Silia Kapsis: Aussie teen is nation’s new Eurovision hope

Australia will have an artist in the Eurovision grand final thanks to a teenager whose family’s heritage made her eligible to compete.

Australia’s Electric Fields has been shut out of the Eurovision 2024 grand final after a shock televote advanced a handful of unexpected contestants.

The South Australian duo, who brought Indigenous culture to the Malmo Arena stage in Sweden for the first time, delivered a mighty performance of their song One Milkali (One Blood).

But they faced an uphill battle to win support from diehard European voters and a smaller contingent of fans watching from the rest of the world who can now add their voice to the semi-final decider.

Despite the blow, Australia will have an artist to support at the weekend’s grand final thanks to 17-year-old Sydneysider Silia Kapsis, whose Greek Cypriot heritage made her eligible to compete for Cyprus.

Silia Kapsis after performing Liar for Cyprus. Picture: Corrine Cumming /EBU

Australian singer and dancer Silia Kapsis is representing Cyprus with the song Liar. Picture: AFP

Teenager Silia Kapsis is Australia’s Eurovision hope. Picture: AFP

Kapsis, the youngest contestant at this year’s event, opened the show with an electrifying and high energy banger called Liar which featured stunning stage design and lighting.

Zaachariaha Fielding of Electric Fields performs at the Malmo Arena. Picture: AFP

Draped in the flags of Cyprus and Australia, Kapsis was bouncing with excitement after landing a spot in the grand final after several countries who hadn’t figured in poll predictions won big votes from fans.

Sydneysider Silia Kapsis is still in the game. Picture: AFP

“I’m so excited I literally have no words,” she said.

“The audience helped so much...especially the cheering on the dance break...and for the ending when the guys (dancers) took their shirts off. We get it.”

Kapsis said she hoped Australia would get behind her with their votes at the weekend’s big finale when she will perform in the second half.

Sydney teenager Silia Kapsis stuns the audience at Malmo Arena. Picture: Corrine Cumming /EBU

Australian singer and dancer Silia Kapsis is representing Cyprus with the song Liar. Picture: AFP

“I will be an Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi until the day I die, I love you guys and I hope you support me. Australia (Electric Fields) were also amazing at Eurovision this year, they are so incredible and...I hope I make you guys proud as well”

The teenager said she would celebrate her semi-final victory with a few Tim Tams before bed.

ELECTRIC FIELDS PROUD OF ‘KILLER PERFORMANCE’

Electric Fields vocalist Zaachariaha Fielding and producer and keyboardist Michael Ross joked they would take their Eurovision experience and write a song about it called You Got It Wrong.

“We’re still buzzing from the three minutes, we did a killer performance and we felt like rock stars...and we can write about these things and create songs out of this,” Fielding said.

“And then we’ll get all the other losers to come and join in on the chorus.”

Electric Fields singer Zaachariaha Fielding, left, says he felt like a “rock star” representing Australia. Picture: AFP

Electric Fields perform on stage during the first semi-final in Malmo, Sweden. Picture: AFP

The pair said they wanted their Eurovision campaign, which elevated the South Australian duo to the world stage, to inspire Indigenous musicians and multicultural Australians to take their unique voices and perspectives to the singing Olympics.

And it’s just the start of a raft of exciting opportunities for Electric Fields who will perform at New York’s Lincoln Centre in June, at Pride celebrations in Washington and record a live album with the Darwin Symphony Orchestra.

Fielding is also an acclaimed landscape artist who won last year’s prestigious Wynne Prize and found out on the morning of the semi-final in Malmo he had been shortlisted for the Hadley’s Art Prize, worth $100,000, alongside his father Robert.

Fielding’s art will also adorn pieces which will feature during the Romance Was Born collection at Sydney Fashion Week next week.

Australian singer and dancer Silia Kapsis representing Cyprus.

The other nine countries to make the cut from the first semi are Serbia, Croatia, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, Lithuania, Ireland, Ukraine and Luxembourg.

Australia has been competing at the singing Olympics since Guy Sebastian first represented us in 2015 and has only failed to qualify for the grand final once when Montaigne was forced to “perform” via video in 2021 because of Covid border restrictions which didn’t allow her to travel to Rotterdam.

Eurovision organisers the European Broadcasting Union expressed “regret” an opening guest act made a political statement about the war in Gaza by wearing a keffiyeh symbol wrapped around his wrist.

Swedish singer Eric Saade, who competed in 2011, was part of a trio of artists opening the show, performing his song Popular.

His father is of Palestinian heritage from Lebanon.

A spokeswoman for the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said: “The Eurovision Song Contest is a live TV show.

“All performers are made aware of the rules of the contest, and we regret that Eric Saade chose to compromise the non-political nature of the event.”

Fans attending the event at Malmo Arena were warned not to bring Palestinian flags, symbols or bags and were subject to vigorous security checks.

EUROVISION OPENS WITH ARMED SECURITY

The first semi final of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest opened in Sweden in the shadow of protests as the Israel and Hamas conflict continues in Gaza.

While this year’s competition in Malmo is held under the banner of United of Music, the Swedish city has been divided by pro-Palestinian marches against the participation of Israel.

A huge security presence throughout the city and outside the Malmo Arena is bracing for demonstrations this week as Israel’s Eden Golan prepares to sing her entry song Hurricane at the second semi.

Swedish armed police officers patrol outside the Eurovision venue. Picture: Johan Nilsson /AFP

Swedish police and military divisions, including Coast Guard officers on jet skis and patrol boats in the city’s canals, have been bolstered by reinforcements from neighbouring Denmark and Norway.

The Nordic Force have employed strict measures similar to airport security at the hotels where the artists and delegations of the 37 countries participating are staying with drones and helicopters also surveilling the venues.

Electric Fields perform One Milkali (One Blood) at Malmo Arena. Picture: Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU

The semi-final cut is decided entirely by fan votes with 150 million viewers expected to tune into the show from around the world.

Electric Fields delivered a historic performance of their song One Mikhali (One Blood) singing in Yankunytjatjara, an Aboriginal language of the Anangu peoples and the powerful presence of the yidaki played by Fred Leone.

Among the favourites to go through is Croatia’s high camp hard rock act Baby Lasagna, the hilarious wackiness of Finland’s Windows95man whose act channels an Austin Powers scene to hide his G-string pouch and Ukraine’s powerful operatic rap duo alyona alyona and Jerry Heil.

Watch Eurovision 2024 Semi Final 2 live on SBS and SBS On Demand on Friday from 5am AEST and repeated on Saturday at 7.30pm. The Grand Final airs on Sunday at 5am and again at 7.30pm AEST.

Originally published as Silia Kapsis: Aussie teen is nation’s new Eurovision hope