Australia’s Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) announced today that Eurovision – Australia Decides, the popular national selection that Australia has used to select its representative at Eurovision, will return for a third time for the Eurovision 2022 season.
First used in 2019, it has selected Kate Miller-Heike’s “Zero Gravity” and Montaigne’s “Don’t Break Me” as Australia’s representatives, and the selection has received plaudits for its diversity of sound and the quality of its entries. Well-regarded and internationally known acts such as Electric Fields, Sheppard, Courtney Act, Mark Vincent, iOTA, Mitch Tambo, and Jaguar Jonze have appeared over the two editions to date.
In SBS’s press release announcing the return of Eurovision – Australia Decides for Eurovision 2022, SBS’s Director of Television and Online Content Marshall Heald said, “Australia is home to so many talented artists and songwriters, and SBS is proud to provide this international platform for our nation’s incredibly diverse music community. It’s over to you Australia – let’s give Europe our best! ”
SBS also announced that both comedian Joel Creasey and TV presenter Myf Warhurst will return as hosts. And as a call to arms for all Australian musicians and songwriters, entries can be submitted HERE until the deadline date of September 26, 2021.
Paul Clarke, Eurovision – Australia Decides’s executive director said, “We’ve got some very exciting artists to announce shortly, but first we need songs! It’s an opportunity for all our songwriters to showcase their best and boldest – please send your songs to the SBS song portal.”
Though the number of artists and method of selection have not been mentioned, it appears SBS is setting fans up to expect a national selection similar to 2019 and 2020. The final of the national selection is scheduled for Saturday, February 26, 2021.
Once again, the Gold Coast in Queensland will host the selection show. The Gold Coast is a metropolitan region located south of Brisbane, known for being a popular beach and tourist resort.
The Gold Coast’s mayor Tom Tate proclaimed, “If there is one event that shouts ‘Gold Coast’ it is Eurovision – Australia Decides. Like Eurovision, we are bold, unapologetic and famous for fun. I am delighted that [it’s] back,”
As the announced selection appears to retain the format of prior editions, expect SBS to slowly announce the participating artists over the space of a couple of weeks in late December 2021 or early January 2022.
Are #YOU happy to see Eurovision – Australia Decides return? Or do #YOU want Australia to use another method of selection? Let us know in the comments below, on social media, or in our forum.
