A band will represent Australia for the first time at the Eurovision Song Contest, with WA synth-metal group Voyager named as the entrant for the 2023 competition with the song Promise.
This year will be the eighth time that Australia has participated as a contestant at the world-famous TV music festival — for the first time since 2018, host broadcaster SBS has opted for an internal selection, without holding a public national final.
"As a long-time Eurovision fan, this is the pinnacle — Voyager gets to play the greatest show on earth!" lead singer Danny Estrin said in a statement.
"Our song Promise is made for the Eurovision stage and collectively we feel it's one of our best yet.'
The song is a progressive pop number featuring Voyager's trademark sound with big guitars, keytar solos and driving rhythms.
Mr Estrin said it was surreal to know they were going to be a part of the competition.
"It's really such an honour to be representing at Eurovision," he said.
"My own story is a migrant story, we arrived in WA in 1992 and the opportunities that this state and country have given me and the band have been absolutely phenomenal.
"For us, even going to Eurovision now is a win."
WA Tourism Minister Roger Cook said he thought the band could go "all the way".
"These guys have got what it takes to attract the world and to attract the eyes of the judges," he said.
Voyager's selection caps a long journey to Eurovision.
The Perth-based outfit has been trying to make it to the contest for eight years since Australia was first announced as a participant in 2015, after being invited as part of celebrations for the contest's 60th anniversary.
Voyager submitted songs each year to the contest. In 2020, they were shortlisted but just missed out on the final 11 for national final Australia Decides with their song Runaway.
Last year, they made it to Australia Decides with Dreamer, but lost by three votes to Sheldon Riley and his song Not the Same.
Voyager won the public vote, but lost on the combined score when votes from the jury were added in.
Riley went on to reach the final in Turin, Italy, finishing 15th.
So far in 2023, including Australia's selection, 22 of the 37 nations competing in Liverpool have named their artists and songs for the contest.
SBS head of entertainment Emily Griggs said: "Voyager have been determined to get centre stage for the biggest song contest in the world and SBS know they will bring that grit with them along with a whole lot of fun. Look out Europe, the Aussies are coming!".
The director of SBS production partner Blink TV, Paul Clarke said:
"From the very first listen I knew it was something special — an epic, cinematic track that will take listeners on an anthemic rock voyage all the way to the Eurovision stage.
"This year, Australia’s hopes are in the masterful hands of a band for the first time ever, and I can’t wait for Voyager to rock your socks off in Liverpool.”
The band has toured around the world and released seven albums — work on an eighth will begin later this year.
Australia's contract with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) — the organisers of Eurovision — runs out in 2023, so this could be Australia's last year as a contestant.
The contest will be held in the United Kingdom, at Liverpool Arena in Liverpool, as last year's winners, Ukraine, were unable to host due to the war with Russia.
The contest will be held in May this year. There will be two semi-finals, on May 10 and 12 (Australian time) — Australia will be in the second semi-final, along with Albania, Armenia, Cyprus, Romania, Austria, Denmark, Lithuania, San Marino, Belgium, Slovenia, Iceland, Georgia, Greece, Poland and Estonia.
The top 10 vote-getting countries will advance to the final on May 14 (Australian time).
Australia has never won the contest, with Dami Im producing the best result with a second place with her song Sound of Silence in 2016.
The contest will be live-blogged by ABC.
