Eurovision 2025 winner and Vienna resident JJ has been awarded the ‘Goldener Tathausmann’ by the city of Vienna.
The Mayor of Vienna has today presented JJ with the Goldener Tathausmann (Golden Town Hall Man) to celebrate his Eurovision 2025 victory and contribution to music. Mayor Michael Ludwig presented JJ with the statuette at a ceremony at Vienna City Hall. Previous recipients of the award include Eurovision winners Udo Jürgens and Conchita Wurst as well as stars such as Elton John and the Austrian men’s national hockey team.
Mayor Ludwig told the assembled press that:
All of Austria, but especially Vienna, was delighted when Eurovision in Basel ended with JJ winning. As a visible token of appreciation, I am now presenting Johannes Pietsch with the Goldener Rathausmann. It is a wonderful sign of the quality of our private music and arts university that an exceptional artist like JJ is studying there.
He went on to talk about Vienna’s hopes to bring Eurovision back to the city:
We are striving to host the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna again and have already submitted an 80-page application. Back in 2015, we proved that we can offer the necessary conditions and host the Eurovision Song Contest. Internationally, the contest in Vienna was also recognized as one of the best ever held. JJ is the first Austrian to achieve one million streams in one week. Previous Eurovision winners Udo Jürgens and Conchita Wurst also received the Goldener Rathausmann. Congratulations to JJ!
JJ, who was accompanied by his parents, sister and grandfather, commented:
I would like to thank everyone who has accompanied me on this wonderful journey. It is a great honor to be awarded the Goldener Rathausmann as a Viennese – a milestone I will never forget. I am speechless. Vienna is my home. I love Vienna more than any other city and would be delighted if Eurovision were held in Vienna again.
JJ was born in Vienna and, after a number of years living in Dubai, returned to the city in 2016. He has gone on to finish school and attend the Vienna State Opera Opera School and began studying solo singing at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna (MUK).
Eurovision 2026
The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is set to be held in Austria following the victory of JJ with “Wasted Love”. Austria won the Eurovision Song Contest for a third time, having won the 1966 and 2014 editions of the contest.
Image source: Stadt Wien / Christian Jobst | Source: City of Vienna
Austria debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957. Bob Martin represented the country on their debut but finished in last place scoring just 3 points. Austria has won the contest three times, the first being in 1966 when Udo Jürgens performed “Merci, Cherie”. It was 48 years later when Austria won again in 2014, when Conchita Wurst performed “Rise Like a Phoenix”, scoring a total of 290 points. Austria’s third win came in 2025, when JJ sang “Wasted Love” and scored 436 points.
