Australia’s public broadcaster SBS has revealed the names of the first three artists competing in their national selection – Australia Decides.
Familiar faces
Whilst Europe slept, Australia was wide awake giving fans the first glimpses into the competition in Australia Decides. Of the three artists revealed, two already have a close Eurovision connection.
Isaiah Firebrace is perhaps the most well-known of the revealed artists, as he represented Australia in the Contest previously in 2017. Performing his song “Don’t Come Easy”, Firebrace finished in 9th position at the close of voting in Kyiv. However, in a video posted by SBS’ official Eurovision account, Isaiah said he wasn’t finished with the Contest yet:
I was a teenager back [in 2017] and I feel like I have so much to prove.
Isaiah Firebrace
Similarly returning to the competition is Jaguar Jonze, who attempted to represent the country – competing in Australia Decides 2020. A fan favourite, Jonze ultimately placed 6th in the national selection, losing out to eventual winner Montaigne.
Speaking to Eurovision.tv, Jonze gave more details about her entry and how it pushes her own limits as an artist.
‘My song is going to be a moment that celebrates our resilience and the little steps that lead to big change, as well as push my creative boundaries to another level. So much has happened since we were all together, and being back with the added strength of my Eurovision family and fanbase will make it a show worth waiting for. I can’t wait to see you on the Gold Coast!’
Jaguar Jonze
New national selection, new talent
In addition to Isaiah and Jaguar, SBS also unveiled PAULINI as the third artist to compete in Australia Decides 2021.
PAULINI is a Fijian-Australian singer who stormed onto screens in 2003, finishing in 4th place on the first season of Australian Idol. Since her appearance, PAULINI has gone on to release four albums and become one of the main staples of Australian TV entertainment. Her most recent appearance was on the Masked Singer Australia, where she made it to the final but ultimately did not win.
Australia Decides – who, what, when, where?
Eurovision: Australia Decides will be held in the Convention and Exhibition Centre on the Gold Coast, where it has been staged every year since Australia adopted a national final in 2019. Tickets to the show are currently on sale and the live final will take place on February 26th 2022. The show will also once again be hosted by Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasy, Australia’s commentators at the Contest.
Australia’s history at Eurovision
Australia is Eurovision’s newest country, debuting at the 2015 Contest. However, despite their relative inexperience, Australia has been one of the most successful countries in recent years. Their debut entry – Guy Sebastian’s “Tonight Again” – finished in 5th place. However, this would be topped the following year by Dami Im’s “Sound of Silence”. Im scored Australia their best placing yet, finishing in 2nd place by Jamala.
Last year, Montaigne was internally selected to represent Australia after the coronavirus pandemic cancelled the Contest in 2020. For the 2021 Contest, Montaigne was the only artist unable to travel to Rotterdam and thus used a live-on-tape performance of her song “Technicolour”. At the close of voting, Australia placed 14th out of 16 in their semi-final, causing Australia’s first non-qualification to the final.
What do you think of the first three artists to be revealed? Are you rooting for any artist in particular? Which artists do you think will be announced? As always, please do let us know what you think, and make sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ for more information on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
News Source: SBS
Photo Credit: Kingston Arts
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