Theo Evan’s captivating performance of “Shh” failed to secure a spot among the top 10 in the first semi-final. Despite delivering one of the most visually striking acts of the evening, the Cypriot entry did not resonate enough with televoters and juries to qualify.
Theo Evan, the first Cyprus-born artist to represent the country since 2017, took the stage as the night’s final act, performing 15th in a field of 15 countries. His song, “Shh,” a trance-inspired track written by a team including Dimitris Kontopoulos, Lasse Nymann, Linda Dale, and Elsie Bay, was paired with elaborate staging that drew widespread praise. Social media reactions highlighted the performance’s choreography and visual effects, with one viewer noting, “The staging is amazing. It was worth the wait.” However, critiques of the song’s quality and vocal execution surfaced, with some pointing to struggles with sustained notes as a potential weakness.
The first semi-final at St. Jakobshalle in Basel saw the following 10 countries advance to the Grand Final on May 17: Norway, Albania, Sweden, Iceland, Netherlands, Poland, San Marino, Estonia, Portugal, and Ukraine. Cyprus, alongside Azerbaijan, Belgium, Croatia, Slovenia, and Switzerland, was eliminated. Per Eurovision tradition, detailed voting results will be revealed after the Grand Final.
Cyprus has a mixed history at Eurovision, with its best result being a second-place finish in 2018 by Eleni Foureira with “Fuego.” The country faced challenges in the semi-finals, failing to qualify multiple times between 2006 and 2013. This year’s entry carried high expectations, with Evan’s Berklee College of Music background and the songwriting team’s pedigree—Kontopoulos has written for seven different nations, and Nymann and Dale contributed to 2024’s winning song, “The Code.” Yet, reviews suggested the song may have been a weak link, with one critic describing it as “a shambles of a trance track.”
Posts on X reflected divided opinions. While some fans lauded the performance’s polish, others felt the song lacked the strength to compete, with comments like, “Vocally not the strongest but certainly not the weakest,” and concerns about Evan’s delivery on long notes. The sentiment underscored a recurring theme for Cyprus: stunning visuals often overshadowed by underwhelming songs or execution.
As the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 continues, the second semi-final on May 15 will determine the remaining Grand Finalists, with the Big 5 (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom) and host Switzerland already guaranteed spots. For Cyprus, the focus now shifts to 2026, hoping to refine the formula that will return the nation to the Grand Final stage.
