As we ramp up the announcement of the host city for 2020 in the Netherlands, Australian broadcaster SBS have officially announced a return of their national final Eurovision: Australia Decides for early next year.

The event will take place again at the sunny Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on February 7 (preview show) and February 8 (Live Grand Final).

The Gold Coast, which is Australia’s sixth largest city, played host to this year’s national final (and provided a great beach backdrop for Australia’s burning summer heat). Tickets are on sale as of today, and are available here.

Australian Eurovision commentators Joel Creasey and Myf Warhurst will return as hosts of the format, and will no doubt bring their electric chemistry and sass to stage.

Paul Clarke, the creative director and Head of Delegation for Australia’s delegation, has hinted of some tweaks to the selection show format and “some real surprises about who will be competing”. Will be we Sia-ing a big name like Sia, or maybe burning the house down with a 5SOS?

SBS Commissioning Editor for Entertainment Josh Martin reflected on last year’s show, and hinted 2020 will be bigger and better than what we’ve seen previously:

Following on from Kate Miller-Heidke’s history-making performance in 2019, I cannot wait to see who Australia will choose to represent us in 2020 and the first step on this journey is submitting a song. With a truly diverse and inclusive line up, the inaugural Eurovision – Australia Decides was a great success – and we want this one to be bigger and better than ever!”

Songwriters can upload their potential entries to the competition today. No doubt we’d expect hundreds of uploads as last year – and we may even see this year’s Eurovision entrant Kate Miller-Heidke enter as a seasoned music composer herself. No doubt she will have some involvement in the show this year.

Today’s announcement signals that the Australian delegation was pleased with this year’s change in selection format from internal selection to a national final – and no doubt they should. Previously working exclusively with music label Sony BMG and, more recently, working with songwriters DNA Songs from 2016 to 2018, Kate Miller-Heidke’s performance at last year’s national final wowed Australia and Europe, becoming a performance no doubt etched in Eurovision history books.

Will you be buying tickets for Australia Decides in 2020? Who would you like to see enter the contest down under? Let us know in the comments below!

 

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Harrington
Harrington
4 years ago

Brilliant! I bought my tickets yesterday. I went last year and it was fantastic. William and Deban I hope you are able to attend. Don’t forget to bring your sunscreen and bathing suits as it is hot as hot on the Gold Coast in Feb. My dream lineup would include Electric Fields, Client Liaison, Flume & Vera Blue, PNAU, Ruel, Sheldon Riley, Gang Of Youths and Sunbeam Sound Machine. Anticipate up and comers like George Alice (just won an award from Triple J unearthed) and Jordan Ravi and Jack Vidgen who share the same management team as Aydan and Leea… Read more »

Kim
Kim
4 years ago
Reply to  Harrington

Hint was dropped during the announcement that Australia will be surprised at the caliber of artists who had already expressed interest in the comp.We can only hope some of our big names are interested and it’s not just hyperbole on SBS side. Would really like Electric Fields to give it another crack . I’d like to see PNAU , Flume and the Veronicas give it a go .

Pancake
Pancake
4 years ago

My Australia You Decide line-up: PNAU, Iggy Azalea, Delta Goodrem, The Jasnoskians, Justice Crew, Leea Nanos, Flume, The Veronicas, NERVO, Electric Fields, Havana Brown

esc1234
esc1234
4 years ago

Australia has a serious problem with televoting. Many people dont vote australian entries just because they cant get why they compete. They were dead last 2 years in a row in the televoting while dami im only came 4th in the televoting while she gave one of the best perfomances ever. Dont think they will ever win the public, maybe juries will give them the trophy at some point

Preuss
Preuss
4 years ago
Reply to  esc1234

To be fair, the juries did “hand” Australia the trophy in 2016 where Dami, not surprisingly, won the jury vote, but no acts were even close to her because of the average points she got from the juries were so high. And also, let’s not forget that Guy, Dami, and Kate were top ten with the public vote, so it’s not like Europe won’t vote for Australia, but they do have another hurdle in the public vote and no real “allies” in this contest. I did genuinely hope, and thought, that Kate would bring Australia’s best televote result and that… Read more »

Jo.
Jo.
4 years ago

More layers in 2020, this year’s show was too bubbly.

Kim
Kim
4 years ago
Reply to  Jo.

Oh did we wake you up early in the morning and you had your cranky pants on because you missed your sleep . Don’t bother watching it in the ass crack of the morning . We have to do it every year so suck it up sunshine . We are a happy people – we have sunshine ,sand ,suntans and blokes and chicks in swimwear frolicking at the beautiful beaches . Can’t be sad about that.

Dawid
Dawid
4 years ago

2020 or whatever

Idksmth
Idksmth
4 years ago

This was in the top 3 of the best NFs last year. Amazing song quality and great production although some visually underwhelming performances like Leea Nanos and to an extent Electric Fields but all the performers still slayed.
I hope Electric Fields or Sheldon Riley will compete in 2020 and actually win. Idk if Electric Fields can make a song as amazing as 2000 and whatever but I’d love to see them represent Australia soon.

Jack Pricefield
Jack Pricefield
4 years ago

Fantastic news, I absolutely loved Australia Decides this year and never had so much fun on a Saturday morning since I was a little kid watching random cartoons. I’ve no problem Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre hosting again as they did a splendid job especially with the staging and audience. Looking forward to hearing who are the lucky 10 participants and hearing their songs! but following Kate Miller-Heidke(who undoubtedly deserved to represent Australia in Tel Aviv) is going to be very difficult I think.

Darren
Darren
4 years ago

Really enjoyed the Australian National Final last year, there was about 3-4 songs there that could have won ESC for Australia.
Initially didn’t like Kate’s staging at the NF but once she got to Tel Aviv, we where treated to something else.
Hope Australia continues sending good stuff. Some of their early entries where quite dull.

Craigee_mac
Craigee_mac
4 years ago

Tones and I would be amazing if she entered. Her latest song is #1 in 5 European countries, and she is massive in Scandanavia. Please enter Tones and I. Also can Electric Fields try again with a new song? 2000 & Whatever was the best NQ of the year.

FYROM
FYROM
4 years ago

Well just as I thought trash

Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago

they’ll never top zero GODdity but i hope they deliver. we need another amazing, outstanding song and performance

Loin dici
Loin dici
4 years ago

Maybe, just maybe, we can get something like ZeroGREATvity again. It’s Australia we’re talking about.

Alex
Alex
4 years ago

Heck yea I can’t wait!!

Adam
Adam
4 years ago

Really hope they cut down the voting segment. They kept us waiting way too long last year, especially with the performance (Sorry, Dami!)

ESCFan2009
ESCFan2009
4 years ago

Yeey, “Australia Decides” is back!
Yeey, Joel is back <3

Quint
Quint
4 years ago

I hope Electric fields will be in the selection again and wins!!

Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago
Reply to  Quint

one would think y’all left electric chairs in the past but no, there’s still someone bringing up that travesty safjkhhakflsd

Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago

where’s the correlation… make it make sense sis

Quri
Quri
4 years ago

I would love to see Sheldon Riley representing them. <3

Davidinho
Davidinho
4 years ago

In the meantime Inis Neziri from Albania wins the New Wave festival in Sochi. The history of New Wave is fascinating. The competition has seen such winners as Sergey Lazarev (Russia 2016, 2019) in 2002, Intars Busulis (Latvia 2009) in 2005, Jamala (Ukraine 2016) in 2009, Doredos (Moldova 2018) in 2017. Dozens of other participants of Eurovision have been successful at New Wave.

Craigee_mac
Craigee_mac
4 years ago
Reply to  Davidinho

Yes, and Aisel was competing this year for Azerbaijan. I loved X My Heart in 2017. On her IG story, she has videos and photos of Sergey and Kikarov.. Really cool.

KESC
KESC
4 years ago
Reply to  Davidinho

I really want to see Inis representing Albania.

Preuss
Preuss
4 years ago

I’m all 4 KJ Apa and Maia Mitchell to team up for Australia’s first duet

Roelof Meesters
Roelof Meesters
4 years ago

Last year it was one of the most interesting and fun NF’s and they selected a great winner. I think this is Australiass way to go.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago

Good. They finally found the right path of selecting their entry and should definitely continue on it.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
4 years ago

Glad to see Australia continuing to use their national final. Can’t wait to see next year’s lineup.

Joe
Joe
4 years ago

Very pleased and not surprised at all to hear it! Australia Decides was one of the best national finals this year and it led to a great pick in “Zero Gravity.” Here’s hoping we get another diverse spread of artists and genres. You go, Australia!

Azaad
Azaad
4 years ago

Hope it’s as good as the 2019 edition and can attract the same big names as that one did.