After 3 selections from the highly-anticipated and much lauded national selection Eurovision: Australia Decides, Australian broadcaster SBS has opted to internally select their act for Eurovision in 2023.
An SBS spokesperson told Australian publication TV Tonight,
“We are thrilled to confirm that Australia will once again compete in the 67th Eurovision Song Contest next year, with hosts Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey at the helm. However, after three years of celebrating and working with local music artists through our Eurovision selection show, Eurovision: Australia Decides, we’ve made the difficult decision not to go ahead with the program in 2023.”
“Over the past few months, we have been exploring ways we could deliver the event to Australian audiences next year however, a variety of factors contributed to us coming to this decision.”
SBS has staged three national selections produced by the long time Creative Director of Eurovision Australia Paul Clarke and production company Blink TV, in partnership with Destination Gold Coast. In that time, we saw Australia become the new Melodifestivalen – with legendary performances that made news around the world, including a pole vaulting dementor, a literal car crash and a hauntingly beautiful burning dress, among other momentous memories.
It is currently not clear what factors contributed to SBS deciding for an internal selection. Eurovision: Australia Decides was notably absent in SBS’s upfronts for 2023, and it’s uncertain as to whether Destination Gold Coast was going to continue to sponsor the event, but it is understood that contract negotiations were taking place in recent weeks to continue the national selection.
Eurovision: Australia Decides saw Kate Miller-Heidke, Montaigne and Sheldon Riley all win and represent Australia to varying success at Eurovision. Prior to the national selection, SBS chose acts internally from 2015 – 2018.
The national selection also made household names of previously fringe acts, catapulting independent Australian artists like Electric Fields and Jaguar Jonze into the spotlight and Australian mainstream media. Jaguar, who participated in both 2020 and 2022 editions of the national selection, has already put her name in the ring to be internally selected in a very tongue-in-cheek tweet earlier today:
Just saying @SBSEurovision I'd happily cancel my hair appointment in May to represent Australia on a world stage ? ? ? #Eurovision2023
— JAGUAR JONZE (@JaguarJonze) November 14, 2022
Details are yet to be revealed as to how Australia’s act for 2023 will be decided beyond the news of an internal selection.
How do you feel about Australia returning to an internal selection for their Eurovision act in 2023? Let us know in the comments below.
Australia Decides would have achieved higher ratings had SBS actually invested in advertising/marketing it well. I watch Eurovision on SBS every year yet had absolutely no idea about Australia Decides until last year when something was mentioned about it during ABC’s Mardi Gras broadcast.
Holding it in Sydney in February each year would have been a better strategy I think too because it would have riden that increased economic and tourism wave produced by Mardi Gras – the second-largest annual event in terms of economic impact it produces.
Appaled. Was looking forward to a show hosted at Gold Coast. This decision will not increase our chances to win as the show did select the correct representative. Please reconsider
Mixed feelings here. Sad for the show and those who worked on it, as I thought they gave it a good go. I have a feeling it might return in the future if there is enough demand; will see. My strongest non-winner memory? Didirri on the piano! 🙂
But yeah, Electric Fields obviously stands out.
with the exception of Dami Imm Austrailia have faled miserably at eurovision,and have brought little of substance to it
Four top 10 results, two top 20 spots, and only one non- qualification is hardly a failure. It’s pretty good for a recently entered country. It’s one thing to not like their songs, but it’s pretty clear that you just hate Australia.
2017 would have been another non-qualification if it the result was decided only by the televote….
That year they didn’t deserve a place in the Top 10 either. Only 2 points from the audience and the song was really boring, to say the least.
It is unfortunate that we’ve lost a national final, But I wish whoever will represent Australia next year good luck.
Dami Im said during Australia Decides 2020 that she was interested in returning to Eurovision. I would be happy if Dami Im was chosen for 2023 because I always like seeing former Eurovision contestants returning to the contest. However, it would be tough for her to match or exceed Sound of Silene.
It would be very tough for Dami Im to return with a song that is equally great or greater than sound of silence, but it doesn’t mean she can’t try to go.
Admittedly I would prefer a completely new Australian representative, whether it’s someone we’ve seen compete in Australia decides before or a completely new name, But whoever it is in the end, let’s give them a chance.
Australia is not San Marino … we cant have same artist every 2 year, lets bring new ones – even tho the song should be number 1 in this case and not WHO will be representing the country 🙂
I also would prefer a new name but whoever represents Australia in the end, we need to give them a chance and embrace with open arms
Jaguar Jonze or Voyager please !
Electric Field would be also interesting.
I need some Rabbit Hole! Jaguar needs to be at ESC 2023 and i feel like she will be! Soon
after last year’s turd compilation, internal was the way to go for them. hopefully it’ll be something more than the typical campy pop song from them – they have a great music industry, but sbs seems to think of eurovision as one-dimensional.
I think in Australia Decides, Australia suffers from the problem of having one of the most Eurovision-savvy voting publics picking the winning act. In theory, this is a good thing of course but the problem has been that they’ve picked “Eurovision-y” acts instead of the best song. Electric Fields was better than KMH…but she was literally singing opera while flying. In 2020, the televote wanted to send Casey Donovan with a bland song sang by a big voice and in 2022, again…a bland, non-song delivered in an overly-emotional way from Sheldon, got picked over obvious Eurovision televote success Voyager. For… Read more »
Kylie?
I absolutely agree with you !
Australia tends to pick big voices with boring songs. Kate Miller Heidke was the exception.
I mean, last year they could have chosen 2 potentially top 5 songs or a very public friendly song, so whilst I’m sad to see Australia Decides go, I’m not too sad.
this year*
Whatever. Just pick the right song & the right artist.
They should be in talks with Electric Fields by now.
I don’t know who’s going to represent Australia in the end, but I think we should all give them a chance regardless of who they are.
I’d like Kylie Minogue.
Kylie has said that ESC is below her
When? I mean it sound like something she would say but more diplomatic but still.
I don’t like internal selection as holding national final always seemed to me more democratic and opportunity giving, but I didn’t like the way they voted and chose their entries for Eurovision. There was something wrong with that selection.
The ‘gay vote’ ruined it for everyone
Nah, Sheldon Riley won because there was a disagreement between the jury and televote winner and he happened to ranked second in both categories and ended up the highest total.
Still better than Duncan Laurence in Tel Aviv…
Not really but Its your opinion
I was talking about the jury and televote results, he came third in the jury and second in the televote.
There was no disagreement. Hthey got more votes than other people, aggregated between jury and public, just like eurovisin does.
At least it was recycled for Hanna Ferm two years later.
Agree re 2017. But I thought both of Montaigne’s songs deserved a place in the final. In fact, 2021 probably my favourite Australian.
You’re right. Jess is the kind of artist who can be amazing or poor depending on the momentum she’s got. After the bad reviews of the first rehearsal, she started struggling – which is not convenient if you’ve followed her career
Now this is Jess’ problem, but it’s too bad her own delegation let her down so badly because that staging was really bad
Who’s the one with a foul mouth?
They were always choosing the gimmicks and the over-the-top stuff instead of the good options (Electric Fields, Jaguar Jonze, Didirri, Voyager) anyway, unfortunately.
i’m disappointed to see it go, as national finals usually give lesser known artists shots at growing an audience. i hope at least they release the artists considered in the internal selection like greece did last year
Now I hope for Dami Im or Jaguar Jonze
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo!
I have been introduced to some great songs and artists… and its not always the song that won that’s remained on my playlist.
Same. For me it is One Touch from Melodifestivalen 2021, which is still on my playlist
On my Spotify account, I actually create two playlists Every Eurovision season, one for the actor your vision songs and another for national final songs that I really enjoy.
Great minds think alike
I admit, I’m a little behind on my Eurovision national 2022 playlist Because I want to go through alphabetical order the countries that use national finals (I’m stopped at Italee for now), But I hope to be a little more timely for 2023.
Australia Decides introduced me to Electric Fields, so I’m sad to see it go, and that the support for Australian arts is not there anymore.
I agree. We can have both, that contest is over.
I would not be surprised if they internally select Jaguar jonze now. She sounds willing and seems to have a good relationship with sbs
That would be my choice too for 2023, but Let’s wait and see. It could be somebody completely new that We’ve never had before. Whoever is chosen in the end, we should give them a chance.
So no more 3 hour shows for 10 songs, but two of those hours consisted of ads?
Lol. So true. As an Australian watching it (or in the audience twice), it felt like it was always so stop/start because of huge gaps between songs.
They needed to keep the show moving; either more songs or (preferably) cut it back to 90 mins!
I never understood national finals that go on very long for such a small amount songs.
Australia’s track record is interesting as they’ve only technically had 2 songs that have been picked by the public–and Zero Gravity went on to do excellently with both jury and public, but Not the Same didn’t do so hot in the Final with the public…in fact, Australia is probably second to Sweden of overperforming with Jury and underperforming with public…maybe the gap between the two is actually greater than Sweden….Isaiah, Jessica and Sheldon all got single digits from the public in the final…in fact, of all their internal selections only the first two with Guy and Dami did well with… Read more »
San Marino is quacking at the last part of your comment. I think they had Val at least twice before even hit five participations. Australia is Australia, there’s a section of the fandom and public who still doesn’t like that they are able to participate, hence why people not vote for them- Why vote for Australia when you can vote for your neighbour? And less now, when you think that their most probably hosting partner is the UK and they might not want to host twice in someone’s name in less than (insert time period here), so, why care for… Read more »
Dami Im 2023???!
I do really like the DNA songs, but they depend on being performed well on the night + a strong visual package, otherwise it will fall flat for the audience.
Don’t break me was in part with DNA. I was expecting Australia to send a novelty song to Liverpool until they scrapped You Decide. And the fact that Albanese, the new Pm, endorsed the 2015 TISM to Eurovision petition in 2018, a year before Iceland sent a similar act in music (in some cases) and aesthetic with a similar satirical leaning
Just send Alison Wonderland already!
2023 is their last guaranteed year of participating without being invited. While I’m sure that deal will be extended, I’d say they are just playing it safe and not spending a fortune vom what could be their last entry.
Doubt they’re withdrawing though and doubt the EBU isn’t going to renew the 5 year invitation.
I think the EBU will grant Australia a permanent place at Eurovision in 2023.
There’s no way they’ll want to lose them, especially with the number of withdrawals this year.
I hope not. One country getting special treatment is not right.
The only time Australia had special treatment was in 2015 when they joined the contest.
That’s just not true. They’re the only associate member with an invitation. Ask Kazahkstan.
Kazakhstan
You are Swedish, right?!
Australia literally get special treatment, not whatever you are imagining about Sweden. They are the only ones not to have to pay membership fees, the only ones that never need to worry about hosting costs if they win, the only ones allowed to enter without being members.
Sounds good!
I hope it’s not the last we’ll hear about Australia Decides, but taking is pause is perfectly fine, especially in a year in which we’ll get new selections, like the one from Belgium, or expansions from Croatia and Malta. I believe that this is a combination of saving money for staging and having a great artist already interested in participating. As stated below, I’d be so happy if it’s Jaguar Jonze. Her Little Fires is better and better each time I hear it.
Honestly, I’m not mad that Australia Decides is gone. In my opinion, the only iconic act they sent was Kate Miller-Heidke, everything else was simply okay. SBS is seriously underfunded so hopefully internally selecting will result in a better song/act/performance overall.
I’m hoping for a Dami Im return in 2023. I just know she has what it takes to win the entire thing with another pop ballad.
It’s because of money, but I do wish SBS is more willing to put effort into giving some publicity to the artist that gets chosen.
I think one of the reasons could be a lack of money to put forward a good staging without the artists having to fund it themselves. SBS used to rely on cash from Sony whenever they selected internally (all were from Sony) Where that money went in 2018; who knows, but 2015-2017 had expensive looking stagings despite 2017 not being executed the best way The NF happened as soon as 2019 because the HoD was tired of not getting their staging plans through and the tendency to lose momentum after the rehearsals, so it will be interesting to what happens… Read more »
It better be Jaguar Jonze who they internally select.
Let’s be honest, Australia Decides only created one good performance at ESC, it’s Kate Miller-Heidke.
Yes, out of two ESC performances coming as a result of Australia Decides, KMH had a vastly superior one. Sheldon performed very well too, but his song is middling for me. Everything else either wasn’t selected via AD or didn’t have the opportunity to perform at ESC. I think that Don’t Break Me would’ve done well too.
Montaigne also won AD – Feb 2020
Yes, but the winning song wasn’t performed *at ESC stage* because the show was cancelled due to pandemic. The OP referred to ”one good performance at ESC”. The song she performed at ESC 2021 was internally chosen. I think that her 2020 song would have performed better, but it’s just a theory.
I think with some Tweaking with the staging, Don’t break me probably would’ve done better for Australia in 2020 had the contest not been canceled, But will never know and it’s time to move on. Whoever does get chosen to represent Australia in 2023, we should all give them a chance whether it’s somebody we’ve gotten familiar with through Australia Decides, a completely new artist, or maybe even Someone who participated at Eurovision before.
They did release the “final” version of the staging for 2020 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lp9E4h_5sY) and it was a huge improvement from the AD staging in my opinion