Like a lot of artists, Australian singer Montaigne had her Eurovision 2020 dream crushed when the show was cancelled in March this year. But like 18 other artists so far, she has been given the opportunity to return and represent her country in 2021. In a recent profile, Montaigne has opened up about the cancellation and the uncertainty of 2021.
Montaigne was profiled in the Sydney Morning Herald, in a piece looking at people who had to give up their planned big moment in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic changed everything. Alongside an Olympian and an author, Montaigne was profiled as a musician who had to give up her big moment in 2020.
At first, Montaigne took the news of the cancellation hard, writing on social media that “I spent a couple of hours paralysed in bed, despondently scrolling through many lovely tweets.”
But the profile notes that Montaigne now has a different outlook. She said, “It can be scary to feel that vulnerable and hurt but you have to go through that for it not to manifest elsewhere in your life.”
Before the show was cancelled, Montaigne had already started to put in the groundwork. She had been planning the staging for Rotterdam and had been gleaning Eurovision survival tips from Kate Miller-Heidke.
While the cancellation came as a blow, Montaigne has managed to see the positive side of it. She explained, “I counted my blessings. I wasn’t really fit enough to perform this year; now I get to hang with my partner. Weeding the garden gives me as much pleasure as Eurovision. Sounds weird, but that’s me.”
The long road to Eurovision 2021
And there’s always next year. In April, broadcaster SBS confirmed that Montaigne would have a return ticket to Rotterdam in 2021 and another chance to represent Australia at Eurovision.
But, as the article notes, Montaigne isn’t quite convinced everything will be back to normal next year. She said, “I was stoked but … I’m resigned to the possibility I’ll never perform in Eurovision.”
As part of Australia’s restrictions to control the spread of Covid-19, the country’s international border is closed. This means that currently, an Australian Eurovision delegation could only travel overseas if they received a special exemption, which would require the travel to be deemed as being “in the national interest.”
There will be no Australian entry in Junior Eurovision this year, after the broadcaster withdrew, citing the “current restrictions and the ongoing uncertainty around this situation”.
The Australian government has given no timeline for when the border restrictions will end, however it is expected that the restrictions will stay in place until at least the end of 2020.
But there is a sign that Montaigne is still working away on her Eurovision 2021 entry. Recently she posted to Twitter, with the encouraging news, “i reckon i’ve written my eurovision song for next year it’s totally f****d”.
Whatever the fate of Australia’s involvement in Eurovision 2021, fans are sure to get an amazing new track from Montaigne. And hopefully we’ll also get to see Montaigne performed it on the Rotterdam stage in May.
What do you think? Are you excited to hear Montaigne’s song for Eurovision 2021? Do you hope the Australian delegation will be able to participate? Tell us your thoughts below!
I thought this would happen months ago. They let the cricketers go because of obligations to TV contracts and we are a sporting culture but a singing contest is not going to get an exception .
They will get an exception, their sports people are allowed to leave, and ESC is different to JESC in terms of public interest so are more likely to be given an exception.
This was sad to read about. The cancellation has been difficult enough for ESC superfans but I can’t imagine how the artists have felt through all of this.
There will always be a little uncertainity but I do really hope Montaigne gets her chance, she’s clearly someone who cares a lot about her music and wants to share it with us at ESC and I find that really admirable.
Can’t see Australia participating, unless SBS maybe internally selects an Australian living in Europe already?
And just not send commentators to the event, or have them do the commentary from Australia?
Anyway that’s my suggestion and naturally it would be ideal if Montaigne is the representative, even if I wasn’t a fan of the song, she deserves her chance.
I think they will participate.
Well, SBS has already announced they will participate and send Montaigne again. So either Australia will have to grant the delegation special permit to leave or Netherlands have to let her perform via satellite?
I think yours is a sensible opinion. I may agree or not, but I guess sometimes downvoting has such a childish drive!
They let Shane Warne leave Australia to do cricket commentary in the UK, I’m sure they’ll let Montaigne out for ESC next May
And having the chance to beat the U.K in a competition would certainly be within the “national interests” of Australia.
That could just as easily apply to Eurovision if you think about it