Australia: TikTok wildcard for 'Australia Decides 2022' unveiled

Friday, 04 February 2022

• SBS has revealed that Erica Padilla has won the TikTok wildcard for the country's national final 'Eurovision: Australia Decides 2022'.

  The next Australian ESC hopeful will be selected through the show Eurovision – Australia Decides which is set to take place in Gold Cost on February 26, 2022 and will once again be presented by the comedian Joel Creasey and music buff Myf Warhurst for the third consecutive time. 

  The Australian broadcast had received more than 700 songs for the national final. From those 10 acts were shorlisted to take part in the national final, while one wildcard was added to the final line-up with the last spot being determined through TikTok. 

  SBS, Blink TV and TikTok has announced a national TikTok Wildcard contest to find the eleventh artist to take part in Eurovision – Australia Decides on the Gold Coast in February. Australians were encouraged to post a live vocal performance clip, up to one minute long, with the hashtag #EurovisionAustralia to be in the running to become the Eurovision – Australia Decides TikTok Wildcard Artist. Submission deadline expired on January 16, 2022. After a panel of experts decided which act will complete the Australian national final line up for Eurovision 2022. 

  The act that  was chosen from the TikTok competition to join the national final line-up is Erica Padilla. 

   

  National final line-up completed

  With the addition of Erica Pandilla the national final line-up for Australia has been completed with a total of 11 acts ready to take the stage at the  Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on February 26, 2022 and compete for the right to represent the land down under at Eurovision 2022. The 11 acts we will see in the Australian national final are: 

  1. Isaiah Firebrace, Evie Irie – When I’m With You
  2. Jaguar Jonze – LITTLE FIRES
  3. Paulini – We Are One
  4. Andrew Lambrou – Electrify
  5. Sheldon Riley –  Not the Same
  6. G-Nat!on – Bite Me
  7. Sean Miley Moore – My Body
  8. Voyager Australia – Dreamer
  9. Charley – I Suck At Being Lonely
  10. Jude York – I Won’t Need to Dream
  11. Erica Padilla 

   

  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. However due to the covid-19 outbreak the contest was cancelled and Montaigne never had the chance to compete in Rotterdam. 

  Nevertheless, SBS internally selected Montaigne to represent the country at Eurovision 2021 with her song "Technicolour". The Australian hopeful once again wasn't able to travel to Rotterdam because of the ongoing travel restrictions. She competed in the first semi final with her live on tape performance but failed to qualify to the Grand final. 

  News Source: SBS