Australia has a short but impactful history in Eurovision, and its 2023 entry looks set to be among its most memorable.
Metal band Voyager have been trying to get a place on the show since before Australia was even competing, so when Europe was extended to a land down under for the show in 2015, they were keen to join the fun.
Bass player Alex Cainon told the NME: “The most common feedback we get is that we look like we’re having fun onstage – which we’ve found, over the years, translates into the crowd themselves having fun. And that’s exactly what Eurovision is about, you know?”
Voyager formed in 1999 in the Western Australian city of Perth - a place other Aussies will tell you is in “woop woop” (a million miles from anywhere). And perhaps as geographical outsiders they have had what it takes to form a cult following which has seen them release eight albums - most recently Fearless in Love this year.
There is a huge Eurovision following in Australia and the country was set to compete only once in 2015 to mark the 50th anniversary, but has returned every year since - although it has yet to win. While it is not unheard of for a metal band to win the competition (remember Lordi in 2006?) Voyager are considered outsiders for this year’s competition which begins, for them, on Thursday, May 11 with the second semi-final.
But winning is not everything and the band are instead hoping to put Australian metal onto the global stage.
“Eurovision is the kind of thing you can do and come out of with a completely new fanbase,” guitarist Scott Kay told NME.
“If they’re into more obscure types of music, hopefully they’ll see us and then check out all the other amazing talent we have in Australia.”
Voyager will enter the 2023 competition with their song Promise which they hope will provide a solid entry point for fans. The band have crossed the boundary and are now in the host city of Liverpool hoping to make the final which will be on Saturday.
