Australia’s first national final, Australia Decides, has been generating plenty of buzz since it was announced. With SBS aiming to pull in some big names, it looks like they might have succeeded already.
In a post on Facebook, SBS confirmed an earlier report by the Daily Mail Australia, revealing the identities of the four acts teased earlier in the week.
They are indie-pop group Sheppard, as well as singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke, electronic duo Electric Fields, and Australia’s Got Talent champion Mark Vincent.
First artist announcement for Eurovision – Australia Decides
The news is out! Kate Miller-Heidke, Sheppard, Mark Vincent and Electric Fields Music will be taking the stage at Eurovision – Australia Decides.More artists announced soon… #Eurovision #AusDecides
Posted by SBS Eurovision on Sunday, December 2, 2018
Sheppard
Sheppard will certainly have the home advantage at Australia Decides. Based in Brisbane, just north of the Gold Coast, the trio have already tasted international success. Their biggest single, “Geronimo”, hit #1 in Australia and charted in the top ten across European charts.
Their latest album, “Watching the Sky”, also reached top spot on the Australian album charts this year. The band also supported Little Mix on their 2017 European tour — so playing to a big arena in Tel Aviv would be no problem!
“We’re excited at the prospect of representing Australia in what feels like the pop music Olympics,” they said in a statement sent to wiwibloggs. “The fact that this is the first time the show has ever taken part in Australia and letting the public decide who gets to go to the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 is really exciting for us. It will be an historic television event that we look forward to being a part of!”
Kate Miller-Heidke
Another Brisbane native, Kate Miller-Heidke has a prolific and successful back catalogue, even since leaving her record label and making it as an independent artist.
She’s been nominated for multiple ARIA Awards and has also performed on stage. Her most famous track is “The Last Day on Earth”, which hit #3 in Australia and has been used in numerous TV shows as well.
“I’ve never done anything like this before. I do feel vulnerable putting myself out there in a competitive setting. I’m trying to ignore that element, and thinking of it as a very eclectic celebration of Australian music. I think there will be a lot of solidarity amongst the performers.”
Electric Fields
One thing is for sure: if Electric Fields make it to Eurovision, we can add a whole new language to the list performed in the contest. Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross make up the duo, with Zaachariaha taking on vocals.
According to the video posted by SBS, it seems that he’ll be performing their sung in the Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara language. We’re loving the Indigenous Australian representation being given in the contest.
“The Eurovision Song Contest is the Olympics of camp! It’s a flamboyant spectacle and we’re excited to be part of the first ever Eurovision selection show on home soil. We want to tell a story on stage with fierce energy that will hopefully shoot through the cameras and out of the TV screens at home.”
Mark Vincent
The final name revealed by SBS is the 2009 Australia’s Got Talent winner, Mark Vincent. Aged just 15, Mark won the contest with his amazing operatic voice. Just hear his performance of “Nessun Dorma” to see what we mean, y’all!
Since then, Mark’s career has barely stopped. He’s released no less than eight studio albums (and even managed to fit in a “Best Of” for good measure). He’s also taken to the stage, with a role in My Fair Lady.
“This opportunity to compete in Eurovision – Australia Decides means everything to me. I’ve been a Eurovision fan since I was young and love the incredible voices and talents that have emerged. I’m going to bring everything I’ve got to the stage. I’ve been working my entire life for this moment, and I can’t wait to perform for you.”
If this is the calibre of names that SBS has already managed to draft in to their selection, then we can’t wait to see who else will be announced!
What do y’all think of the four acts confirmed? Are you excited for Australia Decides? Let us know all your thoughts in the comments section below!
I don’t think you can tell someone how they should interpret the Eurovision experience because you may like the more serious aspects of the competiton. I completely disagree, a performer can create camp if they do it well. Let’s also not forget that ‘camp’ acts can do equally as well as more serious acts. Anyway, I just watched an Electric Fields video on YouTube, what a performance and it’s different to anything that I’ve ever seen. Worth the watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4td-aiypzI0
Even with only these 4 they all have the ability to make any song given to them suit their style of singing .Can’t wait to watch it in my home town – the Gold Coast if this is the caliber of singers already this is glinting to be EPIC -watch out Europe Australia is coming to win!!!
WOW Electric Fields! What a worldy sound and music that is sooooo far from being generic! Thank you soooo much! Can’t wait to hear the song you prepared!
I would love to see Shepard in Eurovision.??
Sheppard has to win it all, I ADORE THEM.
“Geronimo” and “Coming home” are gems.
Arent the Sheppards a band of six people and not a trio?
SHEPPARD ARE AMAZING! The lead singer is so cute omg
The sad thing about some recent acts is how easily they could be mistaken for camp when there’s a ton going on under the surface (the social messages behind songs like Diva, Rise Like a Phoenix, and Toy being the first I can think of). So many ESC songs have so many things going on under the surface that people dismiss. That’s why I always balk when people say “this is such a Eurovision song.” What is a “Eurovision song”? Eurovision isn’t a genre. There have been so many genres at Eurovision (off the top of my head: schlager, Europop,… Read more »
Oh, “Geronimo”! I remember it. Sheppard has to be my fav for now.
Is Zaachariaha a “he”? Not that I care about it, just curious. Interesting image and sound. I like them a lot. In Spain we have Falete, though he does flamenco.
This is actually pretty good! Already so much diversity and we’re still waiting for 6 more artists to be revealed. Bring on 9 Feb, can’t wait!
Australia NEEDED this so much. Their songs had just become so same-y (both at JESC and ESC). These are quality and diverse artists and hopefully, there’s more to come! Australia need to be brave with their choice here but definitely a promising announcement.
The funny thing is they’re more enthusiastic than most real European countries in Eurovision. So many famous artists joinging in! Even I’m from a small country in East Asia knows Sheppard.
Geronimo is one of my all time favorites. Just send them!!!!
I really would love to see The Parcels in the pre-selection and in Tel Aviv… Love them.
:O you guys…. the veronicas just posted on facebook ‘exciting news coming very soon’
So excited for my country! Love how SBS is shaking it up and getting some awesome artists involved 🙂
Omg , sheppard! That is awesome.
Sheppard gets me excited! I did not expect that. “Geronimo” was a radio smash hit in my country
Same with Slovenia
I’m from Australia and i’m very excited and hyped on the first 4 artists. At the moment, Sheppard and Electric Fields are one of my choices to send but I wouldn’t mind Kate Miller and Mark Vincent.
Citylights was love
This Sheppard guys I actually know. Loved Geronimo
Hope they are participating with a song half as good , then we may have the winner already
Kate Miller-Heidke also co-wrote the music for ‘Muriel’s Wedding: The Musical’ last year, which has an amazing soundtrack (it’s on Spotify.)
I’ve listened to all four. All are talented…but WOW, I was blown away by ELECTRIC FIELDS.
Beautiful, soulful, enchanting.
Reminded me a little of Jamala and Onuka. The Eurovision public has voted for something distinctly original 3 years in a row…Australia will surely do well to pick Electric Fields, if they serve something bold and memorable on Australia Decides. They seem destined to stand out from the other, more pop-produced acts.
I hear they’re steering into the “Eurovision type” song.
Geronimo is so iconic. I’m American and even I know this song. They were on a Disney channel show. I remember it really well. So it be pretty cool if they were to go to Eurovision.
I would honestly be so pleased if any of them represented Australia. And we don’t even know all the artists yet! They’ve really upped their game this year. The only artists I knew already were Sheppard (I do love me some Spotify-friendly indie rock) and Kate (because of her great cover of Tim Minchin’s Come Home Cardinal Pell), but the other two would be wonderful choices as well. We could have a winner in this lot, and I don’t say that lightly!
I absolutely loved “Geronimo” when it was released. I had it on repeat on Spotify.
Sheppard would be an interesting choice for Australia if they were to pick them.
I hope we don’t have a spike in interest in participating in the national final for the first year or two only for it to tank after that.
Can’t believe Sheppard is in it, honestly! “Geronimo” was a major international hit, reaching even the radios of my country, Peru. It was a sleeper hit in the US as well, reaching as high as #53 on the Billboard main chart! Charting in a lot of European countries as well; and was the biggest-selling single in Australia by an Australian artist in 2014 and fourth overall, reaching 5xPlatinum certification by ARIA. People said that now with the NF, Australian stablished artists would not be interested in participating. But not much sure now! Also really excited about Electric Fields! It would… Read more »
I haven’t heard any of these artists. I can’t have a opinion about this yet. I wait for the songs instead.
You know you can look there music up on the internet.
Please add “Midnight Oil”, “SIA”, “The Veronicas” ……sad that “Men at work” doesn’t play anymore.
Midnight Oil might be too political, but I wouldn’t complain!
SIA wont show her face. No one will vote for her. The Veronicas don’t look healthy, no one will vote for them.
Sia is way too famous for this and her style is not for Eurovision.
I’m so glad that Australia is thinking outside the box after two years playing extra safe. Now they can finally bring to the table all the potential we always knew they have. It’s exciting that between these four acts there’s already more diversity than in many national finals. Can’t wait to listen to Electric Field and Sheppard’s songs!
SHEPPARD OMG!!! I FREAKING LOVE THEM
Sure, why not? These look quite good. My wish of having 5SOS participate is not gonna come true anyways, so I’d be happy with these acts.
OMG – the last 4 years Australia was playing with us here in Europe …..but these times are over — now they are comming to win this.
Sheppard and Electric Fields ………wow………that is a new level of music ………and these 4 are just the beginning. Can’t wait to watch “Australia Decides”. Btw – I’m from Germany and I’m sad that our “stars” are afraid to take part in this beautiful contest (ESC).
Our “stars” are very very boring tho… At least the ones who have been succesful in the last few years. Like, who do we have to offer? (Let’s exclude all the rappers for a sec) Wincent Weiß? Boring. Max giesinger? super boring. Andreas Bourani, Mark Foster even LEA or Namika, none of them are any special.
@Weißbrot – if you compare them with Sia or Sheppard ……then I agree with you. Maybe we should send our real stars Rammstein or Blind Guardian ……okay okay – just kidding.
Jaaah, Rammstein! 😀 Would be great!
I really like Andreas, Mark and Namika. Would be great to see Germany breaking the old stereotype that German doesn’t sound good in music.
Well okay, Andreas kinda didn’t fit into the list, because his music is actually not bad. But I could not be able to like a Mark Forster song if my life depended on it, idk. Recently he as been very boring. And I agree, german doesn’t necessarily sound bad in music and I would totally be in for a song in german. I’m just glad our celebrities are not attending lol. (We do have a german song in our selection I think… Gregor has one prepared, but we don’t know yet if it’s gonna be chosen. There is still hope,)
James Reid
Cuz Cascada, I guess.
wow wow wow, things are getting hot down there…!
We want Sia. 😀
We don’t want mediocrity, so nope!
You should tell Beyonce, Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, Shakira, Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Katy Perry, Skip Marley, Kelly Clarkson, Labronth! Rita Ora, Jessi J, Birdy, Kelly Rolland, Celine Dion, Loïc Nottet and Marco Mengoni to stop singing her songs since they don’t seem to realise how mediocre she is.
She can’t perform live. She is a recording artist, that’s all.
Except for the fact she has performed live on multiple occasions and sang really well.
She’s fantastic live and often her songs are hard to sing.
“Certainly not the kind of live performances that Eurovision is based on.” What sort of performance is Eurovision based on?
Good performances, something someone who stands still and covers her face with an oversized wig certainly can’t serve.
All Salvador did was stand still and he won with the highest amount of points and I doubt that would of changed if he had a long fringe covering his eyes. Also her live performances on YouTube alone have accumulated millions of views so clearly people enjoy her live performances.
Salvador won Eurovision doing just that and I don’t think he would of done any worse because a long fringe covered his eyes. Plus if the millions of views of her live performances are anything to go by, a lot of people like watching her live.
Just what? He showed his face and created an intimate setting. Either way Sia would never consider the Eurovision so why are you bothering?
Anyone can create an intimate setting with the right staging! You can go on about the wig but let’s be real the only reason you think it won’t work is because you don’t like it yet her pay check doesn’t support your argument.
She’s just ultra basic and uninspired these days… I get it that it’s her distinctive style but it’s always the same thing.
There is nothing basic about her honey, she is unique, creative and talented not to mention her music is pure art. Your problem is you don’t know the difference between basic and art yet you still lable music accordingly because you lack objectivity due to your music illiteracy. Not to mention Sia has been an artist for over 20 years and her sound and style, while being authentic to her, has always been evolving.
…and that’s why she made an entire album of generic songs she wrote for others that they rejected. Next!
When you consider how well her album did maybe those artist shouldn’t have rejected those songs because the public didn’t seem to reject them. You can call her music generic all you want but it means nothing when you can’t back it up. Generic music is formulaic and lacks identity because it has no distinctive style. That doesn’t sound like anything from “This is Acting”!
-.-
I think she is to big of a name for it. Plus not showing her face would work against her.
Oh wow at these non-basic participants, Australia giving me hype already
@Polegend Godgarina – yes, you are right with that …..I feel some “special vibes” here …….and I love it.