Eurovision: Australia Decides, live final to determine who will represent nation
Kate Miller-Heidke has been selected as Australia’s representative to perform at Eurovision with her hit song Zero Gravity.
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The divinely over-the-top, on top-of-a-dress tower performance of Kate Miller-Heidke was the emphatic winner of the first-ever selection show to decide our representative for the Eurovision Song Contest.
“I’m totally overwhelmed! This has been a peak experience already, and I’m dying with excitement at what’s to come. Thanks to everyone who voted, and to all the other artists who provided such a brilliant, eclectic and stiff competition. I’ve had a ball, and I’m so grateful and thrilled that I get to represent Australia at Eurovision in 2019,” she said.
Miller’s ambitious and beautifully crafted pop meets opera song Zero Gravity was tailor made for the vocal Olympics which will be staged in Tel Aviv in May.
While it possesses all the epic sonic glory and delicious kitsch demanded of the world’s biggest song contest, Miller-Heidke struck a resounding chord with not only hardcore Eurovision fans but thousands of her own following because of the message behind the music.
The song, and it’s performance with a black-clad acrobatic dancer representing depression, celebrate her coming out of a two-year post-natal fog after the birth of her beloved son Ernie.
“The lyrics of Zero Gravity talk to depression personified, as if it were an awful lover or terrible friend, and expresses the relief at finally getting them out of your life,” she shared with her social media family ahead of the competition.
She concluded the post reaffirming her desire to win the SBS selection show despite competing at Eurovision separating her from her gorgeous little boy.
“Of course I’d love to win and represent Australia at Eurovision, but it’s comforting to know that if I get my arse kicked it will mean less time away from my dear little Ernie -the cutest, chubbiest, funniest little guy in the world,” she posted.
While Sheppard, Electric Fields and Courtney Act enjoyed bigger streaming numbers leading up to the public vote on Saturday, Miller-Heidke’s act and song was the Australian music industry favourite and clearly resonated strongly with the Eurovision fans.
It not only shook the decibel meter of crowd cheers but rocked the goosebumps-ometer of the television audience.
Miller-Heidke’s performance was what Australia needs to impress the Eurovision community who don’t want Australia in the competition to sit up and take notice again after Dami Im almost stole the title in 2016.
There was a lot of love for Electric Fields and their indigenous and English language electro pop anthem 2000 and Whatever, with the duo finishing second both on the jury and public vote.
Sheppard, whose song On My Way will prove the biggest chart winner having been the most added song to commercial radio playlists last week and scoring the most steams of the entries leading up to the show, came third.
Here’s how the performances looked tonight, as they happened:
Ella Hooper — Data Dust
Alternative pop rock is more likely to land on Triple J’s Hottest 100 than the Eurovision stage, which is why it is absolutely appropriate for Ella Hooper to feature in this brilliantly bonkers and eclectic collection of contenders for Australia’s first selection show.
She gave herself a “snowflake’s chance in hell” of winning the chance to rep Australia in 2019 and had the tough opening spot — often a vote killer slot — but the effervescent Hooper brought her sass and smarts to Eurovision.
After two decades of performing on every stage from the festival and arena big gigs to pubs and clubs, Hooper knows how to rock live.
Thanks to her love of music on television, Hooper was wise to make some concessions to the choreography and camera interaction demanded by the song contest’s over-the-top pop traditions with her performance.
Yet she remained true to her rock chick personality. Dressed in a lace catsuit, Hooper rocked out with her band (who had to mime their bits; only vocals are live) and pulled off a stage dive.
Electric Fields — 2000 and Whatever
The most unique act of the 2019 Australia Decides contest was a favourite among critics and Eurovision trainspotters.
Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross scored one of the biggest crowd responses at the jury show and clearly captivated the audience voting for tonight’s public decider.
Fielding smashed the song’s vocals in indigenous and English language while Ross was infectiously joyous during their performance.
But it was the singer who electrified the room and the camera and then brought the drama whipping off the head scarf to release those glorious braids.
The lighting also so worked for this wholly original song which could find favour with the Eurovision community who celebrate language diversity at the contest.
And those whoops… peak Eurovision if you were a fan of the 2018 winner Netta.
Mark Vincent — This Is Not The End
Ever since winning Australia’s Got Talent a decade ago, the gifted tenor has sold hundreds of thousands of records and is a go-to guy for the big gigs.
His popera song could be a Bond theme and he wrapped his golden tonsils around every note like he was born to sing it.
Eurovision loves a gargantuan voice and while Vincent has to rely on its power alone for his performance — he ain’t gonna be doing that dancing thing — his immense talent is goosebumps stuff.
Aydan — Dust
The 18-year-old former cast member of the Young Talent Time reboot and 2018 The Voice finalist will galvanise the influential teen vote for Australia Decides.
His slow burn R & B pop song offered him plenty of room to show off his considerable vocal chops.
The arrangement needed more drama and the all-black outfit and predominately dark blue lighting swallowed his presence for the first two thirds of his performance.
And Dust’s effort just wasn’t strong enough to propel Australia into contention at the world’s biggest song contest in May.
Courtney Act — Fight For Love
The costume of the night belonged to Courtney Act. Thank the Eurovision gods someone got the dress-up-in-red-vinyl memo.
Unfortunately this supremely fabulous and seasoned cabaret superstar doesn’t have the vocal chops for Eurovision.
And Fight for Love is a perfectly fun dance pop number but the Eurovision playlist tends to be overcrowded with this genre.
Act had the advantage of wild popularity with UK lovers of Eurovision courtesy of her television profile there but it wasn’t enough to sway voters.
That giant step climbing finale while singing however was impressive.
Leea Nanos — Set Me Free
The 16-year-old wildcard performing her own song has that born-to-sing vibe.
The electronic pop song is perfect Eurovision and her natural confidence and ease absolutely stamped her an artist to watch.
But the nerves and lack of match fitness for a big TV gig slipped when she went for the big notes for the finale.
Against such a strong field of known artists, Nanos will struggle to get the numbers to win.
MORE: Aussies to vote for nation’s Eurovision star
MORE: Who will represent Australia at Eurovision?
Sheppard — On My Way
Sheppard had the field advantage since being one of the first acts announced for Australia Decides.
Combined with their chart-topping pop appeal, huge fanbase and strong song, they were one of the leaders on the artists on streaming sites.
And the sibling factor also gave them plenty of Eurovision potential points.
But the performance from a television perspective was flawed with clunky camera angles and as a band, there was only token focus on the miming musicians.
The vocals on the anthemic pop rock song were good but not great with a couple of-off moments.
Alfie Arcuri — To Myself
Ah, the great Eurovision power ballad. And audience torch moment.
The Voice winner had a winner of a song with this acutely personal sonic letter to his younger self.
It was a great vocal performance but the backing track seemed soft on television and the staging didn’t offer anything to the song.
Considering Aydan and Vincent had already done the all-black default costume, it would have been wise for Arcuri to mix it up.
Kate Miller-Heidke - Zero Gravity
Theatre, drama, pop, opera, an epic song, a giant dress.
This is what we came for.
An acrobatic dancer in black representing depression and Princess Kate in white celebrating her coming out of the fog to become our Eurovision Queen.
The joy and sheer brilliance of this performance broke the goosebumpsometer.
And the crowd response was decibel shaking.
Tania Doko, Piece Of Me
Called up just four weeks ago to sing her own composition, the Swedish-based songwriter and beloved singer of chart topping duo Bachelor Girl rallied like a true pro to give her all to Australia Decides.
The song is a pop gem and she is such a consummate performer. And she looked divine.
But the overall delivery for a music television moment felt like Doko didn’t get the staging or lighting she deserved.
At the very least Australia has been reminded yet again of her stellar pop talent.
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