SBS, the Australian national broadcaster, has unveiled the first three national final candidates.  The Aussies are set to select their Eurovision act and entry for Turin next February via Eurovision: Australia Decides on the Gold Coast.

Paulini, Isaiah Firebrace (Australia 2017) and Jaguar Jonze will be battling for the golden ticket to Eurovision 2022 at the Aussie national final.

Isaiah Firebrace will be familiar with Eurovision fans as he represented Australia at the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv, this time he is vying to fly the Aussie flag at Eurovision for the second time. Isaiah will be singing a duet with a yet to be revealed Australian artist.

Isaiah Firebrace says:

I’m over the moon to be jumping onto the stage for Eurovision – Australia Decides 2022. When I first
represented Australia at Eurovision in 2017, I was 17, it was my first time in Europe and I feel like
everything was a blurry dream that went by so quickly – I’ve grown so much as a singer, a performer and as a person since then and I’ve definitely got unfinished business! I can’t tell you anything more except that I’m singing a duet with someone incredible and that we co-wrote the song. What I can tell you is that I cannot wait to share everything with you and that Eurovision – Australia Decides is going to be the biggest party on the Gold Coast. Until I can release the official Aus Decides duet, I’m keeping myself busy and releasing my own single “More Than Me” on November 12 – it’s going to be a very good Summer!

PAULINI says:

I’m super excited to be part of Eurovision – Australia Decides, after all it’s been ages since any of us have really been able to perform to anyone other than our families. That also means it’s been a little while since I’ve been able to belt out any of the big notes I’m known for. But that is something the audience can definitely expect to hear in my new single which I’ll be performing at Eurovision – Australia Decides on the Gold Coast in 2022. Eurovision to me is like the Olympics for singers! It brings together so many countries and cultures— and while it’s a competition I see it as uniting much of the world through music.

Jaguar Jonze says:

I am honoured and bubbling with excitement to be performing at Eurovision – Australia Decides again in 2022! The imagination, creativity and talent of the performances is always so inspirational, it’s such a special place to express yourself as a musician and an artist. My song is going to be a moment that celebrates our resilience and the little steps that lead to big change, as well as push my creative boundaries to another level. So much has happened since we were all together, and being back with the added strength of my Eurovision family and fanbase will make it a show worth waiting for. I can’t wait to see you on the Gold Coast!”

Paul Clarke (Eurovision: Australia Decides Creative Director) says:

This year we received over 700 songs from Australian songwriters, with a handful co-written by
American and European songwriters – unexpected co-writers like Boris Milanov. COVID has created
some really dramatic song writing themes – one gothic epic, a couple of exciting power ballads but it’s a year of incredibly joyful music. Thanks so much to the songwriters and our partners, because Eurovision – Australia Decides is back and has never been in better shape – it’s going to be a truly memorable event on the Gold Coast February 25-26 and we’d love to see you there.

About the 2022 Australian national final

SBS has received more than 700 songs for Eurovision: Australia Decides 2022. The Australian broadcaster has shortlisted the submitted entries and is now working on matching the selected songs with the potential competing acts.

The 2022 Australian national final aka Australia Decides is scheduled to take place at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on the Gold Coast on Saturday 26 February. The show will be hosted by Joel Creasey and Myf Warhurst and will be broadcast on SBS.

The 2022 Australian Eurovision entry and act will be determined via a combined jury and public televoting deliberation.

Australia in Eurovision

Australia debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015 and is yet to win the event. The country’s best results in the competition were achieved in 2016 when Dami Im placed 2nd in Stockholm.

In 2021 Montaigne represented Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam with her entry ‘Technicolour’.

Source: SBS
Photo credit: SBS Eurovision