Our pals Down under finally let us know who they're going to send to the contest this week, and yesterday a massive rumour got going that it was going this young fella. But what are the clues? And why is everybody so sure that it's going to be him? Well the evidence is compelling.
First up, he's on the Sony Music Australia label, and although it's never been explicitly mentioned, it's clear that they have been bankrolling the Aussie Eurovision project so far, as both their acts to date, plus that big old Jessica Mauboy softener the year before have been on their roster, and they seem keen to try to break their top pop acts across Europe.
Next, he's a recent X factor alumnus. In fact he's the current and final champion, so he's riding a head of steam back home, and is more than comfortable in the competition format, despite his tender teenaged years. And to that, as an Indigenous Australian he's well in keeping with his nation's run of non-European, look-we're-not-racist-really contestants, although it would be perhaps a little cynical even for us to suggest that this is the only reason he's in consideration for the slot, as the boy has one heck of a voice in that willowy frame, and the kind of dreamy-eyed floppiness that a lot of viewers would go weak at the knees over.
And then there's the song. There are some folks that are suggesting that it's going to be this bright little plodder - the lead single off his still fresh album, and the song they are most likely to pick to try and launch him overseas. If it is this one, while it's nice enough, I can't see it pulling the momentum to finish much higher than halfway unless he absolutely bosses it on the night. So I guess we've got to hope there's something bit more apt on the album.
Although, hang on… aren't The Veronicas also on Sony…?
****STOP PRESS****
Turns out that we were half right, and so would have got one of those little white pegs in the board game Mastermind. It's the same singer, with almost the same song, only it's a little better produced and has an infinitely more corruptible title. Here it is…
Personally, from an Aussie standpoint, I feel it would be a poor choice. Isiaih as a winner of X Factor peaked at the heady heights of number 39 in our charts for one week. He also is the last winner for a reason - the series rated extremely poorly here and as such, has no profile locally.
ReplyDeleteThe only real reason driving the rumour is that the song charted at number 4 in Finland and briefly in the top 20 in Denmark and Sweden. The reason? His mentor in X Factor was Adam Lambert, who has the Nordic profile to push 'his artist'. So if we just want to go chasing points from the Nordics on that songs recognition, fair enough, but given that it couldn't whip Aussies into a frenzy, I doubt its another top 5 for us, or even top 10...
And the rest of his album is cover songs, so there's not really much to promote him beyond the one tune.
All Isiaih said was he would love to do Eurovision, and until he has the experience behind him that Dami and Guy had, I'd like him left on the side lines for a year or two to develop.
The Veronicas on the other hand also have a European profile, are finishing off their 4th album now, and it should be ready for launch in June...
Ooh, nice viewpoint from the homeland there, EF! Hopefully these rumours are nought but second guessing and conjecture - but the we pretty much knew the name through the medium of rumour and tattle by this time for the last two years, and no one else is really popping out of the woodwork.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope we're in for a nice surprise!
Off topic(or maybe not):
ReplyDeleteHere is a teaser from the Serbian entry:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFCiuY9HkgA
and leaked snippet from the Israeli song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVimRr0OB4E
I leave it to you to speculate a bit:)
You just beat me to it with the Serbian business. Lively, eh!
ReplyDeleteNot feeling enough from Israel to go on yet.