🇦🇺 Australia confirm participation at Eurovision Song Contest 2022

SBS the Australia broadcaster has confirmed that they will take part in Eurovision 2022. This will be the Australia’s seventh participation in the contest. Australia originally joined Eurovision as one off in 2015. Australia now have a spot in Eurovision until at least 2023 after securing a participation grant back in 2019.

How Australia will select their act

Australia’s selection process has not been confirmed yet, however it is expected that we will see a return of the national final Australia Decides. Australia has opted for a National Final in both 2019 and 2020 to choose their representative. However in 2021 it was decided that Australia Decides 2020 winner Montaigne would get a second shot to represent Australia. Montaigne’s selection in 2021 came due to the Covid-19 pandemic cancelling the contest in 2020. However this year it is likely they could return to using their national final again. Listen to Australia Decides winner Kate Miller Heidke and her song ‘Zero Gravity’ here:

Australia and Covid-19

This year Australia were unable to perform live in Rotterdam. Australia’s lack of presence at the contest was due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions in the country which prohibit people from entering and leaving the country. Montaigne could still take part due to a contingency plan, by which all countries recorded a live on tape back up performance to be used in the event any participant couldn’t travel to Rotterdam. Time will tell if this is the strategy used again by Australia next year.

Australia’s history at the Eurovision Song Contest.

Australia have had varying success at Eurovision. The country’s best result came in 2016 when Dami Im came second with her song ‘Sound Of Silence’. ‘Sound of Silence’ scored 511 points in the Grand Final and was the jury winner of the contest. Australia have also had their misfortunes at Eurovision. In 2021 Montaigne failed to qualify for the final with her song ‘Technicolour’ placing 14th in the first semi final. You can watch Montaigne’s performance here:

Are you excited to see Australia back for another year? Who would you like to represent them? Let us know in the comments below or on social media. Don’t forget to follow ‘THAT Eurovision Site’ over at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

News Source: ESCToday/SBS

Photo Source: Jess Gleeson