Whether or not Australia should compete in Eurovision is often a hot debate.
No matter which side of the argument you sit on, Eurovision - Australia Decides is here and for the first time, the Australian public gets to choose who will represent us on the world stage and potentially go down in history with the likes of ABBA, Conchita and more (though we challenge anyone to live up to ABBA’s 1974 costumes, no matter where they’re from).
Interestingly, so far Australia has only been represented by artists who rose to prominence via reality TV - the original Australian Idol Guy Sebastian being the first in 2015, followed by X Factor Australia’s Dani Im (who currently holds the title of the highest Eurovision score for Australia in the comp so far), X Factor Australia’s Isaiah Firebrace and last year, Australian Idol’s Jessica Mauboy.
Today marks the start of the Australia Decides competition, which is being held on the Gold Coast and broadcast on SBS live on Saturday 9 February. The ten artists competing in the inaugural Australia Decides competition come from far and wide, representing many different factors of the music industry. Here, we look at who could take out the title and represent us on the world stage in Tel Aviv in May.
Leea Nanos
At just 16 years old, Nanos could be the youngest ever Australian representative at Eurovision. Given that she’s competing against some that are three times her age, Nanos is a fine example of what the future of Australian pop has on offer. Nanos appeared on the 2016 season of X Factor Australia - which was taken out by Firebrace - and her Eurovision entry track Set Me Free offers a vocal performance that could easily be mistaken for someone 10 years older than her (or Delta Goodrem, either or).
Kate Miller-Heidke
Just this week Miller-Heidke has been named the APRA Awards musical director, which will see her curate the event’s live performances. She’s written for musicals, starred in The Rabbits, and has one of the most distinctive and versatile voices in the country. Miller-Heidke’s Eurovision track Zero Gravity embodies so much of what the competition, and Miller-Heidke herself, is about.
Ella Hooper
She’s been the frontwoman for Killing Heidi since her teens, so Hooper certainly has a lot to offer when it comes to stage presence. She’s an experienced presenter and knows how to represent us well. Hooper’s the only entrant to offer up a rock sounding track and it could be enough to separate her from the rest of the pack.
Aydan
Aydan Calafiore is at the younger end of the group but still brings a wealth of experience with him, having been a contestant on both The Voice Australia and the rebooted Young Talent Time in 2012. His track Dust is a soulful number that shows off his ability to a tee.
Sheppard
Brisbane group Sheppard know their way around around a pop banger and killer top line hook that will get stuck in your head, and their Eurovision entry track On My Way is no different. They’ve picked up APRA and ARIA Awards and could be in the front runners group to win.
Mark Vincent
Vincent’s ability to blend pop and opera together sets him apart from most (though it does put him in close competition with Miller-Heidke) and his track This Is Not The End presents exactly that skill. He’s a Sony-signed artist, won Australia’s Got Talent in 2009 and has released eight studio albums. Oh, and he’s only 25.
Courtney Act
Act is a very experienced performer and television host, and she certainly knows how to make the most of a competition. Among her credits is a the title of runner-up on season six of RuPaul’s Drag Race, a spot on Australian Idol, being dubbed the winner of the most recent Celebrity Big Brother in the UK and she’s just been announced as a competitor on the new season of Dancing With The Stars in Australia. Her track Fight For Love has already scored over 200,000 views on Youtube.
Alfie Arcuri
Arcuri took out the title of The Voice Australia in 2016, which saw him pick up a deal with Universal for his debut album Zenith. To Myself, his entry track, might just be the power ballad that scores him the title.
Tania Doko
Doko’s bringing with her a wealth of experience as the frontwoman for ‘90s pop group Bachelor Girl. She’s an established songwriter and it shows in her entry track Piece Of Me, a is a uplifting, fun and catchy little number.
Electric Fields
Electric Fields, a duo comprising of Michael Ross and Zaachariaha Fielding, offer up a banging dance track in 2000 & Whatever. More importantly, it’s celebratory and inclusive, and shows off Fielding’s impressive vocals in both English and Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara. They’ve said they “believe this generation could be the best yet” and we believe that this could be one of the best acts yet to represent us.
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