Didirri almost ‘gave up’ on his Eurovision song

Didirri, one of the artists vying to represent Australia at Eurovision, almost ‘gave up’ on the song he’ll perform to try and win a spot.

Fresh off the release of Raw Stuff and announcing a 2020 tour, Warrnambool alternative artist Didirri Peters is gearing up for the Eurovision stage.
This weekend he’ll vie for a place to represent Australia in Rotterdam for the 2020 worldwide song contest by singing his latest song, one that he almost gave up on writing and performing.

“It is a moment for reflection,” the singer-songwriter said.

“It’s for anyone else who is trying to process what’s happening in their life. It’s a song about a time when two people are so close but unable to open up to each other.”

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The process of songwriting, often inspired by his personal experiences, helps him to express things that he “might otherwise be without words to explain”.

After his childhood in the Victorian coastal town of Warrnambool, Didirri went on the road at a young age as a circus performer, later learning to play music on the piano.

After completing a Bachelor of Music, he began writing songs and started busking on the streets of Melbourne, building a following by creating music for “lovers and over-thinkers”.

His debut EP Measurements has collected more than 30 million streams, and led to him playing renowned festivals like Australia’s Splendour in the Grass and Barcelona’s Primavera Sound.

In a matter of months, he found himself touring the United States and the UK and sharing the stage with the likes of Vance Joy, Hozier, Tash Sultana and The Temper Trap.

2020 is shaping up to be a big year for the artist, who’ll compete to represent Australia at Eurovision. Picture: Rebecca Aston, BexAston

It was his interest in writing that drew him to Eurovision.

“Although the world of Eurovision is new to me, from the outside it seems to respect a well-written song above all else. People seem to be free to express their art in whatever way they want,” he said.

Describing his musical influences as “quite a mix bag”, one former Eurovision winner he has sought inspiration from is ABBA.

“I’m a fan of ABBA, they wrote unfiltered, iconic anthems. My sister and I used to sing their stuff together in the bathroom,” he recalled.

“It would be pretty cool to represent the southwest on stage in the Netherlands if I were to win,” he told The Standardahead of his performance in Saturday night’s Eurovision: Australia Decides.

“I’m super excited. Eurovision is going to be a bunch of fun.”