Australia’s first national final takes place on February 9th. And the winner of Eurovision – Australia Decides will be chosen by a 50/50 split between the public vote and a jury composed of various music industry representatives and experts.
Now, we have the names of the jury, which include some faces you’ll find familiar.
The expert panel will contain five people; starting with Melodifestivalen and Eurovision producer, Christer Bjorkman. The Swedish stalwart is no stranger to being part of a jury in other national finals, just weeks ago he was part of the jury for the second semi-final of Destination Eurovision in France.
Joining him is the Blink TV director and Head of Delegation for Australia at Eurovision, Paul Clarke. He has led the Australian delegation since day one, when Guy Sebastian debuted in Vienna.
Other members include Josh Martin, the Commissioning Editor of SBS entertainment, who has worked for large production companies in Australia for over twenty years; Fifa Riccobono, former recording industry executive and CEO of Alberts Music, considered to be the first female CEO in Australian music history, and Milly Petriella, Artist Service director of the Australasian Performing Rights Association.
This is Australia’s first ever national final, and with judges of such calibre, they want to make a statement: They are here to play.
Eurovision – Australia Decides will take place at Gold Coast, where ten acts will face off in a spectacular final, where one will win the coveted ticket for the Eurovision Song Contest in May.
The winning artist will then compete in the second-half of semi-final 1 on May 14.
What do you think? Are you ready to check out the first ever Australian national selection? Who is your favourite to win and see make the journey to Tel Aviv? Let us know in the comments below!
Chreestuph Börkbörkman is rooeening iferytheeng , björk björk björk.
I got together a jury of four of my mates. One crazy Eurovision fan (me), two musicians (one very indie singer songwriter, one a drummer who goes across genres, one an artist who has done a number of album covers and plays a little bass, and one who works in media (sports, but still…) we all did 12-10-8-7 etc., and I think our jury was both perfectly well qualified and had reasonably good taste. I’m ready for the downvotes, but maybe it is reflective of how late 20s-early 30s Melburnians will vote on Saturday, anyway… and it’s probably a more… Read more »
It’s Björkmanvision, baby!!!
Not enough for Björkman to ruin Melodifestivalen he wants to ruin all the other selections as well lmao
I’m sorry but I am so tired of reading all these complaints and all this hate against Björkman. Its extremely overused now. Then again… Its enough with 4 or 5 articles about the same artist, singer or person in general and then so many of you so called fans are dead tired of this person. Grow up please.
Australia’s entries are all so terrible. Even the DNA songs were better than this.
I’m sorry but I’m so tired of seeing Bjorkman’s face every Eurovision season. He needs to take a step back. There are other people out there you know.
Another 12 points for Australia from Sweden and vice versa?
Bjorkman soooo wants Ola Sands job
Christer have stated in interviews that he has no interesting in the job Sand has so your assumption is incorrect.
Well he wouldn’t say publicly would he??
Either way, he wants to take over Eurovision. My point still stands.
I don’t think Christer is suited for a job that oversees 3-4 Eurovision events a year and everything else in between.
*gasp*
Björkman needs to be kept away from any voting. He tries to bury the best songs with low marks and gives high marks to bland boy singers.
This jury is too small and it’s not good. It means that we will probably get two sets of 12 points which is not enough variety. Now an act that got second to last with the jury and first in the televote can win if it got last in the televote and first with the juries. You need more juries giving out points or more sets of 12 points. Frances or Sweden’s model is better. Plus, imagine if a song won that got no or only a few points from their Head of Delegation and now the act has to… Read more »
The least surprising news of the entire season. I’m sure he just wants to help all the countries that invite him reach first place. 😉
Bjorkman is everywhere, this man should retire! So sick of him…..
Dido.
Agree from Sweden
the eurovision mafia is reunited !!! they better vote for kate miller-heidke.
Mark asked a good question here in the comments: why no artists in the jury? Björkman has a background as a singer, maybe other names of this panel also haid their experience with the “purely artistic” aspects of the industry. But it seems that all of them act now as executives. So they tend to think as producers. Producers tend to judge entries as products. Not because they’re evil, but because it’s their job. It’s important to have them in a jury panel, but there’s a chance the artistic point of view will be missed. I hope they don’t play… Read more »
WOW! Didn’t see that coming…
And MF Semi 2 songs are a bit underwhelming. Well, snippets are. 😛
I’m concerned because the jury line up looked like a recipe for Sheppard. Yet, I don’t know if Bjorkman would be sure to go with that direction since he awarded Seemone 12p at DE semifinal 2, which proves that he doesn’t always go ‘that’ way. Anything could also happen and juries would probably pick other acts too.
Christer Björkman is great. And only because he’s in Kate has still a chance… Sweden also send Marlena Ernmann
Great and there goes No gravity chances at winning. Does the Swede always have to be involve in everything Eurovison?
Remember than people ask him to participate, he is not forcing his way in to any project.
I Would be shocked if he wasn’t involved
I’m concerned by this jury, not going to lie. There’s a heavy focus, it seems, on those with Top 40 style music, which is more and more a synonymous term with plastic music. Hopefully I’m wrong, but on first blush this seems to be a little bit of an unbalanced jury, and there isn’t a single active musician on it :/
Indeed. Speculatively, it does seem to negatively weigh against entries like Electric Fields and Kate Miller-Heidke, two of the clearest favourites for any NF so far this Eurovision season.
Electric fields or zero gravity are Australia’s best bet. I want to say I have faith in the jury, but I can just see them putting sheppard as number one
True enough, but even moreso it looks like it is really good news for Sheppard – I think any threat of them being in the bottom half with the jury has just disappeared.
Zero Gravity is a nice song but it has nothing in Eurovision to do. It is too calculated as a song and last years Estonian effort was far better as a popera song.
Even though Eurovision is a good-spirited place it’s still a competition. It does seem slightly like a conflict of interest to have other current HoDs and NF producers judging at the NF for other participating members. Is that not potentially problematic (if not for the organisers then perhaps the competing artists)?
I’d like to know what William and Robyn think about that too.
Whatever bias these invited jurors have, the televote seems to counter them so there’s always that balance. Although, such concern would be unfounded if the selection in question is strong.
How can you watch the show internationally? Is it going to be streamed? Help!
Yes, it’ll be available on the SBS Australia Eurovision facebook page, and accessible globally 🙂
(Well, every country that hasn’t blocked facebook, anyway)
https://www.sbs.com.au/programs/eurovision-australia-decides/article/2019/02/01/hello-world-join-eurovision-australia-decides-party
I dont like, why EBU allow to many HOD are membes in juries in many national final.
omg why Bjorkman has to be everywhere?
Because he’s very successful at what he’s doing?
Because obviously he is a highly respected name within this context. You can say whatever you want about this eurovision fandom but you aint nessesarily no experts in favouring contemporary music, which more and more broadcasters seem to be. Sweden and Björkman had obviosly been successful in that in the later years so Why wouldnt They use him as a source of help if They can?
I also guess he’s “everywhere” to develop his experience and network, as the likely candidate to eventually replace Jon Ola Sand as Executive Supervisor of the ESC.
Christer has stated that he has no interest in the position of Executive Supervisor. He likes the creative part of What he does which Jon Ola Sands post has nothing to so with
First question, why do we not know the running order yet?
Second question, why are there no artists on the jury?
third question, why are there only five people on the jury?
I’m kind of scared now that they will choose a safe entry.
Isn’t 5 people the standard? In ESC there is also only 5 people in jury.
yeah, it’s not a jury of professionals so it’s essentially a televote 2.0 with those five ppl voting for what they like the most. probably gonna vote for the safest songs.
Let me make a prediction here. He will choose On My Way by Sheppard since he loves radio-pop so much. By the way, that staging looks so good!
How did you see the staging?
Wiwibloggs instagram post
bjorkman always votes for twinks so i suppose he’s gon vote for aydan even tho he has the most unremarkable song