Junior Eurovision 2025 Spain profile: Érase Una Vez (Once Upon a Time) by Gonzalo Pinillos

Photo courtesy of Junior Eurovision

Gonzalo Pinillos is Spain’s entrant for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2025, representing his country at just 14 years old with his hopeful and magical song, Érase Una Vez (Once Upon a Time).

About the artist: Gonzalo Pinillos

Born and raised in Madrid, Gonzalo began studying piano and music theory at the age of six and spent several years singing in his school choir. That early training led him into musical theatre, where he gained experience performing in Madrid-based productions such as School of Rock (as Lawrence) and The Chorus (Les Choristes), playing the role of Pierre Morhange.

“I’m totally ready to represent Spain at Junior Eurovision. My song is amazing and carries a beautiful message that promotes culture and reading. It’s a message for all ages and languages,” Gonzalo said. "There are no words to describe how it feels to see all that hard work come together in such a beautiful result. I’m so excited.”

Spain’s broadcaster, RTVE, reviewed 270 applicants before choosing Gonzalo in July 2025. With a mix of formal training and stage work behind him, Gonzalo now steps onto the Junior Eurovision stage with a musical-theatre sounding pop-song that’s right in his wheelhouse.

About the song: Érase Una Vez (Once Upon a Time)

 Gonzalo’s song could be straight out of Tick, Tick...Boom!, being a cross between pop and that Jonathon Larsen Broadway musical sound. The song is a tribute to the transformative power of reading. Gonzalo takes us through a landscape littered with literary legends and describes how possibilities are endless when you tap into those imagined fictional worlds cherished by adults and children alike.

You could be Naruto, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland or run from flying monkeys in the merry old land of Oz, step through the wardrobe into Narnia to hang out with Prince Caspian or figure out what it means to be a half-fairy half-vampire like Isadora Moon. It's musical-theatresque stylings (and its The Pagemaster style music video) make Érase Una Vez pretty accessible, being pitched both at kids and at adults. It targets that nostalgia spot most adult brains carry for the classic stories they read as children.

Spain’s 2025 entry comes from a team with plenty of Junior Eurovision experience behind them. The song was penned by Luis Ramiro, Alejandro Martínez, David Parejo, and Gonzalo Pinillos himself. Several of these writers have worked on Spain’s recent JESC successes, including Loviu for Sandra Valero in 2023 and Como la Lola for Chloe DelaRosa in 2024. They’ve pulled out all the creative stops, leveraging their previous success and know-how to connect with the Junior Eurovision audience. It's clear that Gonzalo has the necessary musical-theatre chops for a song like this – it's a big sing!

Spain in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest

Spain has been part of Junior Eurovision since the very beginning, and their early years are a golden chapter in the contest’s history. Despite their 13-year hiatus, they remain a Junior Eurovision powerhouse with one win, three second-place finishes, and two third-place results in 10 participations. Sergio kicked things off in 2003 with Desde el cielo, a song that was sweet without being sugary, and it landed Spain in second place.

Two years later, María Isabel gave us Antes muerta que sencilla, a song that somehow managed to be both a catchy pop track and a runaway success. Her win in 2004 wasn’t just a victory; it became one of those entries people still reference when they talk about the contest finding its feet.

After 2006, Spain stepped away for over a decade, which only made their 2019 return a huge splash. Melani’s Marte showed they still knew how to pick a young performer who could handle a huge vocal line, and Soleá followed with the lively Palante, pre-recorded due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since coming back, Spain has settled into a rhythm of sending songs that feel contemporary without losing that Spanish flavour. Will Gonzalo’s ode to the biblioteca bring Spain another win in Tblisi?

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