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Category: Australia

The Australian entry is chosen by SBS. Australia first took part in 2015. The country has yet to win Eurovision.

  • If this is to be Australia’s swansong, its not Moot!

    If this is to be Australia’s swansong, its not Moot!

    So in the dead of the Australian night – at 0530 AEDT to be precise, SBS leaked out their song for Eurovision 2023 at a time that suited Europe, just not the dedicated and, sometimes, rabid fanbase down under which I am sure pissed off A LOT of people.

    SBS decided to dispense with a national selection show in favour of the Perth based Synth metal band who came 2nd in Eurovision – Australia Decides last year.Ā  The official organ of this contest says that their hopes are high for success this year – but then again they would say that wouldn’t they.

    Is this the last year for Australia? – Not in general, but in this contest? – Their exemption is up this year and Asiavision is on its way, apparently.Ā  There are also very strong rumours that SBS have lost heart after a run of disapointing results.Ā  We shall wait and see.

  • 21 November – It don’t come cheap

    21 November – It don’t come cheap

    Let’s think big today. Countries that is. There are few, despite how small our fair continent is. But nowadays Eurovision songs don’t need to come from European countries.

    I’m talking Australia. Honorary Europe for two weeks in May and sometimes one in November or December. They’ve almost won, as you’ll now. But in 2017 Australia’s broadcaster SBS sent today’s birthday boy Isaiah Firebrace. Hot on the heels of finishing as runners-up in 2016, Isaiah had a tough act to follow. Winning our favourite TV show would always be a mountain, but he steered his song safely through the semi-final, and managed his country’s third top 10 place in a row in the Grand Final. Televoting results were very difficult to come by for him on the Saturday night – only getting them from Denmark. A strange thing when the other 171 came from juries. What does this tell us? He had a good jury-bait song. Or the Australian diaspora in Europe weren’t watching.

    Isaiah is 23 today.

    Happy birthday, Isaiah!

  • 14 August – I don’t need certainty to get my pot of gold

    14 August – I don’t need certainty to get my pot of gold

    After a couple of years of up-in-the-airness, our favourite TV show is getting more back on an even keel. Yes, that’s a mix of metaphors but we can at least be hopeful for 2023.

    Now in all the contests since 1956, every competing performer – except one – has walked on the Eurovision stage. That one sole performer is today’s birthday girl Montaigne (nĆ©e Jessica Alyssa Cerro). Whilst performers from 38 other countries were living it up in Rotterdam, Montaigne was still many thousands of kilometres away, wishing she was there. Instead, she had to rely on a legendary live-on-tape video to get her through to the Saturday night final. It was always going to be an uphill battle and that proved to be the case, with Montaigne getting a whole heap of points from Ukraine and, erm, very little else. Others did score less, but she must be the unluckiest performer of all.

    Montaigne is 27 today.

    Happy birthday, Montaigne!

  • Australia first up on day 7

    Australia first up on day 7

    My problems with this are two-fold.

    First, the song is essentially Sheldon bleating for three minutes that he is different and that he hides behind a mask. Genuine emotions from a genuine guy. It just translates to what amounts to him bellowing, at me personally, that heā€™s had a bad upbringing and that heā€™s different. The song definitely resonates with a section of people, of course it does, but for the majority that are going to be watching on Thursday night, I just think they need entertaining.

    And they will have been royally entertained in most of the previous seven songs. Remember this is going to come straight after Achille Lauro has gyrated all over the stage with his guitarist and a rodeo bull. No one is going to be listening to the postcard, or the commentator telling them about Sheldon or, if we are honest, even the first 30-45 seconds of this song.

    That is where Sheldon needs to connect with the audience, and all there is are some back-lit shots of Sheldon with his mask on, commanding people to hear how different he is. Itā€™s staged relatively simply with him in a white suit and feather bottoms. The denouement of this song is Sheldon walking up the stairs and taking his mask off. To the average televoter, though, all they are going to hear or remember is ā€œIā€™m not the sameā€ repeated over and repeatedly until they get thoroughly sick and tired of it and their mind wanders to the next song.

    It might not be the story Sheldon was looking for, but its the one he is going to get.

  • Australia – He really is the same!

    Australia – He really is the same!

    Two more to go – Australia and Sheldon are next.Ā  He appears without the mask which means we can see his face!

    How can he describe his performance? Well, there are some things to tweak, but he is loving how it is looking. The message he wants to convey with the stage performance is that you can unapologetically be yourself, and he knows Eurovision is a place where he can be himself and break down barriers.

    Asperger’s syndrome

    Sheldon Riley from Australia rehearsed his song Not The Same for the first time at the PalaOlimpico in Turin
    Sheldon Riley from Australia rehearsed his song Not The Same for the first time at the PalaOlimpico in Turin

    He wrote the song when he was 15 and struggling with Asperger’s syndrome and the fact that he was sure he would not achieve anything. He did not want to be a quiet person and when he became himself, he wrote a message on Facebook saying he is not the same and it’s all OK.

    He seems so humble and if he is going to do this, it’s got to be really big. Responding to a question about the masks, he says he has sixteen, and tries to match them to his outfits. He says that a lot of us hide behind masks, but importantly, he doesn’t want the song to be a flag bearer for coming out sexually, just come out as you.

    Grayson

    His songs are usually written when he is sad and he loves his dog (Grayson) more than his boyfriend. If Mr Sheldon is watching, you have competition. Inspirations? Eurovision naturally – he gets up at 5am, three times a year and Barbara Pravi is still inspiring him.

    After a performance, Sheldon says that he loves the quiet time and he makes his own outfits including the one in the picture and that he loves to create!. He says that he never thought he would amount to anything – and gets emotional to have made this paryicular dream come true.

    @eurovision Wow! A strong vocal performance from @Sheldon Riley 👏🇦🇺 during his first rehearsal at #Eurovision #Eurovision2022 #EurovisionTikTok ā™¬ original sound – Eurovision

  • Montyā€™s Eurovision Countdown Part 3 – Australia

    Montyā€™s Eurovision Countdown Part 3 – Australia

    Australia, alphabetically, serves up the first of what will emerge as a theme in 2022: the introspective sadboi. I hadnā€™t seen the copycat style from last yearā€™s Contest being a male Victoria from Bulgaria, but here we are.

    International talent show alumnus Sheldonā€™s song is a well-represented theme at Eurovision: the pain of growing up the outsider turning to triumph on the international stage. It chronicles a journey that will resonate with many of us who, whether gay, geek, or chronically uncool, have made the same voyage from exclusion to self-acceptance, and found ourselves embraced by this funny little Eurovision community weā€™ve found.

    The song is dark, stark, and dramatic. Sheldonā€™s social ostracism is illustrated by a dazzling face covering of jewelled strands (itā€™s not meeting FFP2 standards but itā€™s a heck of a lot more glamourous). He also sports a fascinating gender-busting outfit. Inevitably thereā€™s a walk to the front of the stage (ever forwards into a new, emboldened life) and a denouement where the mask is finally lifted, a moment of genuine liberation for Sheldon as itā€™s here his voice cracked with emotion in the Australian national final.

    Sheldonā€™s written on his social media of the absolute joy and pride he feels from having never been taken seriously as the boy that dresses up to standing on the stage, singing his own song, wearing what he chooses. I think we can all get behind that; these moments of personal achievement splashed onto such a massive global platform will no doubt inspire and embolden others who will go on to find their own space within our funny little Eurovision community of ours, and beyond.

    But how does this stack up competitively? Itā€™s not a bad example of its genre, and the face covering adds a twist of interest which this will need to stand out. Judging it individually I view it relatively favourably, but itā€™s in a line-up of 39 other songs, and thereā€™s a good many of them ploughing a similar furrow. Will Europe be ready for a group therapy session by May, or will we prefer to party? I know Iā€™m leaning to the latter.

    My marks: 7 points

  • Mo’s Eurovision Countdown 2022 – Part 3 – Australia

    Mo’s Eurovision Countdown 2022 – Part 3 – Australia

    Sheldon Riley – Not the same

    Eurovision tends to bring us either a song or a performance. The sweet spot happens when the two coincide.

    For Australia, Sheldon Riley is bringing a performance. His voice is stunning and detailed, his ability to hold the attention never in question. The weak spot is the song. A deeply personal and emotional story that I enjoyed while watching, but instantly forgot.

    Sheldon Riley and subtlety are never seen in the same room. He looks like someone who covered themselves in glue and ran through a Claire’s Accessories airport concession to see what stuck. The song, while lyrically strong, is theĀ musical equivalent of those sachets of mayonnaise you get in motorway service stations.

    Iā€™ve heard it a dozen times now and couldnā€™t sing a note. Thereā€™s a somewhat dated reality show winnerā€™s journey vibe to an entry that could easily be a forgettable Sia album track.

    Moā€™s Score ā€“ 2 Points

  • Phil’s Eurovision Countdown 2022 – Part 3 – Australia

    Phil’s Eurovision Countdown 2022 – Part 3 – Australia

    Sheldon Riley – Not the same

    This song, for me, poses a question that I never thought I would ever ask in the history of this contest ā€“ Is there such as thing as being *too* gay at the Eurovision? ā€“ I know right, youā€™d think Iā€™d be embracing all of the differences and the like, what with me being a big whoopsie and all but, at its heart the Eurovision is a family entertainment show ā€“ not the purview of middle-aged men who hanker for a different age, or young twinky kweens trying to slay and do all of that other stuff that the young ones do these days.

    Sheldon is very definitely in the latter category and that is accentuated by their choice of stage wear and that stupid and superfluous mask ā€“ I know itā€™s symbolic but if your song isnā€™t strong enough to tell the story you are trying to paint, no camp mask is going to help.

    And thatā€™s the juxtapose here ā€“ it could be strong enough on its own to sell me the story of his hard life, but there are other ways of doing it than a three-minute poor-me-whinge set to music.

    I find it a very hard listen, not for the story or the sentiments expressed but becauseĀ  it sounds as though Sheldon is drowning in Treacle ā€“ itā€™s all told in slow motion and doesnā€™t grab the listeners attention in the same way that, say, Amen should have done. Itā€™s just a bit drab, and it could have been so much more.

    Philā€™s Score ā€“ 3 Points

  • RESULTS ROUND UP – Week eight in review

    RESULTS ROUND UP – Week eight in review

    Two more songs joined the Turin list as one broadcaster found itself removed from the line-up. Time for the OnEurope weekend in review for week eight of the Eurovision on-season (just two more to go).

    Australia

    Sheldon RileyEurovision tends to bring us either a song or a performance. The sweet spot happens when the two coincide. For Australia, Sheldon Riley is bringing a performance. His voice is stunning and detailed, his ability to hold the attention never in question. The weak spot is the song. A deeply personal and emotional story that I enjoyed while watching, but instantly forgot. I’ve heard it four times now and couldn’t sing a note. There’s a somewhat dated reality show winner’s journey vibe to an entry that could easily be a Sia album track.
    [icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”][icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”][icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”]

    Read about Eurovision: Australia Decides 2022

    Finland

    RasmusThe Rasmus know what they’re doing. The performance at UMK was assured and solid. Perhaps even straying onto workmanlike with a danger of straying into unremarkable. The song is solid, however. It’s your average pop-rock number given a sound thrashing by a band who know how to stage any number. ‘Jezebel’ could very easily land mid table with the vital televoters which could scupper things.
    [icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”][icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”][icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”]

    Read about UMK 2022

    Sweden

    Two more acts secured their places in the Melodifestivalen Grand Final. Two more go through to the final heat next week where they earn a second shot at the last remaining two spots. Check it out, if you want to see what happens when Sweden goes full-on Moldova. If you’re a late-starter, SVT has now made all the 2022 songs available online.

    Read about the 4th Swedish Heat

    Iceland

    The first of two SƶngvakeppninĀ  heats aired last night, and two songs are secured places in the Grand Final. Five more songs next week with two more through and then RUV will almost certainly decide to hand an extra spot to one of the also-rans. All the songs are available to hear online.

    Read all about the first Sƶngvakeppnin semi-final

  • Australia picks Eurovision 2022 song

    Australia picks Eurovision 2022 song

    Joel and MyfAfter a year off for the pandemic, ‘Australia Decides’ was back on the Gold Coast with a lively show picking an entry for the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest. For those of us in Europe, it was breakfast TV, but better.

    Joel Creasey and Myf Warhurst took care of hosting, with Dylan Lewis making a general pest of himself in the green room – increasingly this appears to be a thing with Eurovision selection shows.

    A panel of industry experts voted first. Voyager came third, Sheldon Riley second and Jaguar Jonze won. There was one vote between the top two acts going into the public vote, where G-Nation came third, Sheldon Riley was the runner up and Voyager came first.

    There were flags, capes and a frock on fire, but after all the points were in (50/50 jury/televote), the winner was Sheldon Riley with ‘Not the same’.

    Media Week reported a peek of 189,000 viewers for the show, down on 2020 when 334,000 tuned in. Online, over 15,000 people checked out the Twitch stream.

    YearDate on salePrice range
    202529 January 2025ā‚¬43 – ā‚¬375
    202428 November 2023ā‚¬13 – ā‚¬330
    20237 March 2023ā‚¬35 – ā‚¬430
    20227 April 2022ā‚¬20 – ā‚¬350
    2021Not on public saleā‚¬40 – ā‚¬245
    2020 (cancelled)12 December 2019ā‚¬20 – ā‚¬255
    201918 February 2019ā‚¬183 – ā‚¬415
    201714 February 2017ā‚¬8 – ā‚¬300
    201626 November 2015ā‚¬11 – ā‚¬280
    201515 December 2014ā‚¬14 -ā‚¬390