SBS and Blink TV have announced the winner of the Eurovision – Australia Decides TikTok Wildcard competition as Erica Padilla!
Erica is an 18-year old singer songwriter from Melbourne, and becomes the 11th artist to grace the Gold Coast stage at the end of this month. Her TikTok submissions attracted millions of views over the course of the competition, and grew her following to more than 1.2 million fans across the globe.
Erica said, “I feel like somebody needs to pinch me because I always hoped but never thought this could actually be possible! Eurovision has made some of the GREATS and to be chosen as the TikTok Wildcard gives me so much hope. From performing to my phone in my bedroom to performing at Eurovision – Australia Decides and potentially the biggest stage in the world this year in Italy – now that would be a dream come true.”
Director of Music for TikTok Australia and New Zealand, Ollie Wards said, “Australian artists are finding fans and being discovered on TikTok. Eurovision is one of the world’s most loved music moments with the power to create global stars, so it’s exciting to bring the two together and see the incredible Erica Padilla enter the competition as our TikTok Wildcard. We’re already so proud to support Erica onto this stage and no doubt her millions of TikTok followers as well as new fans are going to get behind her.”
In further exciting Australian news, Dylan Lewis has been announced as the Green Room host for Eurovision – Australia Decides, and Montaigne will be returning to the Gold Coast stage where it all began for an exciting half-time performance!
Upon his announcement, Dylan said, “I live for music. I write it, perform it, teach it, collect it, present it, talk about it and need it. Since hosting the Recovery music show back in the day, I’ve presented a pile of other music TV shows and done a pile of radio too…playing music. Yep. I bloody love music. So to get to be involved in the world’s most eclectic, colourful, diverse and magical music show is a dream!”
Montaigne shared, “It will be fun to perform Technicolour again for the first time in ages, especially to the audience who cares about it so much. I’m also excited to intro all these new artists to the world of Australia Decides and Eurovision-at-large! I think it’ll just be a really neat night.”
What are #YOU most looking forward to about Eurovision – Australia Decides? Let us know on social media @ESCUnited, on our discord, or on our forum page!
