Czechia took a thorough and drawn-out approach to their selection & song debut for ESC 2025. Last autumn the broadcaster, Česká televize, began an internal process by presenting the submissions to 3 different groups: a 10 person panel of music execs and former ESC artists, a 900-person survey, and finally a smaller focus group. Thankfully, all of them agreed on the best artist…
ADONXS (Adam Pavlovčin) began his own journey to the contest long before. While studying vocal performance (developing his distinctive basso profundo), he made a promise that sometime before the age of 30 he would try for Eurovision. The unpredictability of life led him there just in time, at 29, along a winding path that included: working and performing in London (where he chose his stage name - inspired by drag culture); moving back to Prague at the start of the pandemic; and winning SuperStar, the Idol franchise for Czechia & Slovakia, in 2021!
ADONXS assembled a team and recorded 5 songs. But with extra studio time, they tossed off another just for fun… and quickly realized it was the best option. The impromptu moment allowed ADONXS to express some raw emotions. “Every song heals a different part of me” he shared in an interview with WiWiBloggs.
Per Czech Television’s plan, ADONXS would have to hold those emotions close for a while longer. He was announced as their representative on December 10, but the public didn’t have a chance to hear his song, “Kiss Kiss Goodbye,” until ADONXS performed as an interval act at MESC’s first semifinal on the 4th of February. The “acoustic” version he sang began with just ADONXS and a piano, eventually building up to the full orchestra backing. Ignore the tepid response from in the arena… many EuroFans began touting ADONXS as a real contender!
Finally on March 7, four months after being selected by the broadcaster, ADONXS’ song and music video were released. The track has a ton of musical variety: quiet lows & bombastic highs; somewhat Bond-theme with an orchestra, choir, and chimes; and a 32 count dance break! The musical roller coaster works thematically with the angst of the lyrics: a story of love that hurts so good; desire for someone who just doesn’t feel the same way. Should he stay or should he go? Is it worth the pain, or will he really say goodbye this time? Being open to interpretation gives it a wide relatability factor. Is he singing of romance or, as the video would imply, his abandoning dad?
Whatever it truly means to him, ADONXS should have no trouble finding the emotions for his performance in Basel because he’s now been exposed to the most fickle love of all: Eurofans. Hot on the “acoustic” version, luke-warm on the full track… will they come around to see (and vote for) this brilliant song? Either way, ADONXS should have fun. After all, he’s just “another pop girlie who lives for the drama.”