It’s the new national final that is heading into third edition. Australian broadcaster SBS has confirmed that the 2022 edition of Eurovision – Australia Decides will go ahead next year. The broadcaster has officially opened song applications for the national final that will select Australia’s entry for Eurovision 2022.

SBS today released details of Australia Decides 2022. The show will again take place on Queensland’s Gold Coast. City mayor Tom Tate excitedly said, “If there is one event that shouts ‘Gold Coast’ it is Eurovision ­– Australia Decides. Like Eurovision, we are bold, unapologetic and famous for fun. I am delighted that [it’s] back.”

The broadcaster confirmed that the national final would consist of ten competing acts, all with original songs. The show will again be hosted by Australia’s Eurovision commentators Joel Creasey and Myf Warhurst.

Australia Decides 2022 is due to take place on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 February. The Friday show is the dress rehearsal, while the televised live show is on the Saturday. SBS says details of tickets will be available soon.

Queensland currently has some pandemic restrictions in place regarding live events. Indoor venues with fixed seating assigned by ticketed allocations can currently be filled to 100% capacity, while venues without fixed seating can only have one person per two metres. This suggests that a Melodifestivalen-style all-seated audience may be necessary.

While the venue for the 2022 edition of the national final has not yet been announced, the previous two editions were held in the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, an indoor venue. The previous shows had a standing audience area near the stage front.

SBS opens search for songs

With details of the national final confirmed, SBS has also launched a search for songs. The broadcaster has confirmed that it will internally select artists and match them with songs.

Australia Decides Creative Director — and former Australian Head of Delegation Paul Clarke said, “We’ve got some very exciting artists to announce shortly, but first we need songs! It’s an opportunity for all our songwriters to showcase their best and boldest – please send your songs to the SBS song portal.”

Song applications are open until 26 September. SBS has no restrictions on the number of songs that can be submitted.

While none of the competing performers are known at this stage, during Australia Decides 2020, Australia’s Eurovision 2016 star Dami Im expressed interest at returning to the national final in 2021. However, a 2021 edition of Australia Decides was not held and Dami later released her potential entry, “Paper Dragon”. It is not known if Dami plans to enter the 2022 edition.

Australia at Eurovision

Australia debuted at Eurovision 2015 and for its first four years, SBS internally selected their Eurovision act. While Australia’s initial entry had proved popular, it began to struggle, especially with the televote.

In 2019, the broadcaster introduced the national final Eurovision – Australia Decides. The winner of the first edition was Kate Miller-Heidke with her song “Zero Gravity”. The song proved to be a big fan favourite, won its semi-final and placed ninth overall in the Eurovision 2019 grand final.

The following year, Montaigne won the second edition of Australia Decides with “Don’t Break Me”. After Eurovision 2020 was cancelled, she was internally selected by SBS to return in 2021 and competed with the internally selected song “Technicolour”.

Due to pandemic precautions, the Australian delegation chose not to travel to Rotterdam and instead competed remotely. Sadly “Technicolour” placed 14th in its semi-final, making Australia’s first non-qualifying entry.

What do you think? Which Australian singers would you like to see competing in Australia Decides 2022? What kind of songs would you like to hear performed in the national final? Tell us your thoughts below!

Read more Australia Eurovision news here

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Graham B
Graham B
2 years ago

V O Y A G E R ! ! !
That was one of the highlights for 2020 and they didn’t even make the final!
SYNTHWAVE IN EUROVISION!!!

Boozeboy99
Boozeboy99
2 years ago

Send Electric Fields!

Sot
Sot
2 years ago

What I would want from Australia is something (ab)original. We haven’t seen something new from Australia since their debut. Well, the closest we have got to that was Technicolour, which was hella original but still not e t h n i c

bigcity
bigcity
2 years ago
Reply to  Sot

I had such high hopes for jess when she was interviewed saying she wanted to include some language and sounds 🙁

Susan
Susan
2 years ago
Reply to  Sot

Are you joking that Australia has never brought anything new. Australia have one of the best stage performance last of all time with Kate Miller Heidke on a giant 5-foot pole swinging around whilst singing with flying dementors around her.

Vouuk
Vouuk
2 years ago

It’s a large stretch to call this “Popular”. The ratings for Eurovision in Australia in general are horrible

Nicholai
Nicholai
2 years ago
Reply to  Vouuk

Yeah well generally TV shows that air at 5am tend not to get huge audiences

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  Nicholai

It’s also shown on Sunday evening, and is still easily beaten by Nine, Seven and Ten. That’s how SBS is.

azaad
azaad
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

That’s more an indictment on how the government undercuts its obligations to fund public broadcasters like the ABC and SBS.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago

On the other hand, Australia is not participating in the 2021 Junior Eurovision contest. I guess I want to focus more in the grown-up edition

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago

I can’t remember when Australia’s five-year invitation is up, did Covid mess with that?

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

I think it ends in 2023, so it’s at least two Eurovision covered. I don’t know if the cancelled 2020 edition would make the country extend one more year to cover it or if it’s going to stick with that same timeframe

Last edited 2 years ago by BadWoolfGirl
Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

Thanks.

Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

I mean let’s be honest, the invitation’s gonna continue. I dont see the ebu saying that australia can’t participate after 2023

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  Ashton

Yeah, probably. They’ll need to come up with a better reason for keeping Australia in and Kazakhstan out, though.

Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

here’s one: one’s a dictatorship and one isn’t. and this is coming from someone who would be happy if Kazakhstan was invited

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  Ashton

That would be a very good reason… if it was actually their reason. The junior contest shows it isn’t.

Sot
Sot
2 years ago
Reply to  Ashton

Even if they do, Australians are not gonna like this. The ESC fandom in the land down under is HUGE compared to countries like Bulgaria or Georgia (not the best examples maybe but you get my point)

Lucianna
Lucianna
2 years ago

My biggest wish would be Stray Kids lol. A kpop group with two members with Australian citizenship. They produce their own music and they are amazing! They had a comeback a few days ago and man…their stage presence is dope (my fav performance rn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC7aho3aIlc). Yeah but this won’t happen lmao so I’m hoping for Jaguar Jonze, she’s great as well!!!

Last edited 2 years ago by Lucianna
GojoSatoru
GojoSatoru
2 years ago
Reply to  Lucianna

Stray Kids is dope, even though I only listen to Top (aka the OP song of Tower of God), but unless they have Australian roots, that isn’t possible.

Lucianna
Lucianna
2 years ago
Reply to  GojoSatoru

They have australian citizenship as I mentioned, but yeah It was just my personal wish.

GojoSatoru
GojoSatoru
2 years ago
Reply to  Lucianna

For how long has Stray Kids been living in Australia so far? If it is 1 year then it is surely a no go. If it is longer then there is a possibility they could participate (if they show interest at least).

Pineaple
Pineaple
2 years ago

Hoping to see someone win Australia decides because of the song and not a gimmicky performance.

Nils
Nils
2 years ago
Reply to  Pineaple

Exactly my thoughts. While Kate Miller-Heidke and Montaigne were in no way bad performers, I always felt like they mainly won for being novelty or gimmicky acts. Like there was some sort of misperception going on, with Australians thinking they had to select something like that in order to be successful.

willchrisiam
willchrisiam
2 years ago

I was beyond excited when Dami Im said she was gonna apply again. It would be natural for me to still feel the same way but ever since she released Paper Dragon I’m very skeptical. She really thought that was good enough to come back with after THAT performance and result?! Why do so many spectacular vocalists have abysmal taste and settle for the safest, repetitive anthem-wannabes? Jessie J is another example of a chills inducing voice wasted on songs like I Want Love where an English native keeps repeating lines like “It’s you and me, there’s no confusion. Breaking… Read more »

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  willchrisiam

I see what you’re saying, but it depends on how you want to judge lyrics – they’re meant to serve the song, not be judged as poetry on words alone. If they fit the mood, make people happy, are memorable – then sometimes “bad” lyrics can become “good” lyrics.

Sot
Sot
2 years ago
Reply to  willchrisiam

Switzerland? Nah, not that often

2014: meaningful if you look at it from another perspective
2015: cheesy
2016: Bad but meaningful
2017: cheesy
2018: meaningful
2019: cheesy
2020-2021: meaningful

If this continues, I see us having Fuego #5 next year

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
2 years ago
Reply to  willchrisiam

i’m honestly hoping for a new face… dami im has a great voice but she has nothing to say as an artist. i’d very much rather have australia send something that represents their diverse music scene well.

Preuss
Preuss
2 years ago

So I suppose SBS now is sure of sending their artist over to compete in person? If so, I’m cheering all the way for this NF after their awful treatment of Montaigne last year. Tbh, I thought they’d just internally select someone to save money anyway. Most of the acts in AD look pretty cheap, probably due to budget reasons

Jofty
Jofty
2 years ago
Reply to  Preuss

Poor Montaigne, I hope she is given another chance down the line. For me, the two best Australian entries so far have been Technicolour and Don’t Break Me. The worst, by a long way, Don’t Come Easy.

Leo
Leo
2 years ago

And please change that stage for god’s sake!

Last edited 2 years ago by Leo
just an esc fan
just an esc fan
2 years ago

just make sure you’ll actually give to the singer a chance to perform on stage this time!

Jimbo
Jimbo
2 years ago

I really hope Electric Fields comeback with an entry. Personally I love how their music represents the language of Australia while still sounding mainstream.

Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago
Reply to  Jimbo

literally. also it’s about time we had an aboriginal australian language at eurovision

Jimbo
Jimbo
2 years ago
Reply to  Ashton

I definitely agree with you Ashton that we should have aboriginal language at Eurovision however it is important that it isn’t put in the song as a gimmick and that is why I think Electric Fields are a great representation because it comes across they are passionate about the language.

willchrisiam
willchrisiam
2 years ago
Reply to  Jimbo

I loved their song but the presentation was Fyr og Flamme level chaotic and amateurish. You can’t just whip your hair or jump around like an overexcited puppy. I really hope they step up their game.

Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago
Reply to  willchrisiam

ok, but the song was good. Ove os pa hinanden was awful.

willchrisiam
willchrisiam
2 years ago
Reply to  Ashton

I still love 2000 And Whatever. I was never into Øve Os På Hinanden but I understood why people found them endearing. At least until Jesper started running around and jumping like a headless chicken. (I’m just now realizing how that sounds. Never actually pictured it because we use the phrase “like a headless fly” which is way more abstract because you don’t really see stuff like that. At least I never have) It was very amateur hour.

Jimbo
Jimbo
2 years ago
Reply to  willchrisiam

I do see your point of view on how the performance could be more polished however I can understand the reason why Electric Fields did do that type of performance because they wanted to showcase the energy of the song to get the crowd on their side which I guess they were hopeful would translate to televotes. It’s also worth thinking about the music artist budget for their performance because artists like Kate Miller-Heidke could have been able to spend a higher budget on herself. Finally I do think it’s worth watching a few recent live performances on YouTube because… Read more »

Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago

not sure how im feeling about sbs internally selecting artists

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago
Reply to  Ashton

I’d be fine with that but if that would mean that the artists would pick their own-songs… SBS matching them with songs… hmm.. I hope we don’t get a bunch of the voice rejects.

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

it may have worked well but that song was quite awful tbh haha…

Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

the only reason Casey got that many votes was because of her fame, let’s be real

Eurofan
Eurofan
2 years ago
Reply to  Ashton

I think it’s fine, I mean a lot of them use their own songs anyway (Leea Nanos, Montaigne, KMH, Jaguar Jonze on top of my head) but when they do match song they are yeah, weak songs but the songs do tend to suit the artists.

Yudhistira Mahasena
2 years ago

I wish 5SOS applies for Australia Decides 2022…