SBS, the Australian national broadcaster has announced today that Isaiah Firebrace  will represent Australia at the forthcoming 2017 Eurovision Song Contest.

Isaiah Firebrace will have the grand honour of representing Australia at the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv next May with his entry Don’t come easy.

Hailing from the small country town of Moama, 17 year old Isaiah first stepped into the spotlight last year when he was crowned winner of The X Factor Australia 2016. Isaiah’s story is one of determination and passion for music, honing his craft with six hour round trips from regional Victoria to singing lessons every week, aspiring to become a professional artist.

Isaiah is already experiencing global success, with his first hit It’s Gotta Be You going Platinum in Sweden, and charting in over 15 countries including Australia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Canada, and the US.

Isaiah’s Eurovision song Don’t Come Easy is an emotive ballad showcasing his vocal range and unique ability to connect with powerful lyrics, which, in this track, speak to fighting for your dreams even when it isn’t easy.

Don’t Come Easy is written for Isaiah by DNA Songs duo David Musumeci and Anthony Egizii, the same team who wrote Dami Im’s Eurovision hit Sound of Silence which won the prestigious Marcel Bezençon Composers Award for the best original composition at last year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

Isaiah says:

I’m so proud to be representing Australia as our entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. Even though it has been a dream of mine, never did I think for one minute it would be a possibility. To be able to share this news with my family and friends is unbelievable. I can’t wait to go to the Ukraine to perform ‘Don’t Come Easy’.  I will make Australia proud. Thank you to SBS and my label Sony for believing in me and giving me the opportunity of a lifetime.

Australia can get behind Isaiah from his first performance in Semi Final 1, which will be broadcast on Wednesday 10 May LIVE at 5am on SBS, and in primetime Friday 12 May 7.30pm on SBS . Isaiah will have to be voted through Semi Final 1 to then have the chance to compete for the Eurovision title in the Grand Final, with Australians setting their alarms for an early wake-up, or hosting their Eurovision parties at night to find out exactly how the all-important votes land.

First broadcast on SBS in 1983, SBS has a long standing heritage with The Eurovision Song Contest, the world’s largest song competition that celebrates and brings together diverse cultures through music. Isaiah is the third Australian artist to be invited to compete, following Dami Im who was runner-up in 2016 and Guy Sebastian who finished fifth in 2015, with Jessica Mauboy a guest performer in 2014.

The 2016 Eurovision Song Contest was a success for SBS with the competition reaching 3.7 million Australians across all three broadcasts combined, with a 13% audience growth in the Live Grand Final, and an 82% lift in online visits year-on-year.*

Mr. Michael Ebeid (SBS Managing Director) says:

The theme of Eurovision this year is ‘Celebrate Diversity’ and we are once again thrilled to be participating in a global event which could not be more aligned with SBS’s own purpose. Isaiah is a young artist who beautifully embodies the Australian spirit with his passion, hard work and humility, not to mention immense talent at just 17 years old. We are proud to have him represent our country, and can’t wait to see him shine in Kyiv.

Mr. Denis Handlin (AM Chairman & CEO, Australia & NZ, President Asia, Sony Music Entertainment) says:

At only 17, it’s a truly remarkable achievement for Isaiah to be representing Australia in Eurovision this year and I am very proud that he has been given this opportunity to showcase his immense talent on this global stage.

Isaiah is currently capturing the world’s attention with his first single, ‘It’s Gotta Be You’ which has surpassed 50 million streams on Spotify after only 3 months and is already Platinum sales in Sweden and just about to reach Gold in Denmark. incredible voice, humble nature and great determination will win the hearts of Europe with ‘Don’t Come Easy’, written by powerhouse song-writers DNA songs (David Musumeci and Anthony Egizii). 

I am also delighted that Sony Music Entertainment Australia will be partnering again with SBS CEO & MD Michael Ebeid and his team  along with the very talented Paul Clarke from Blink TV in bringing Australia’s voice to the Eurovision song contest.

Mr. Paul Clarke (Australian Head of Delegation, Director of Blink TV, SBS’s Eurovision production partner) says:

It was exciting for all Australian Eurovision fans to come so close to winning last year. We wanted to come up with something totally different for this year, yet just as powerful as Dami. With Isaiah we have an artist who has a unique ability to cast a spell with his voice, and we will build our stage production around showcasing his quite staggering vocals. DNA’s composition is a perfect vehicle for Isaiah, and it was such an exciting collaboration to be part of. It literally gave me tingles to hear it completed. We can’t wait to present it on the stage in Kyiv.

Don’t Come Easy is released globally today and available for purchase through Sony Music Entertainment Australia.

Australia debuted at the ESC in 2015 with Guy Sebastian, last year the country nearly won the contest with Dami Im. 2017 will see the country’s 3rd consecutive Eurovision participation.

SBS will air all three Eurovision Shows live from Kyiv next May. The Eurovision Song Contest is very popular down under, SBS has been airing Europe’s favorite television show for more than 30 years. The Aussies are faithful Eurovision fans with many of them travelling half the world in order to attend the contest

The 2017 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held on 9, 11 and 13 May at the IEC in Kyiv, Ukraine.