Now Eurovision 2025 is firmly behind us and we’ve had a chance to properly digest the shitshow events of Basel, it’s now time to discuss What Went Wrong. We’ve all had a chance to mull over the results of the contest. The Eurovision 2025 final saw some very dramatic results, but 11 acts did not get a chance to see that.
In our second part Daniel, Loïc, and Kittens discuss what went wrong with Czechia.
Who is Adonxs?
ADONXS is the stage name of Adam Pavlovčin, a 29-year-old singer originally born in Myjava in Slovakia, less than 10 kilometres from the Czech border. Growing up, ADONXS focused heavily on singing and dancing – eventually moving to Prague and London – to pursue a musical career. His big break came in 2021, when he won the joint Czech and Slovak version of Pop Idol, SuperStar. Since then, he has released several tracks under his new persona of ADONXS.
What are the issues with the selection?
Daniel – Not enough Adam Mišik. ESCZ was doing fantastic and it’s really disappointing that the budget restraints caused its death.
Loïc – I don’t think the selection was the issue here. ADONXS was actually an excellent pick for Czechia. Most things fell into place for what could’ve been a great Eurovision journey. The only real misstep, in my opinion, was the dance break. It felt unnecessary and slightly broke the song’s emotional flow, pulling the performance out of its own vibe just when it needed to stay locked in.
Kittens – Yes ESCZ sadly departed and I will echo the desire to get this back again, but I feel like the actual selection of the artist was a ‘good on paper’ selection. ADONXS is very much a star, and I don’t think for one moment the NQ will be any more than a road bump in his career. But I worry about the future of Czechia at Eurovision in the long term, and I think they need to be more savvy with their selection.
Was the song and act good enough to be in Eurovision?
Daniel – The song was perfectly down the middle okay. Good enough to make up the 37 for sure but there’s a reason it didn’t make the final.
Loïc – As I mentioned earlier, the dance break was completely unnecessary. It disrupted the emotional build-up of the song and stripped away the intensity it had carefully constructed. Not every Eurovision entry needs a dance moment or a sudden tempo shift, especially when the song already has the right ingredients : strong vocals, a captivating atmosphere, and a powerful chorus. Sometimes, less really is more.
Kittens – I had concerns when I heard the artist back catalogue – everything very listenable and a great performer but not really stuff that grabs you, and the actual song selected was, in the end, quite a lot like that. I feel it takes a lot more than just being a ‘good’ artist to succeed in Eurovision when you only have those 3 minutes to grab attention.
Did the staging compliment the song and stand out?
Daniel – Quite the opposite for me. The staging, especially the dance break, completely butchered the song’s chances. Just felt completely unnecessary and like it was added because “Oh, dancebreaks! People like those, right?” rather than fitting the song
Loïc – This staging is a textbook example of self-sabotage. Honestly, what happened with Czechia? We’ve seen countries with far tighter budgets deliver inventive, impactful performances; so budget alone can’t be the excuse here. And yes, I’m bringing up the dance break again because not only did it disrupt the emotional arc of the song, but it wasn’t even captured effectively on screen. By the end, the whole thing felt hollow and forgettable. That’s a real shame because I love the song, and I know they had all the material, especially from the striking visuals of the music video, to create something bold and memorable on stage.
Kittens – in the end, the staging really wasn’t memorable. In fact I’m literally struggling to remember it now and I *just* watched it. Which is a shame, because 1) Czechia have done so well with staging recently, and 2) looking at ADONXS’ videos, it’s clear that someone on their team has a great understanding of visuals. I would have loved to see them make more of the message of the song, and make more of the dramatics that I know ADONXS is capable of.
Could this song have qualified if changes were made?
Daniel – If we pretend the dance break never happened then I think it is far closer to qualification, but I was always sceptical of the song’s chances even prior to that and think it would fall just short regardless, as I just don’t think the song has enough draw for people to get out their phones and spend money voting on it.
Loïc – Without the dance break, with stronger vocals, and by avoiding the mistakes made during the one performance that truly mattered? Then yes, Czechia might have been a borderline qualifier.
Kittens – an overhaul of the pacing of the song, and yes, getting rid of the dance break, or alternatively a revamp that made the dance break more natural, would have helped a lot. Making much more of the staging and making it much more memorable would have helped. But do i think that would have made it anything more than a borderline qualifier? Probably not – it’s good, but doesn’t grab you.
What are our outlooks for future contests?
Daniel – Assuming they stay around, which there’s always reason to doubt with Czechia, I really want to see ESCZ come back, even if it’s the most low budget selection we’ve ever seen. ESCZ has done purely online shows in the past and there’s not a single broadcaster I’d trust more than ČT when it comes to doing this kind of thing on the cheap.
Loïc – I honestly think Czechia should stick to internal selections for now, especially if budget remains tight. What really matters is choosing the right artist and letting their identity shine through. Instead of overthinking what a “Eurovision” song should be, they should build from the artist’s own world and craft something consistent and impactful. And most importantly… Please, don’t mess up the staging again (and don’t add a useless dance break if your song doesn’t fit that mood !)
Kittens – I do think they need to think very carefully about selecting an artist and select a song carefully. I don’t think I’d bring back ESCZ at this point (a few better placements and I think they’d get the money to do it justice), but a much tighter selection committee with a better idea of what works specifically in Eurovision would probably work wonders.
Czechia’s Eurovision Journey
Czechia made their debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007, with Kabát’s “Malá dama”; however, their debut entry finished last in a 28-song semi-final, scoring only 1 point. This kicked off three consecutive non-qualifications, with their best result coming in 2008, finishing in second-last place. Having withdrawn in 2009 due to poor results, Czechia returned to the Contest in 2015. In 2016, Czechia qualified for the first time with Gabriela Gunciková’s “I Stand”.
Czechia reverted to an internal selection for 2025, selecting ADONXS with “Kiss Kiss Goodbye”. The song scored 29 points in the second semifinal, placing twelfth and missing out on the Grand Final for the second consecutive year.
What do think about our thoughts? Do you think Czechia could have qualified? Let us know in the comments or on social media! Be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky as we prepare for Eurovision 2024!
Source: That Eurovision Site
Image Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU