom", written by Buka Kartozia and Keti Gabisiani, and performed by Mariam Shengelia. The Georgian participating broadcaster, the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB), internally selected its entry for the contest.

Contents

Georgia was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, which took place on 15 May 2025. Performing during the show in position 10, Georgia was not announced among the top 10 entries of the second semi-final and therefore did not qualify to compete in the final. It was later revealed that Georgia placed 15th out of the 16 participating countries in the semi-final with 28 points.

Background

Prior to the 2025 contest, the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest sixteen times since its first entry in 2007. [1] Its highest placing in the contest, to this point, has been ninth place, which was achieved on two occasions: in 2010 with the song "Shine" performed by Sofia Nizharadze, and in 2011 with the song "One More Day" performed by Eldrine. GPB briefly withdrew from the contest in 2009 after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) rejected its entry, "We Don't Wanna Put In", for perceived political references to Vladimir Putin who was the Russian Prime Minister at the time. The withdrawal and fallout was tied to tense relations between Georgia and then host country Russia, which stemmed from the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. [2] [3] [4] Georgia has, to this point, qualified to the final on eight occasions. In 2024, the song "Firefighter" performed by Nutsa Buzaladze qualified to the final and was their first entry to do so since 2016; it ultimately placed 21st.

As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, GPB organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. GPB confirmed its intentions to participate at the 2025 contest on 2 September 2024. [5] The broadcaster has selected its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest both through national finals and internal selections in the past. In 2024, GPB opted to internally select its entry, a method which was continued for its 2025 participation. [6]

Before Eurovision

Internal selection

On 14 March 2025, GPB announced "Freedom" performed by Mariam Shengelia as the Georgian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. [7] Shengelia had previously attempted to represent Georgia in 2020, placing sixth in the ninth season of the reality television singing competition and artist selection Georgian Idol. [8] "Freedom" was composed by Keti Gabisiani with lyrics by Buka Kartozia, and was selected from 18 applications received by GPB, with another 20 entries also sent in by foreign composers. The music video of the song was directed by Kakha Bukhrashvili with artistic direction by Shako Popiashvili and Nino Tsulaia, and premiered alongside the entry announcement via the official Eurovision Song Contest's YouTube channel. [9] [10]

At Eurovision

Voting

Points awarded to Georgia

Points awarded to Georgia (Semi-final 2) [11]
PointsTelevote
12 points
10 pointsFlag of Armenia.svg  Armenia
8 points
7 pointsFlag of Israel.svg  Israel
6 points
5 pointsFlag of Greece.svg  Greece
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point

Points awarded by Georgia

Detailed voting results

Each participating broadcaster assembles a five-member jury panel consisting of music industry professionals who are citizens of the country they represent. Each jury, and individual jury member, is required to meet a strict set of criteria regarding professional background, as well as diversity in gender and age. No member of a national jury was permitted to be related in any way to any of the competing acts in such a way that they cannot vote impartially and independently. [13] The individual rankings of each jury member as well as the nation's televoting results were released shortly after the grand final.

The following members comprised the Georgian jury: [14]

  • David Tsintsadze
  • George Rostiashvili
  • Shalva Popiashvili
  • Ani Kekua
  • Salome Bakuradze
Detailed voting results from Georgia (Semi-final 2)
DrawCountryTelevote
RankPoints
01Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 101
02Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro 15
03Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 13
04Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia 47
05Flag of Armenia.svg  Armenia 112
06Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 56
07Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 65
08Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 38
09Flag of Malta.svg  Malta 92
10Flag of Georgia.svg  Georgia
11Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 11
12Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia 83
13Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 12
14Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 210
15Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia 14
16Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 74
Detailed voting results from Georgia (Final) [12]
DrawCountryJuryTelevote
Juror AJuror BJuror CJuror DJuror ERankPointsRankPoints
01Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 122214591374
02Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 26252520212623
03Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 81686231238
04Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 10141231010147
05Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 22241816202256
06Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 14152015192022
07Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 412281256210
08Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 21101918221926
09Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 17232622262565
10Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland 2072311161520
11Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia 5310723812
12Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 19114184716
13Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 24212219172411
14Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 2112311213
15Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 1317211471415
16Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 6205989292
17Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 9561046514
18Flag of Armenia.svg  Armenia 319917583112
19Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 112721117419
20Flag of Malta.svg  Malta 15111325131817
21Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal 236323141121
22Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 7441121024
23Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 19181726617101
24Flag of France.svg  France 1881512151618
25Flag of San Marino.svg  San Marino 16131624242125
26Flag of Albania.svg  Albania 25262413252383

References

  1. "Georgia". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  2. Bakker, Sietse (10 March 2009). "Georgian song lyrics do not comply with Rules". Eurovision.tv. EBU. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  3. Jonze, Tim (11 March 2009). "Eurovision 2009: Georgia pulls out of contest over 'Putin song'". The Guardian . Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  4. "Putin jibe picked for Eurovision". bbc.co.uk. BBC News. 19 February 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  5. Jiandani, Sanjay (Sergio) (2 September 2024). "Georgia: GPB confirms participation at Eurovision 2025". ESCToday. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  6. Bessell, Hayley (14 March 2025). "Mariam Shengelia to represent Georgia with Freedom". Aussievision. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  7. "Mariam Shengelia will sing 'Freedom' in Basel for Georgia". eurovision.tv. 14 March 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  8. Bijuvignesh, Darshan (14 March 2025). "🇬🇪 Georgia: Mariam Shengelia to Eurovision 2025 with "Freedom"". Eurovoix. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  9. Jiandani, Sanjay (Sergio) (14 March 2025). "Georgia: Mariam Shengalia will fly to Basel with 'Freedom'". ESCToday. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  10. "Mariam Shengelia to represent Georgia at Eurovision 2025". 1TV. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  11. 1 2 "Second Semi-Final of Basel 2025 – Detailed voting results". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union . Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  12. 1 2 "Grand Final of Basel 2025 – Detailed voting results". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union . Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  13. "How the Eurovision Song Contest works". European Broadcasting Union . Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  14. "Grand Final of Basel 2025 – Jurors". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union . Retrieved 18 May 2025.