UPDATE: Eurovision 2019: Here Are The Final Three Acts In The Running To Represent Australia
ORIGINAL STORY: A trio of new acts have been added to the lineup of artists in the running to represent Australia at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest, taking place in Tel Aviv, Israel next May.
After the first four potential contestants were announced earlier this month, organisers have now revealed three more, with another three still to come.
Today’s additions include Australian drag queen Courtney Act and her new song ‘Fight For Love’, after she first caught our attention on the debut season of Australian Idol in 2003.
“A sweet 16 years after Australian Idol I have the chance to show Australia how I have grown as an artist and a performer and I am so excited,” Courtney Act told SBS.
“To compete to represent Oz in Eurovision is second only to being on that stage in Tel Aviv and singing my lungs out for my country. I’ve sat at home every year since Guy Sebastian competed in 2015 and have been so keen to be a part of it. Now, this might be my chance!”
Today’s two other additions are pop singer Aydan and 16-year-old singer-songwriter Leea Nanos, who has been selected as a wild card entry after her song submission “blew the judges away”.
“Being the youngest and most inexperienced in the competition I know I’ll need to really bring my A-game to the stage,” said Nanos.
“It’s unreal that I’ve got this opportunity to perform on the same stage as all of these high-profile Australian artists – artists I admire and aspire to be like. I feel truly honoured.”
Courtney Act, Aydan and Leea Nanos join Kate Miller-Heidke, pop outfit Sheppard, operatic pop singer Mark Vincent and electro-soul duo Electric Fields on the lineup for the ‘Australia Decides’ national Eurovision selection show, taking place on the Gold Coast in February.
Over 700 songs were submitted for Australia’s Eurovision campaign after the selection process was opened up to all Australians in October, and the eventual winning act (and song) will be chosen by the public and a special Eurovision jury.
Eurovision 2019 will mark Australia’s fifth appearance at the competition, after Jessica Mauboy took out 20th place in 2018 with her song ‘We Got Love’ (below).
