SBS have announced that for next year’s Eurovision Song Contest the public will get to decide who gets to represent Australia at the international song showdown.
The broadcaster will team up with production partners Blink TV, to host a national contest Eurovision – Australia Decides to select the artist and song to represent the country on the world’s biggest stage.
This morning SBS Acting Managing Director James Taylor joined Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and other dignitaries and announced that Eurovision – Australia Decides will be hosted on the Gold Coast on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 February and the Live Show will be broadcast on SBS on Saturday 9 February when voting will be open to the public.
At a launch SBS called on songwriters across Australia to submit an original composition as part of the selection process via sbs.com.au/eurovision. The song portal is now open for submissions until Sunday 4 November.
There are no restrictions on the number of songs composers and songwriters, both published and unpublished, can submit. Songs will be shortlisted later in the year and paired with some of Australia’s most recognised artists.
Then it’s up to the Australian public and a Jury to decide Australia’s act to take the stage at the 64th Eurovision Song Contest in Israel.
Regular Eurovision hosts Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey will host the lead in event. Many countries participating in Eurovision have local contests to select the song to represent their country. Sweden’s Melodifestivalen is probably the most well known.
SBS Acting Managing Director James Taylor said the broadcaster was exciting to be taking the competition to a new level.
“SBS has been the Australian home of the Eurovision Song Contest for 35 years and 2019 will mark Australia’s fifth year of competing in the event. As our country’s passion for Eurovision continues to grow, we are inundated by fans wanting to have their say in choosing who represents Australia on the world’s biggest stage.
“This will be the first time that Australians can enjoy a Eurovision show live on home soil and we are delighted to begin this next chapter in Australia’s Eurovision journey with our long-term production partner Blink TV and new partners in Queensland – the Queensland Government via Tourism and Events Queensland and City of Gold Coast.”
Myf Warhurst said song competitions had previously unearthed great talents like Silverchair.
“In 1994, a band now known as Silverchair won a competition run by SBS’s Nomad program, with support from Triple J, with their hit song Tomorrow – now an Aussie classic. Can we back it up with another worldwide smash hit?
“Eurovision – Australia Decides is a great opportunity for songwriters, both published and unpublished, to show us what they’ve got and for a suite of Australian artists to bring these songs to life on stage in February.” Warhurst said.
Joel Creasey said he was hoping to find something more in line with a the great Aussie classics from John Farnham, Daryl Braithwaite or Bardot.
“I can’t wait to be part of the first ever Eurovision selection show in the Southern Hemisphere and find the next Aussie classic, up there with the likes of Farnsy’s You’re the Voice, Braithwaite’s The Horses or my personal favourite, the seminal debut single from Bardot, Poison.”
The Eurovision Song Contest will be broadcast on SBS in May 2019, and will be hosted again by Warhurst and Creasey.
