When Isaiah met Anja: Australia doubles its Eurovision odds

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This was published 6 years ago

When Isaiah met Anja: Australia doubles its Eurovision odds

By Michael Idato
Updated

Australia looks to have doubled its odds in the assault on Europe's six-decade-old singing crown with not one, but two entrants in the 62nd annual Eurovision Song Contest.

But in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev on Monday the two Australian contestants - Isaiah Firebrace, who is representing Australia, and Anja Nissen, who is representing Denmark - were all smiles.

"Everyone is here to win," Firebrace said. "I am here to win, you're here to win, Sweden is here to win but it's not like a cocky kind of thing it's more like a fun competition. We all get along well."

It seems that not since Crown Prince Frederik found Denmark's future queen in a Sydney pub has there been such an affection between our country and the world's oldest monarchy.

Friendly rivals: Anja Nissen and Isaiah Firebrace in Kiev ahead of Eurovision 2017.

Friendly rivals: Anja Nissen and Isaiah Firebrace in Kiev ahead of Eurovision 2017.Credit: Rolf Klatt/SBS

Both artists successfully used television talent programs to launch their careers: Firebrace was the winner of the eighth season of The X Factor Australia in 2016 while Nissen won the third series of Nine's The Voice in 2014.

Firebrace was selected by broadcaster SBS and Australia's Eurovision delegation to perform; Nissen competed for her entry by winning the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, a national music competition held every year in Denmark and used to select their Eurovision entrant.

Firebrace and Nissen said the contest, created initially as a means of healing the wounds of divided Europe and capitalising on newly-laid coaxial technology which connected the continent's broadcasters, represented a unique opportunity for them as artists.

"You have to make the most of every opportunity no matter how big the stage is," Firebrace said. "It's such an amazing opportunity and I know we both feel very honoured to be representing Denmark and Australia."

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Centre of attention: Nissen and Firebrace on a Kiev rooftop.

Centre of attention: Nissen and Firebrace on a Kiev rooftop.Credit: Rolf Klatt/SBS

Nissen said exposure at the competition, alongside competitors from Sweden, Italy, Greece, Germany and the United Kingdom, was crucial to building an international pop career.

"You don't get this opportunity every day," Nissen said. "This is one of the biggest international stages you can perform on. I feel so fortunate and lucky to be part of the whole thing."

Singing his heart out: Isaiah Firebrace.

Singing his heart out: Isaiah Firebrace.Credit: SBS

Although they are friendly rivals, the pair will not meet in competition until the final, assuming they both make it through their individual semi-finals.

Firebrace is competing in the first semi-final, which airs in Australia live on Wednesday morning on SBS, against Finland, Poland, Portugal, Latvia and others; Nissen is in Friday morning's second semi-final, against Serbia, Norway, Ireland and Romania.

Firebrace is singing the pop ballad Don't Come Easy; Nissen is singing the power ballad Where I Am; at Monday night's first semi-final jury show in Kiev there was a strong response backstage to Firebrace's performance.

Under Eurovision rules the so-called "big five" - France, Italy, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom - do not compete in the semi-finals and automatically book a place in the final; the host country, in this case Ukraine, also get a slot in the final.

Although the event is considered apolitical, this year's competition has been bruised by a political clash between Ukraine and neighbouring Russia.

The Russian entrant, Yulia Samoylova, was banned by Ukrainian officials because she had performed in Crimea, a region annexed by Russia, in 2014; as a result Russia withdrew from this year's competition.

Australia's inclusion in the competition is via a wild card which is offered on a year-by-year basis, beginning with Guy Sebastian in 2015.

Although some still debate whether we are geographically eligible to compete in a European song competition, what is certain is our strong form: in two years in official competition we have come fifth and second in a field of more than 40 countries.

Firebrace said he had asked two of Australia's former Eurovision stars - Jess Mauboy and Dami Im - and both told him to focus on the experience, not the competition.

"They both said don't worry where you're going to place or any of that stuff," he said. "They said just go and enjoy yourself, go out on stage, do your best and sing your heart out."

Firebrace and Nissen were born in small communities and both said they were conscious of how far they had come to be competing in the Ukrainian capital against a field of such diverse artists.

Firebrace was raised in the small Riverina community of Moama, New South Wales; Nissen grew up on the outskirts of Sydney and attended school in the Blue Mountains.

"It's always on my mind how far I have come from a small country town," Firebrace said. "It proves you should really believe in yourself and do your best wherever you can.

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"I always dreamed and wanted to be on the world stage and when I started watching Eurovision I was like, this is a thing I want to do. It's just awesome."

Michael Idato travelled to Eurovision courtesy of SBS.

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