Australia is heading back to Eurovision in spectacular style, with pop powerhouse Delta Goodrem officially named as the nation’s entrant for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna.
Broadcaster SBS confirmed the Born to Try singer, 41, will perform her soaring new track Eclipse at the 70th edition of the competition in May, taking to the stage at Vienna’s iconic Wiener Stadthalle before a global audience of more than 160 million viewers.
The anthemic pop ballad was written by Goodrem alongside Ferras Alqaisi, Jonas Myrin and Michael Fatkin, who also produced the track. Its cinematic video — filmed across the sweeping sand dunes of Newcastle, NSW — premiered late Sunday on the official Eurovision YouTube channel, instantly fuelling excitement among fans at home and abroad.
“I’m so honoured to represent Australia on one of the biggest and most iconic music stages in the world at Eurovision,” Goodrem said.
“As a singer-songwriter, music has been my lifelong passion. I’ve always loved the creativity, individuality, and joy Eurovision brings, connecting and uniting people across the globe through music — the universal language. I can’t wait to arrive in Vienna and make Australia proud.”
Goodrem’s Eurovision moment marks another glittering chapter in a career that began when she signed with Sony Music at just 15. Her debut album, Innocent Eyes, became one of the highest-selling releases in Australian history, spawning five No.1 singles and launching her onto the world stage. She has since racked up nine No.1 singles and sold millions of albums globally.
Her Eurovision pedigree runs deep. Goodrem has written songs for past winner Celine Dion and worked alongside the late Olivia Newton-John, who represented the United Kingdom at Eurovision in 1974.
Speculation about Goodrem’s Eurovision bid intensified earlier this month when she appeared at the Mighty Hoopla festival in Bondi wearing a dramatic sequinned ensemble with wing-like flourishes that fans jokingly dubbed “croissant” wings. The costume — designed by Amanda Tasevski for the official Eclipse video — wasn’t originally meant for the festival stage.
“I ended up wearing it at Mighty Hoopla. I’m not 100 per cent sure I nailed that outfit,” Goodrem laughed. “I’ve welcomed the croissant comments. I’ve actually been calling it a croissant, but it was meant to be an eclipse.”
Though the announcement was tightly guarded until Monday, Goodrem revealed she had been approached some time ago.
“Last year I was in London and there was such a buzz with Eurovision going on,” she told ABC TV. “Somebody had asked me — would you be on Eurovision? I was like, I love Eurovision, so if the right moment happens I will be there.
“At the end of the year I got a call and spoke with SBS and I said, ‘You know what, this moment feels — the song is about alignment, about sort of the right place’, and it felt like the right moment to be able to represent Australia and fly with the music.”
SBS head of entertainment Emily Griggs said everything had aligned perfectly. “We wanted to send one of Australia’s most iconic artists to the world’s most iconic stage,” she said. “Her powerful voice is balanced by restraint and an openness that draws people in, creating performances that feel both intimate and expansive. Europe, get ready. Australia is lighting up the stage.”
Goodrem will become Australia’s 11th Eurovision entrant since its debut in 2015, following in the footsteps of stars including Dami Im, who delivered the country’s best result to date with a runner-up finish in 2016.
With Eclipse set to shine in Vienna, Australia’s Eurovision faithful will be hoping Goodrem’s moment of “alignment” becomes a dazzling night of triumph on one of music’s grandest stages.
Images: Instagram
