Justyna Steczkowska is back on the Eurovision stage representing Poland, and she’s bringing the power of ‘GAJA’.

Journey to Basel

Even former Eurovision stars have to go through the selection process (just ask Loreen), and Justyna Steczkowska is no different. She had to cancel any Valentine’s Day plans on 14 February 2025, because she got a place in the Polish national selection final, Wielki Finał Polskich Kwalifikacji. After all, what love could be stronger than a love for Eurovision?

She was up against 10 other acts, and the decision was completely in the hands of the Polish public. After a performance that included leather outfits, dance breaks, violin playing and flying, Justyna ran away with the win. In fact, she took 39.32% of the points.

From Eurovision to… Eurovision

Justyna is no stranger to Eurovision, having competed before in 1995 with the song Sama, which was Poland’s second Eurovision outing. But it wasn’t to be, and Norway won the Contest with Nocturne. 30 years later, could 2025 be Justyna’s year?

Even though she didn’t win in 1995, Justyna has fond memories of competing in Eurovision. And we’re glad to hear it.

Since 1995, Justyna has built a solid career and racked up a serious number of awards. She now has 19 studio albums, over 200 songs and has performed in around 3,000 concerts.

She’s not only a singer, but also a violinist, composer, actress, and photographer, and has an impressive 4-octave vocal range. Justyna has had her talent recognised by the best in the business, and has performed in concerts with musical icons. Some of those include opera singer Plácido Domingo and composer Howard Shore, who wrote the Lord of the Rings music. What the world needs is a Justyna cover of Gollum’s Song.

Any fans of Polish TV music contests will also recognise Justyna from The Voice of Poland, where she sits on the jury and has been nicknamed Mrs Professor.

Behind the “shaman of Polish music”

Justyna first went on stage at the age of three, where she sang the famous Neapolitan song, O Sole Mio. She remembers that the audience started applauding before she had even started singing, which left her stunned. The weirdest place she’s ever performed is on a roof in the centre of Warsaw. An activity which we assume had the correct health and safety checks.

Cheering Justyna on, will be her family – human, canine, and feline. Justyna has 3 children, 3 pomeranians called Brutus, Beza, and Czesio, and a cat called Pip.

As this is Justyna’s second time at Eurovision, it’s only fitting that her Eurovision hero is someone who’s done the same. Her hero is Loreen, who’s won the Contest twice, first with Euphoria in 2012 and then with Tattoo in 2023. Justyna says Loreen is an extraordinary singer and an intriguing woman.

The inspiration behind GAJA

Justyna clearly loves big, cinematic music, and that shines through in GAJA. Some of her favourite songs include the eerie Paul’s Dream from the Dune soundtrack by Hans Zimmer and Tina Turner’s James Bond theme song, Goldeneye. Some of her other top tracks include Pearls by Sade, Born To Die by Lana Del Ray, and i love you by Billie Eilish.

Her own songs like SLAVIC and Pilgrimage draw in traditional Polish sounds and mix them with modern beats. Think ethereal pop queen with serious stage presence.

Justyna had a hand in writing her Eurovision entry, GAJA. The song is all about the Greek goddess Gaia, who represented Earth. In her song, Justyna herself is Gaia. And we all bow down.

Next stop: Basel

Justyna can’t wait to get to Basel, and says: “I believe that it will be a fantastic time of good music and fun for all of us. I wish this to all of you, with all my heart.”

Listen out for Justyna on the Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast .

You can learn more about Justyna Steczkowska from Poland right here .