Tommy Cash brings Espresso Macchiato to Switzerland at Eurovision 2025

The Eurovision Song Contest is not just a musical competition: it's a carnival of sounds, lights, and spectacular stunts where anything is possible. Each year, participating countries compete with performances ranging from classic pop to extreme experimentation, offering the audience memorable and often downright extravagant or even bizarre moments. From over-the-top costumes to nonsensical lyrics, and eccentric and surreal performances, Eurovision is the triumph of refined kitsch.

Eesti Laul: Estonia's singing competition for Eurovision

But how do you get to the stage of Europe's most-watched competition? Each country selects its representative through national contests that, in some cases, are hugely popular television events. In Estonia, the selection takes place through Eesti Laul, a festival that pits a variety of artists against each other to determine the winner who will fly to the international stage. And this is precisely where the controversy igniting the eve of Eurovision 2025 has emerged.

Espresso macchiato... or pure caffeine?

This year, Estonia has decided to shake up the Eurovision scene by sending Tommy Cash, the winner of Eesti Laul 2025, with his song "Espresso Macchiato".

The track, a mix of dance pop, rap, and electro swing hints, is a festival of broken English, making it irresistibly grotesque. But it's not just the pronunciation that's the problem: the lyrics, which blend references to Italian culture with rather questionable stereotypes, have sparked a hornet's nest of controversy.
In particular, the use of the word "mafioso" has angered many Italians. The song plays on a series of clichés ranging from pizza to pasta and, of course, the mafia. Whether the intent was ironic or merely provocative, the question of taste remains.

The wrath of the Italian Codacons and inflamed politics

As expected, the reaction was swift. The Codacons, an Italian consumer protection organization, immediately requested the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to exclude the song from the competition, calling it "offensive and damaging to Italy's image."
Italian political figures also expressed outrage: Gian Marco Centinaio, Vice President of the Italian Senate, declared that those who insult Italy should be banned from Eurovision.

While social media is ablaze with debates between those who feel offended and those who appreciate the song's irony, Tommy Cash declared his love for Italy and assured that the song was not intended to offend anyone. Moreover, the song and its music video are going viral online, which means only one thing: whether people like it or not, "Espresso Macchiato" is working perfectly as a marketing strategy.

Eurovision 2025: between controversies and memes, the coffee is served

In short, between calls for exclusion, political indignation, and viral memes, Estonia has already won at least one battle: visibility. If Tommy Cash's goal was to get people talking, mission accomplished. Now, we just have to wait for the Eurovision 2025 stage in Switzerland to see whether the European audience will reward his "Espresso Macchiato" with votes and applause... or a coffee spiked with sarcasm.

Who is Johnny Cash... pardon, Tommy Cash?

For those who were startled by the headline, let's clarify: the Cash we're talking about here is not Johnny Cash, the legendary American country singer, an icon of 20th-century music, but Tommy Cash, an Estonian artist known for his eccentric and provocative style. If the first Johnny Cash sang about love, pain, and redemption with his deep and unmistakable voice, the second prefers to mix trap, irony, and surreal performances. Two different worlds, two distant eras, but both capable of leaving a mark... in their own way.

Tommy Cash's real name is Tomas Tammemets. Born in 1991 in Tallinn, he is a rapper, visual artist, and performer who has gained international fame thanks to his provocative and surreal style. In choosing his stage name, he clearly references Johnny Cash, perhaps as a tribute or parody of the country legend, playing with the contrast between two completely different musical genres.

Influenced by post-Soviet culture and alternative hip-hop trends, Tommy Cash is known for his over-the-top aesthetics, eccentric music videos, and lyrics that combine irony, absurdity, and social critique. His musical journey began in the early 2010s when he started releasing tracks with electronic sounds and irreverent lyrics. Songs like "Winaloto" and "Pussy Money Weed" made him a cult figure in the underground music scene, while his 2018 album "¥€$" cemented his international success.

With collaborations with world-renowned artists and a visual universe that oscillates between trash and contemporary art, Tommy Cash has managed to build an unconventional career.

His participation in Eurovision 2025 with "Espresso Macchiato" marks another step in his mission to surprise and provoke, bringing a mix of irony, sarcasm, and pure eccentricity to the European music contest stage.

A fun fact: there is also a Tommy Cash who is actually Johnny Cash's younger brother and a country singer, but he has nothing to do with the Estonian rapper!

Espresso macchiato?

All that's left is to share the official video and lyrics. But first, a tip for Tommy Cash: if you're going to bring espresso macchiato to the Eurovision stage, maybe serve it in a classic Italian cup and not in a takeaway paper cup...

"Espresso Macchiato"

Mi amore, mi amore
Espresso macchiato, macchiato, macchiato
Por favore, por favore
Espresso macchiato corneo
Mi amore, mi amore
Espresso macchiato, macchiato, macchiato
Por favore, por favore
Espresso macchiato
Espresso macchiato
Ciao bella, I'm Tommaso, addicted to tobacco
Mi like mi coffè very importante
No time to talk, scusi, my days are very busy
And I just own this little ristorante
Life may give you lemons when dancing with the demons
No stresso, no stresso, no need to be depresso
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Mi amore, mi amore
Espresso macchiato, macchiato, macchiato
Por favore, por favore
Espresso macchiato corneo
Mi amorе, mi amore
Espresso macchiato, macchiato, macchiato
Por favore, por favorе
Espresso macchiato
Espresso macchiato

Mi like to fly privati with twenty-four carati
Also mi casa very grandioso
Mi money numeroso, I work around the clocko
That's why I'm sweating like a mafioso

Life is like spaghetti, it's hard until you make it
No stresso, no stresso, it's gonna be espresso

Mi amore, mi amore
Espresso macchiato, macchiato, macchiato
Por favore, por favore
Espresso macchiato
Espresso macchiato