ESC 2025: Why is Australia there?

Why does an artist from Australia take part in the ESC 2025? This is sure to ask many of the spectators who are eagerly awaiting the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel in Switzerland.

The answer in short form: it has almost become natural. In 2015, Australia received an exceptional permit for the first time to take part in the ESC. The country on the other side of the globe did not even have to qualify in one of the two semi-final rounds, but was set directly for the final round. The ESC organizers justified this with the great interest of the Australians at the Eurovision Song Contest. In principle, the campaign could be seen as a PR GAG for the 60th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest.

ESC 2025: Why Australia is there

The Eurovision Song Contest has been broadcast in Australia since 1974 and is very popular. The numbers show how popular the competition in Down Under is: In 2014, 2.7 million Australians watched, as Conchita Wurst won the competition. That was a top value, as there are only a good 24 million people in the country. The following year, when Australia himself sent an artist for the first time, 4.1 million Australians saw the Eurovision Song Contest. The Australian participant Guy Sebastian landed in a respectable fifth place with his song « Tonight Again ».

After the exceptional permit for the ESC anniversary, Jon Ola Sund, Executive Supervisor of the ESC, announced at the end of 2015 that Australia could again take part in the competition in 2016. At that time there was no direct ticket to the final round. Like all other participant countries, Australia had to qualify for the final in the semi-finals. Since then, Australia has been part of the big international singing competition every year. And Australia is again in the race at the ESC 2025. This year GO-JO competes with « Milkshake Man » for the country at the ESC. The nail test finds in Second semi -finals instead of.

Australia at the ESC 2025 – not the only exception

By the way, it is not that unusual that countries that do not belong to Europe are participating in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1980 the Morocco in North Africa sent a participant. And Israel has also been there since 2017, just like this year. Why is that? The Eurovision Song Contest is not a « European » Song Contest « , so none European Singing competition.

Here is the explanation, which may sound a little complicated: The Eurovision, the international program exchange of the European Radio Union (EBU), includes all countries that are active members of the EBU. For membership, the federal states must operate a national broadcasting service within the so -called European radio zone or in a country that is a member of the Council of Europe. And that also includes countries such as Israel, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia.

And now Australia is also part of it. Because while it was said in 2016 that it was not yet decided whether Australia can permanently participate in the competition, the Australian broadcaster SBS is now a partner of the European Radio Union. So Australia has been a fixed participant in the ESC since 2015 – if they are invited by the host country. And yet they also have to prove themselves in the semi -finals – very regular.

What happens if Australia wins the ESC 2025?

By the way: If Australia should win the competition, the final year will not take place on the other side of the earth. The organizers have announced that in the event of an Australian victory of the Eurovision Song Contest, the following year will still take place in a European city. The other participant countries would not have to fly around the globe with a sack and pack.