Aside from an announcement last November, where SBS said they would not be going ahead with the Eurovision: Australia Decides national final format to choose their 2023 representative, the Australian national broadcaster had been keeping very quiet. The appearance of the premiere video yesterday on the Eurovision Youtube channel came out of nowhere and immediately set the rumour mill spinning, with many fans shocked and waiting with bated breath to find out who would be representing the antipodean nation.
In the wee hours of the morning Australian time, the aforementioned video finally brought us some long-awaited news on the Australian entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, to be held in Liverpool this May. It’s Voyager with “Promise”!
After being shortlisted in 2020 with “Runaway” and making it to the national final in 2022 with “Dreamer“, achieving a very respectable 2nd place to the eventual winner Sheldon Riley, Voyager have finally gone one better and will be hitting the Eurovision stage with their signature mix of heavy drums, soaring vocals and face-melting guitars and synths.
The Perth 5-piece describe themselves as the “Duran Duran of metal music”, and flawlessly fuse pop, metal and prog rock sentiments to create a sound that is both nostalgic and futuristic at once. When we spoke to them last year during Australia Decides, they said, “We’re a metal band pretending to be a pop band and we’re a pop band pretending to be a metal band. It’s got something for everyone in there, it’s metal you can show your mum.” This is the first time Australia will be sending a band, after sending exclusively solo artists since their admission to ESC in 2015.
Lead singer and synth master of Voyager, Danny Estrin said, “As a long-time Eurovision fan, this is the pinnacle – Voyager gets to play the greatest show on earth! Our song Promise is made for the Eurovision stage and collectively we feel it’s one of our best yet. We filmed the music video in both the city of Perth and beautiful parts of Western Australia to showcase the majestic beauty of our home state. Eurovisionation, we are coming!!!”
Head of Entertainment for SBS, Emily Griggs said, “Voyager bring together my love for the ‘80s and catchy lyrics that you can’t stop singing. I can’t wait to see Eurovision fans the world over embrace them as much as Aussie crowds have. Voyager have been determined to get centre stage for the biggest song contest in the world and SBS knows they will bring that grit with them along with a whole lot of fun. Look out Europe, the Aussies are coming!”
2023 is the final year of Australia’s agreed contract with the European Broadcasting Union to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. Australia is an associate member of the EBU, as it does not meet the geographical criteria for full membership to the union, and thus requires a special invitation to participate in ESC. It is not yet known whether this contract will be extended, or whether Voyager’s performance will be a last hurrah for the country.
What do #YOU think of Australia’s 2023 entry? Let us know on social media @ESCUnited, on our discord, or on our forum page!
