Eurovision 2017: Anja Nissen second Australian into final

Anja Nissen is from Sydney’s Blue Mountains, but she sang for Denmark in the Eurovision semi-final.

Australian Anja Nissen has confidently delivered a powerful performance of her song Where I Am as she represented Denmark in the second semi-final of Eurovision in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.

Nissen, from Sydney’s Blue Mountains, is representing her parents’ birth country in the song contest but is hoping Australians will get behind her and help vote her into the grand final.

“I’m really hoping that Australia will support me and I’ve no doubt that there are people in Australia who will support me and have supported me on my whole journey,” Nissen told AAP from the Ukrainian capital before taking the stage on this morning.

Australian-Danish singer Anja Nissen aka Anja poses during the Red Carpet ceremony of the 2017 Eurovision song Contest, in Kiev.

The 21-year-old was the eighth performer in the second semi-final. Wearing a long and flowing red dress the blonde singer gave a confident performance with no apparent glitches.

She was backed up with the longest fireworks display of any Eurovision act, a 50-second waterfall, and received a big roar from the crowd at the end of her song.

Countries can’t vote for their own entrant but Australia can cast a vote for Nissen as she represents Denmark.

Australia’s entrant, 17-year-old Isaiah Firebrace, has already qualified after the first semi-final despite missing a high note in his performance. “It shows that the public are supporting him and I think as an Australian you stick out. Australia stands out at Eurovision so a lot of people pay attention to the Australian entrant I’ve noticed,” Nissen said.

She is one of 18 performers in the second semi-final vying for one of the ten grand final spots on offer.

“A lot of people are saying that semi two is harder than semi one, that’s the talk backstage. You’ve got Austria, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Ireland, a lot of the favourites,” she said.

“I just hope that people like my performance and vote for me.”

* SBS will broadcast the grand final live on Sunday at 5am (AEST).

AAP