Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022
| Eurovision Song Contest 2022 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country |  Australia | |||
| National selection | ||||
| Selection process | Eurovision – Australia Decides | |||
| Selection date(s) | 26 February 2022 | |||
| Selected entrant | Sheldon Riley | |||
| Selected song | "Not the Same" | |||
| Selected songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest | ||||
| ||||
Australia will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy. The Australian broadcaster Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) selected Sheldon Riley with "Not the Same" to represent the country, after he won Eurovision – Australia Decides on 26 February 2022.
Australia debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015 by invitation from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) as a "one-off" special guest to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Eurovision. On 17 November 2015, the EBU announced that SBS had been invited to participate in the 2016 contest and that Australia would once again take part. In 2015, Australia was guaranteed a spot in the final of the contest and was allowed to vote during both semi-finals and the final; however, from the 2016 contest and onwards, Australia would have to qualify to the final from one of two semi-finals and could only vote in the semi-final in which the nation was allocated to compete.
Background[]
Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) has broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest since 1983, and the contest has gained a cult following over that time, primarily due to the country's strong political and cultural ties with Europe. Paying tribute to this, the 2014 contest semi-finals included an interval act featuring Australian singer Jessica Mauboy.[1] Australian singers have also participated at Eurovision as representatives of other countries, including Olivia Newton-John (1974, United Kingdom), two-time winner Johnny Logan (1980 and 1987, Ireland), Gina G (1996, United Kingdom), and Jane Comerford as lead singer of Texas Lightning (2006, Germany).[2]
Tying in with the goal of Eurovision – to showcase "the importance of bringing countries together to celebrate diversity, music and culture", the 2015 theme of "Building Bridges", and arguing that they could not hold "the world's biggest party" to celebrate the 60th edition of Eurovision without inviting Australia, the EBU announced on 10 February 2015 that the country would compete at that year's edition as a special guest participant. Along with the "Big 5" (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom), and the host country of Austria, Australia was given automatic entry into the final to "not reduce the chances" of the semi-final participants.[3] On 17 November 2015, the EBU announced that SBS had been invited to participate in the 2016 contest and that Australia would once again take part, however they would have to qualify for the final from one of two semi-finals and could only vote in the semi-final in which the nation was competing. On 12 February 2019, SBS signed a contract securing Australia's spot at the contest until 2023.[4] In 2021, Australia was represented by Montaigne and the song "Technicolour". The country ended in fourteenth place in the first semi-final with 28 points, therefore failing to qualify for the final for the first time.[5] On 16 June 2021, SBS confirmed Australia's participation in the 2022 contest, with Eurovision – Australia Decides returning to choose the entry.[6]
Before Eurovision[]
Eurovision – Australia Decides 2022[]
Eurovision – Australia Decides was the national final organised by SBS in order to select the Australian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. The competition took place at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Gold Coast on 26 February 2022, hosted by Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey. Eleven artists and songs competed with the winner being determined by a combination of public and jury voting. The show was broadcast on SBS as well as streamed online at SBS On Demand.
Competing entries[]
On 26 August 2021, SBS announced an open submission for interested songwriters to submit their songs online until 26 September 2021. Over half of the composers or songwriters of a song were required to be citizens or permanent residents of Australia and songs were required to be in English or an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language.[7] Ten songs were selected for the competition from the received submissions and performers of the selected songs were determined by SBS in consultation with the songwriters. The chosen competing acts were announced in three sets: the first on 28 October 2021,[8] the second on 26 November 2021,[9] and the third on 14 December 2021.[10]
Simultaneous to the final artist reveal, it was announced that a eleventh 'wildcard artist' would be selected through a TikTok contest. Candidates were required to send a live vocal performance clip of any particular song, up to one minute long, with submissions opened until 16 January 2022.[10] Erica Padilla was the selected candidate.[11]
| Artist | Song | Songwriter(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Lambrou | "Electrify" | Andrew Lambrou, Joseph de la Hoyde, Nick de la Hoyde, Tim de la Hoyde |
| Charley | "I Suck at Being Lonely" | Claire Howell, James Vincent, Thomas Walter Jordan, Jonathan Dreyfus |
| Erica Padilla | "To the Bottom" | Erica Padilla, Isabella Padilla, Ally Eley, Sean Carey |
| G-Nation | "Bite Me" | Erin McKellar, Leea Nanos, Michael Paynter |
| Isaiah Firebrace and Evie Irie | "When I'm with You" | Isaiah Firebrace, Evie Irie, Taka Perry |
| Jaguar Jonze | "Little Fires" | Deena Lynch, Louis Schoorl, PJ Harding |
| Jude York | "I Won't Need to Dream" | Jude York, Billy Stonecipher |
| Paulini | "We Are One" | Rick Price, John Capek |
| Seann Miley Moore | "My Body" | Ianna Rogers, Imogen Jones, Vanessa Rogers, Sean Carey |
| Sheldon Riley | "Not the Same" | Sheldon Riley, Cam Nacson, Timi Temple |
| Voyager | "Dreamer" | Alex Canion, Ashley Doodkorte, Daniel Estrin, Scott Kay, Simone Dow |
Final[]
The final took place on 26 February 2022. The combination of public votes (50%) and a five-member jury (50%) selected the winner. The jury consisted of Alexandra Rotan from Keiino, Darren Hayes of the group Savage Garden, Millie Petriella from APRA AMCOS, Emily Griggs, the SBS Head of Food and Entertainment, and Creative Director and producer Paul Clarke. Moreover, for the first time, the public votes were ranked. According to producer Paul Clarke, the most points an act could get was the same amount that such act could get from the jury.[13] The official running order for the final was revealed on 24 February 2022.[14]
In addition to the performances of the competing entries, the show was opened by Keiino, who represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019, and Montaigne, who represented Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021. Montaigne also performed as an interval act together with David Byrne.[15]
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury | Televote | Total | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G-Nation | "Bite Me" | 11 | 45 | 56 | 5 |
| 2 | Erica Padilla | "To the Bottom" | 20 | 25 | 45 | 9 |
| 3 | Seann Miley Moore | "My Body" | 18 | 5 | 23 | 11 |
| 4 | Charley | "I Suck at Being Lonely" | 33 | 30 | 63 | 4 |
| 5 | Andrew Lambrou | "Electrify" | 16 | 35 | 51 | 7 |
| 6 | Sheldon Riley | "Not the Same" | 50 | 50 | 100 | 1 |
| 7 | Paulini | "We Are One" | 32 | 20 | 52 | 6 |
| 8 | Jaguar Jonze | "Little Fires" | 51 | 40 | 91 | 3 |
| 9 | Isaiah Firebrace and Evie Irie | "When I'm with You" | 35 | 10 | 45 | 10 |
| 10 | Voyager | "Dreamer" | 37 | 60 | 97 | 2 |
| 11 | Jude York | "I Won't Need to Dream" | 32 | 15 | 47 | 8 |
At Eurovision[]
According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big Five" (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final progress to the final. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) split up the competing countries into six different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot. On 25 January 2022, an allocation draw was held which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show they would perform in. Australia has been placed into the second semi-final, to be held on 12 May 2022, and has been scheduled to perform in the first half of the show.[16]
References[]
- ^ Vincent, Peter (8 May 2014). "Jessica Mauboy performs at Eurovision Song Contest". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
- ^ "Eurovision Song Contest invites Australia to join 'world's biggest party'". the Guardian. 10 February 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
- ^ "Australia to compete in the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest". Eurovision.tv. 10 February 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
- ^ "Australia secures spot in Eurovision for the next five years". Eurovision.tv. 12 February 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
- ^ "Australia fails to qualify for the final of Eurovision for first time". Eurovisionworld. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
- ^ News, Eurovision; News, Participants; Participants, Eurovision; Fans (16 June 2021). "Australia: SBS confirms participation at Eurovision 2022". Eurovision News, Polls and Information by ESCToday. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
- ^ Carter, Ford (9 September 2021). "What the 'Eurovision – Australia Decides' rules tell us about the 2022 show". Aussievision. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
- ^ "SBS reveals first artists to take the stage at Eurovision – Australia Decides". Guide. 27 October 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
- ^ SBS Eurovision [@SBSEurovision] (25 November 2021). "Can you guess who? More artists taking part in Eurovision - Australia Decides revealed tomorrow... […]" (Tweet). Retrieved 25 November 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ a b "SBS launches national TikTok contest to find the next Eurovision – Australia Decides artist...and it could be YOU!". SBS. 13 December 2021. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
- ^ Wulf, Holly (3 February 2022). "Erica Padilla is the Australia Decides TikTok Wildcard!". ESCUnited. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
- ^ Roberts, Dale (17 February 2022). "Australia Decides 2022: All 11 competing songs are out". aussievision. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ Luukela, Sami (24 February 2022). "Alexandra Rotan and Darren Hayes among the Eurovision – Australia Decides 2022 jury". ESCXtra. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ Wulf, Holly (24 February 2022). "SBS reveals running order and removes geoblock for Australia Decides". ESCUnited. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
- ^ Postema, Roy (26 February 2022). "Austalia decided to send Sheldon Riley to Eurovision". ESCUnited. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "Eurovision 2022: Which Semi-Final is your country performing in?