After one year off, Australia’s national final returned to television — giving the Gold Coast of Australia a little extra shine. Eleven acts sang, and by the end of the night Sheldon Riley emerged victorious with his emotional ballad “Not the Same.” With a unique masked look and a very impressive voice, Sheldon proved he most definitely ain’t like the others!
Ahead of the show, the prince of Australian dark pop told our Sebastian all about his song. “It was a song I wrote to myself. When I was around six or seven years old, I was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome….being in a very religious family, having this scientific diagnosis wasn’t easy.”
He was told he would never speak and would struggled to fit in. but that wasn’t the case. Something else was holding him back.
“It wasn’t until I came out that I realised I was perfectly capable of speaking…I was just too afraid to.”
Eurovision – Australia Decides 2022 – grand final
The result was determined by a 50-50 split between an expert jury and Australia’s public.
Eurovision – Australia Decides 2022 final results
- Sheldon Riley – “Not the Same” 100 points
- Voyager – “Dreamer” 97 points
- Jaguar Jonze – “Little Fires” 91 points
- Charley – “I Suck at Being Lonely” 63 points
- G-Nation – “Bite Me” 56 points
- Paulini – “We Are One” 52 points
- Andrew Lambrou – “Electrify” 51 points
- Jude York – “I Won’t Need to Dream” 47 points
- Isaiah Firebrace and Evie Irie – “When I’m with You” 45 points
- Erica Padilla – “To the Bottom” 45 points
- Seann Miley Moore – “My Body” 23 points
?? Sheldon Riley is the winner of #Eurovision: #AusDecides ! pic.twitter.com/dZXeTU4ODg
— wiwibloggs (@wiwibloggs) February 26, 2022
Australia Decides 2022: Jury results
1. Jaguar Jonze 51 points
2. Sheldon Riley 50 points
3. Voyager 37 points
4. Isaiah Firebrace and Evie Irie 35 points
5. Charley 33 points
6. Paulini 32 points
6. Jude York 32 points
8. Erica Padilla 20 points
9. Seann Miley Moore 18 points
10. Andrew Lambrou 16 points
11. G Nation 11 points
The jury members were:
- Alexandra Rotan (KEiiNO, Norway 2019)
- Darren Hayes (Savage Garden)
- Paul Clarke (Director and producer)
- Emily Griggs (Head of entertainment, SBS)
- Millie Petriella (APRA AMCOS director)
Australia Decides 2022: Public televote results
- Voyager 60 points
- Sheldon Riley 50 points
- G Nation 45 points
- Jaguar Jonze 40 points
- Andrew 35 points
- Charley 30 points
- Erica Padilla 25 points
- Paulini 20 points
- Jude York 15 points
- Isaiah Firebrace and Evie Irie 10 points
- Seann Miley Moore 5 points
What do you think? Do you agree more with the public vote or the jury? How will Sheldon do at Eurovision? Let us know in the comments box below!
Horrific.!
I was so disappointed Voyager did not win. I watch every year and vote every year. I thought the voting system this year was rigged – lacked consistency and transparency. The televote points were in set 5pt increments, but the Jury vote had no increment limitations. If Voyager won the televote in a landslide then the increment system pulls them back closer to the pack. It is called Eurovision Australia Decides for a reason, not Eurovision The Jury decides. The current system gives the jury more power. The people should have more say, not a select panel of five people.… Read more »
Too much effort put into his image and not enough into the song which seems to be the way things are going in ESC. Thumbs down from me.
When does Sheldon film a music video for “Not the Same”? There’s plenty of time left.
Sheldon’s win has seen Australia drop in the betting odds. This shows it obviously wasn’t the right choice. I would also like to see a better explanation of how the points are given out, not the presentation, but the working out of the points. So Voyager won with 60 points in the phone vote. But 60 points out of what? If someone can explain I would be happy as their is something I am missing but it feels like SBS isn’t being really clear.
It’s dropped in the betting odds for now, but I would not be surprised when it starts climbing back up come rehearsal time in Turino. However, to be fair, I think this song performing well relies really heavily on the running order it’s given. If it’s drawn to perform early on in the show in the grand final, it might just scrape top 10. Powerful ballads like these typically do well towards the end.
Also re the point things – i agree with you! Found it really weird how the tele-votes go in increments of 5 it seemed?
The maximum you can score is 120 points – 60 points is the maximum you can achieve in the public vote and also 60 points in the jury vote. Voyager came first in the public vote and got the full 60 points. Depending on where you came in the public vote it drops down in increments of 10 from 1st to 2nd place and then 5 points for every place lower i.e. 60 points, 50 points, 45 points, 40 points, etc. all the way down to 5 points for last place. Whereas, in the Jury vote, it’s up to 5… Read more »
cant believe they did not vote for Jaguar… very impressive dress.
It’s so cool that someone with the same condition as me takes part into the contest!! He inspires A LOT of people!!!
I thought it was a song contest not rehab.
Thanks Wiwibloggs for interviewing Sheldon before the contest. Without that interview I’m afraid I would be agreeing with most of the commentary here in expressing disappointment. However, on the bright side there is room to remedy the situation. The song does need a revamp to improve melody and tighten the lyrics. The visual presentation while ambitious is actually undermining the song. This is NOT the type of song where the singer can remain hidden for most of the song. It’s an emotional song and the face must be seen for most of the performance. I agree with William that it’s… Read more »
I couldn’t finish to listen to it. Too much drama, just too much…
(insert annoyed emoji)
For me too….
Great voice, the song is very repetitive. Think the staging needs tweeked it is in danger of being wtf is this. I get it, but he needs to connect to the audience somehow.
I wonder if Sheldon can do more than “This is me, I am different than others look at me!” songs.
I don’t know what people are complaining about… This was the obvious and by far the best choice for Australia. Best entry since Demi. The song lacks a bit of originality, but is very competent and dramatic, the mis-en-scene is also very powerful and he is an excellent performer. Top 5 for sure! Well done Aussie friends!
You meant Dami Im?
😀 oh yes! Sorry
Australia, what happened to you?! Another NF I’m afraid
We all wanted Voyager… and everyone reckons the voting was rigged a little for Sheldon. So it’s not OUR fault.
ivan ooze!!
They couldn’t be more different.
I was amazed at how good all the voices were, but also at how boring all the songs were. Although I hold negative feelings towards Isaiah F after his out-of-tune in baglady fashion performance the time he appeared somewhere in Europe, I thought his duet was the only one which might hold an audience interested for the full two minutes. (2017 – I just googled it) Jaguar Jonze would have deserved to win on voice alone, but she needs to grow out of the compulsion to show that she can croon, trill, warble and holler. They all can, they don’t… Read more »
Being honest, Sheldon was in my bottom 3. The Voyager was fine, but Jaguar Jonze was my #1. I saw your video guys, and all I can say, you must have been watching a different TV show. I really tried to get into it, but I must have been missing something
Way too much forced and useless drama in 3minutes, not into this.
I’m not a fan of this kind of entries. Put the focus on the song, sing it well and don’t see yourself as the subject that has to be staged. That’s all I’m asking for.
Exactly my thoughts!
Israel’s song also fits this category!
I’m fine with him winning, great voice and the song is an impactful ballad, but the emotions seem a tad overdone.
More like, ‘Not The Right Choice’
Yeah reading these comments about how this lacks impact or whatever and i can just tell that most of you probably aren’t autistic lol
We have good taste, that’s all. Lol.
Autistic or not, this is a song contest and sorry to say Not The Same still doesn‘t touch me at all.
Mediocre at best, a big let-down. Sorry.
I’m still waiting for the song that knocks me off my feet – but this is far better than Australia’s more recent offerings, that’s for sure.
It’s… a song. Great voice, but the song itself is very meh.
His voice is great, but the song is just a contemporary ballad. It doesn’t have the magic that winning Eurovision songs normally have. And besides that, in these dramatic times we need uplifting songs that make us want to celebrate life.
No magic since 2009 – Alexander Rybak – Denmark. Before that – ABBA?
Too much forced emotion, especially when the mask comes off. All that quivering! Bit too pretentious for me, and his voice is quite shouty. Voyager would have been a lot more fun!
sheldon has a decent voice but this song and performance remind me of something james charles would compete with if he tried to enter eurovision. in my opinion it’s rather pretentious, trying so hard to be relatable/do well at eurovision, and has uninspired recycled lyrics. it’s jury bait for sure, but screams bottom 5 in the televote
Too much jury power, and the song is crap.
Be fair though, they all were. Great voices, all of them, but crap songs
At least Voyager was fun.
Too much drama kills the drama.
awful screaming
Beautiful song and an amazing voice
Great winner and song. For me it ”s one of the best songs so far
Sheldon is definitely a powerful singer. He was the best singer today. This song will qualify for the final but I’m finding his stage performance too tacky for my liking. The beady chandelier type masks are a huge distraction to his beautiful voice. He does not need to exhibit this!. I guess this is his signature stage act, but its really cheesy and very tacky. A similar song to Poland, the votes will be split on this. A winner no, but it will do well.
“World stays united with Ukraine!
Who helps us financially?”
– Poland – 950 mln USD
– France – 300 mln EUR
– Norway – 30 mln USD
– United Nations – 20 mln USD
– Czechia – 12 mln EUR
– Lithuania – 1.8 mln EUR
THANKS
We (Ireland) have removed the need for a visa to enable Ukrainian people to come here, alongside €10 million in humanitarian aid.
We are also calling for Russia to be excluded from Swift and are in the process of expelling Russian ambassador to Ireland, Yuri Filatov.
Ireland stands with Ukraine.
Dude, stop posting your propaganda under random articles… Your numbers are false, and even if they were correct Poland’s money comes from the EU anyway.
Not mad that Sheldon won (but it’s a bit on the side of I’ve seen it all before, and would have preferred Voyager), but honestly just annoyed with how they’ve gone about with the voting system. If you are using the 5 point increment system, at least be consistent with the jury voting, or else there is no point in doing having fan-votes if large support for a song will be pulled back in line with the rest of the field (or maybe it was a landslide?) Just did a hypothetical if people are interested (if juries did the 5… Read more »
And thats why all should use it the same way or scrap the juries.
In Finland the same, 25% juries 75% televote, no one talks about that because The Rasmus won both (as did Blind Channel last year).
I’m sorry but nothing special for me here 🙁 I would prefer ”Don’t Break Me” to this.
No I was rooting for Voyager and I LOVED their performance! Sheldon was vocally strong, but I didn’t understand the performance, and the crying was a bit off-putting, though it’s definitely understandable <3.
No one seems to be talking about Charley or Jude’s performance, either: they, Voyager and even Jaguar should have been Australia’s choice
I think it will definitely be a grower by the time we reach Torino, but the performance and appearance, which can be distracting at times, needs to change significantly and if a revamp is possible, not to have the climax die suddenly. But I have faith in Australia this year!
There’ll always be different staging, but they tend to leave the song alone.
you’re lucky you don’t represent armenia
I want to like it but it’s incredibly dull. It might scrape through qualification.
Desperately needs a revamp to keep the viewers engaged and add some dynamism. I found myself to be quite bored halfway through the performance, it was quite flat and didn’t go anywhere.
However, I’m sure this will be spectacular on stage in Turin!
keep the salt coming everyone because that is exactly how everybody reacted to Kate when she was selected in 2019, and she landed comfortably in the top 10
I was probably one of the few who loved Zero Gravity from the start lol
Very different songs. Very different vocalists, very different staging.
They are incomparable.
Saying everyone is being salty won’t change that.
In fact, it reeks of desperation
okay
Well said!
You’ve tried to hit the nail on the head, but you’ve hit your finger. Yes the songs are different but the fact is that people didn’t like kate’s song and look how well she did. The response here is similar. Nobody cares that you don’t like the song.
thank you lmfao. imagine being that dense that you think I was comparing the styles of the songs instead of the reaction to both and then calling me desperate for doing so, it’s giving the complete absence of critical thought
I was not a fan of Kate’s song, but say whatever you want at least it was entertaining and impactful… Sheldon’s song is just 3 minutes that feel like forever, and you struggle to stay awake until the end.
Congratulations to Sheldon. (I only just watched the performance as I have myself been singing all day until now.)
Sheldon gave perhaps the most emotional performance I have ever seen or heard in a National Final. It certainly was three minutes of dramatic emotion.
Also, thank you Sheldon for sticking with the mask. It’s beautiful and symbolic at the same time. Bravo.
I thought Barbara Pravi’s emotion felt more genuine.
I’m talking about the acting, what the performer shows us – not how they were feeling when they wrote the song.
Jamala also. Intensity.
Yes, that is understood. I was referring to the emotion being felt rather than the acting, so all is good
so basically he wears a mask to hide his emotions (see lyrics) and then he takes the mask off because he’s not the same, YET he kept the make-up? If you want to make a statement about authenticity and being yourself, you don’t need make-up. I think it is confusing. In such song, you need to strip of all the make-up and glam and just be yourself in front of the audience without fear.
some people express themselves through make-up. that doesn’t make it any less authentic.
Then the whole thing with the mask is pretty useless.
then why the mask? it def makes it less authentic in the eyes of the average viewer.
Australia have sent some decent songs over the years. However this was a yawnfest. Too long behind a mask. It was boring to watch a black stage for so long. This won’t qualify
Lol, of course it will qualify. You all live in a bubble.
Bring tecnicolour back. Montaigne was robbed of a place in final last year
it definitely will qualify. Top 10 potential. I don’t like this song very much but I don’t doubt that this has a very wide appeal
There is a lot of warbling in this song. Incredible vocal ability but with little emotional impact. The staging is very nice. I can see this being lapped up by the juries but not doing very well with the televote.
This is so generic, nothing to remember after a first listen. Next.
Come thru elimination!
Damn Australia, where did you found him…I’m just speechless….. Such a beautiful song! Australia, you can be really proud!!!
damn there really is no point seeing any comment section on this site anymore when everyone hates all entries sent so far. its either generic pop, overused rock or boring ballad. try appreciating a song once in a while peeps.
He basically just recreated his Frozen audition from The Voice without none of the authenticity or melody. This feels like more a vocal exercise than an actual song and slightly emotionally manipulative. For me personally it just comes across as “by the numbers”. If juris eat this up when they turned their backs on Vincent’s Amen—then juris just seem like they can’t quit Australian. And, yes, Eurovision this year is veering into Masked Singer territory.