Guy Sebastian is on the road to Vienna, after being announced as Australia’s first ever entrant in the Eurovision song contest.
“I’m pumped. I mean it’s Eurovision. It’s such a huge audience and such a huge production,” he told SBS, at a special event at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday morning.
“To be representing Australia at Eurovision sounds a bit random, but we’re a wildcard entry and I’m stoked to be chosen.”
It’s a huge coup for the 33-year-old R&B/soul artist, who got his break by winning series one of Australian Idol in 2003.
Sebastian will be fast-tracked to the Eurovision 2015 Grand Final as a special one-off wild-card entry, performing to a packed Wiener Stadthalle stadium, and in front of an estimate television audience of almost 200,000,000.
The song he will sing will be released in the coming weeks. but he’s hinted he wants to sing something with a big impact.
“The song that we end up choosing will definitely be something that I want to move people with. Whatever I do I want to make it cut through. So if I do a big up-temp (song) I want it to be super fun., Or if I do a ballad I want to try to make people cry,” he said.
Australian fans will be able to watch the performance live on SBS ONE.
Eurovision has become something of an unconventional Australian tradition. The popularity of the contest has been credited, in part, to the large numbers of European migrants in Australia.
In recent years, the talent show has amassed an event broader cult following, inspiring Eurovision parties and drinking games.
Despite more than two million Australians turning in to watch Eurovision each year, this is the first time Australia has been able to compete, and vote in the contest.
A long running campaign to have Australia included in Eurovision resulted in a special internal act by Jessica Mauboy’s at last year’s contest in Denmark.
Previously, the only Australians to grace the Eurovision stage have done so representing the United Kingdom.
Olivia Newton John took the stage in 1964, the same year Swedish pop group ABBA won, while The New Seekers also finished runner-up in 1972. Gina G was eighth in 1996.
If Australia wins, it won’t host next year’s contest as is tradition, but will have a chance to enter again in 2016.
The Eurovision 2015 finals will be broadcast on SBS from May 20 – 24.
The Eurovision 2015 Grand Final will air on SBS on the morning of Sunday, 24th May, before its repeated on Sunday evening.
SBS