Who is Australia's Eurovision 2019 entry Kate Miller-Heidke?
Everything you need to know about the Zero Gravity singer and songwriter
After only debuting in 2015, Australia has become a major force in Eurovision, finishing in the top ten in three of their four years competing.
However, the country slipped up massively last year, achieving a 20th place finish (they still, of course, finished four places above the UK).
So who is Australia hoping will reclaim their glory? Kate Miller-Heidke. Here’s everything you need to know about her…
- When is the Eurovision Song Contest 2019?
- Meet the acts competing at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019
- Who is the UK’s entry at Eurovision 2019?
Who is Kate Miller-Heidke?
She’s a pretty big deal down under. After earning a music degree at university, Miller-Heidke (now 37) became an award-winning classical performer and sang in operas such as The Turn of the Screw and Jerry Springer: The Opera.
She has released four hit studio albums, three live records and even a greatest hits compilation.
Miller-Heidke is also an accomplished songwriter, having penned the music and lyrics for musical Muriel's Wedding. She also won the 2008 International Songwriting Competition – the first Australian to do so.
Why isn’t Courtney Act singing for Australia at Eurovision 2019?
Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race were delighted to hear that Courtney Act – who won the 2018 edition of Celebrity Big Brother UK – had put forward an entry to compete at Eurovision 2019 for Australia.
However, in the country’s national selection process, Eurovision: Australia Decides, Courtney finished in fourth place, her song Fight For Love failing to impress both the judges and viewers at home.
What is Australia’s Eurovision song called?
Kate Miller-Heidke’s entry is called Zero Gravity. Or, as she sings it, Ze-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-ero Gra-a-a-a-a-a-a-avity.
It’s a real mishmash of genres: mainly opera with EDM, complete with an indie-pop chant-provoking finish.
The song was penned by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall. The lyrics refer to Miller-Heidke’s struggle with post-natal depression and the feeling of weightlessness as she recovered.
What will Australia's Eurovision 2019 song look like on stage?
During the national finals, Kate Miller-Heidke performed in a giant raised dress as a woman attached to a bendy pole flew around behind her.
It’s hypnotic. It’s bizarre. And we're seeing MORE bendy sticks on the Eurovision stage, with another background dancer added to the staging.
What are the odds of Australia winning Eurovision 2019?
Australia could do very well this Eurovision, with bookies predicting a top 5 finish.
What happens if Australia win Eurovision 2019?
Then Eurovision 2010 WON'T be hosted in Australia. Instead, they'd co-host the contest within a country in Europe, Germany being the first choice here. However, if Germany can't host then the honour would fall to – take a deep breath – the UK!
How did Australia do at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest?
Singer Jessica Mauboy (essentially Australia's version of Beyonce) finished in a disappointing 20th place on the final leaderboard.
The Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final takes place in Tel Aviv, Israel, on May 18th 2019
