Spain participates this Saturday with Gonzalo Pinillos in Junior Eurovision 2025, where Israel is not present

Spain will participate this Saturday in the 23rd edition of Junior Eurovision, with Gonzalo Pinillos, who will take the stage of the Tbilisi Gymnastics Pavilion (Georgia) to defend ‘Once upon a time’ (‘Once upon a time’), in a contest in which Israel does not participate.

After withdrawing from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest due to the decision of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to allow the presence of Israel, Spain will compete in this year’s youth edition with a total of 18 countries, one more than last year. The Israeli State debuted in the contest in 2012 and, since then, has competed twice: 2016 and 2018.

This Saturday young singers between 9 and 14 years old will represent the following stations and countries: RTSH (Albania), AMPTV (Armenia), Ictimai (Azerbaijan), HRT (Croatia), CyBC (Cyprus), France Télévisions (France), GPB (Georgia), TG4 (Ireland), Rai (Italy), PBS (Malta), RTCG (Montenegro), AVROTROS (Netherlands), MKRTV (North Macedonia), TVP (Poland), RTP (Portugal), SMRTV (San Marino), RTVE (Spain) and Suspilne (Ukraine).

In 2025, Montenegro, Croatia and Azerbaijan return to Junior Eurovision. Montenegro participated for the last time in 2015, while Croatia, which won the first edition in 2003, competed for the last time in 2014. Azerbaijan, for its part, returns in 2021. The grand final of Junior Eurovision 2025 can be followed in Spain this Saturday through La 1 and RTVE Play, starting at 5:00 p.m.

Gonzalo Pinillos, 14 years old, was selected among 270 candidates submitted to the online casting. The Madrid artist has a comprehensive training and artistic vocation. His passion for music, according to RTVE, began at the age of six, when he began studying piano and musical language, and since then he has maintained constant training that led him to musical theater in 2020, being part of the cast of musicals such as ‘The Choir Boys’ and ‘Oliver Twist’.

SPAIN IN JUNIOR EUROVISION

Spain debuted in Junior Eurovision in 2003, being one of the 16 founding countries that participated in the first edition of the contest held in Copenhagen. RTVE was present continuously until 2006, when it decided to withdraw from the event.

However, thirteen years later, in 2019, RTVE announced the return of Spain to the Festival, which would take place in Poland. Since then, Spain has participated without interruption in the contest, achieving its best result in 2004 with María Isabel and her ‘Better dead than simple’.

The EBU commissioned Spain to organize the Junior Eurovision 2024 festival. The decision came after the resignation of France, winner of Junior Eurovision 2023 with Zoé Clauzure and ‘Coeur’. In that edition, Sandra Valero had achieved second place with ‘LOVIU’, the best in 18 years.