SBS make captain’s call to send synth metal rockers Voyager to 2023 Eurovision Song Contest

Indie synth metal rockers Voyager are the first Australian band chosen to take on Eurovision. But this is why it could be our last contender.

The shock decision to send a band to represent Australia for the first time at the Eurovision Song Contest could prove to be a surprise vote winner with fans.

After axing this year’s Australia Decides contest to choose our 2023 representative, SBS has backed synth metal band Voyager from a secret shortlist of five acts.

Voyager may not be a household name like previous contenders, including Guy Sebastian and Dami Im, but they are well known to the Eurovision fanbase.

They stormed home to win the fan televote at last year’s Australia Decides contest, ultimately coming a very close second to Sheldon Riley when the overall vote was tallied.

Voyager is a strategic choice by SBS. Social media posts with the #VoyagerForEurovision hashtag began back in 2015.

Synth metal rockers Voyager are going to Eurovision. Picture: Supplied / SBS.

They already have a strong European fanbase thanks to several tours, and the passionate metal community throughout the UK and Europe are likely to back their song Promise.

Frontman and keytar player Danny Estrin – who doesn’t love a keytar? – was born in Germany and his heritage is also likely to be a factor for the public vote we have always failed to score since Dami Im almost won in 2016.

Estrin said sending Voyager, formed of diehard Eurovision fans themselves, to Liverpool is a big risk but a calculated one.

He expects fans to be split 75/25 on their selection based on the social media reaction to their Australia Decides performance last year.

#VoyagerforEurovision#SBS#EUROVISION#AUSTRALIA This simply has to happen! Thematically & musically perfect :) @Voyagerau

— David Couper (@davecoupermusic) March 1, 2015

F**k yes! “@fadedrevolution: #VOYAGERFOREUROVISION@BlinkTV@SBSEurovision@[e-mail]/r31i3yEkyZ”

— Daniel O'Flaherty (@monkdogg211) March 2, 2015

“The support we got from general fans and from the metal ‘scene’ at Australia Decides last year was amazing with people who would listen to hardcore metal, and don’t like melody or anything with keyboards, loving it. They like to champion an underdog,” Estrin said.

And they are indie underdogs, with all five members having day jobs.

“I’m a lawyer by day and the other guys are graphic designers, work in music shops, do gigs on weekends, and there are very few bands in our genre able to sustain their musical career with just music,” he said.

Voyager at the Eurovision: Australia Decides contest in 2022. Picture: Supplied

Their song Promise was written late last year and according to Estrin possesses the five must-haves for the perfect Eurovision entry – catchy melody, lyrics and chants everyone can sing along to regardless of their native language, energy, a journey and a twist.

“On my personal checklist is also a guitar solo and a keytar solo – and a growl,” he said.

It is the unexpected growl in the second half of their song which will shock Eurovision fans and immediately recall Finnish hard rock band Lordi, who won the contest in 2006.

Blink TV director Paul Clarke, who produces our Eurovision performance for SBS, agreed Voyager was a strategic choice which factored the potential for it to draw a voting bloc from metal fans.

Will Voyager be the last act Australia sends to Europe? Picture: Mike Dann/Supplied

And bands should be back in vogue with voters after the epic win by Italian rockers Maneskin in 2021.

“We’ve never had a band before and that’s an exciting undertaking because we get to do something different. Besides Maneskin and Lordi, they haven’t actually done bands very well at Eurovision,” he said.

And this could be our last year in Europe, as plans for the launch of Eurovision Asia are expected to be revived.

“SBS and production partner Blink TV have secured Australia’s participation until 2023 and there are no updates on Australia’s future in the Eurovision Song Contest at this stage,” an SBS spokesperson said.

The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Liverpool, UK, in May as last year’s winners, Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra, was unable to host the competition in its war-torn country this year.

Originally published as SBS make captain’s call to send synth metal rockers Voyager to 2023 Eurovision Song Contest