Australia: SBS will take part in Eurovision 2022

Australia: SBS  will take part in Eurovision 2022
Friday, 18 June 2021

  • The Australian national broadcaster, SBS, has confirmed that it will be participating at Eurovision 2022 next year in Italy. 

    SBS has oficially confirmed to ESCTOday that the country will be present at the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest that will take place in Italy next year. 

    Back in 2019 SBS in collaboration with Blink TV secured Australia’s spot in the Eurovision Song Contest for the next 5 years. Up to that point the country was participating in the contest after EBU’s invitation since 2015 . 

    Following the ESC 2020 cancellation due to the covid-19 pandemic, in September 2020 Blink TV, the SBS partner and co production company for Eurovision had revealed that Australia's national selection format "Eurovision: Australia Decides" will be returning in 2022 at Gold Coast. 

     

    This year the Australian delegate, Montaigne, didn't manage to travel to Rotterdam because of the ongoing travel restrictions implemented in the country due to the covid-10 pandemic. While the restrictions remain up to date we hope that next year the will be lifted and Australia delivers a normal participation in Italy. 

     

    Australia In Eurovision 

    Australia has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest five times since their debut at the 2015 contest in Vienna. Although Australia’s first participation in the 2015 contest was set to be a single time participation, the country was invited to take part in the following years successively. Last year after an agreement with EBU, Australia secured its participation up to 2023.

    The country’s best result in the contest is Dami Im’s 2nd place in 2016. Australia has also finished in the top ten in three of its other appearances in the contest, with Guy Sebastian finishing fifth in 2015, and Isaiah Firebrace finishing ninth in 2017 . In 2019 , Kate Miller Heidke won the first national final to take place in the country and represented the land of Down Under at Tel Aviv with her song “Zero Gravity”. Kate achieved a 9th placing marking the country’s return back in the top 10.

    In 2020 Montaigne  won the country’s 2nd national final in history. Eurovision: Australia Decides 2020, held in Gold Coast , Queensland last February. Her entry “Don’t Break Me” achieved to top the jury voting and came second in the public vote .

    The Australian act was invited back for Eurovision 2021 in Rotterdam to represent the country with her song 'Technicolour'. Unfortunately she wasn't able to travel in order to perform live due to the covid-19 travel restrictions and her Live On Tape back up performance was used instead. Montainge competed in the 1st semi final but didn't make it to the final show marking Australia first time not to qualify to the Grand final show since their debut in 2015. 

     

    News Source: ESCToday

    Image: Eurovision.tv/ JESS GLEESON