LONDON, May (AP) — When the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest kicks off in Vienna, one contestant will step onto the world’s biggest live music stage with unique ties to two of pop music’s most legendary names, and a decades-long connection to the contest itself: Australian singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem.
With a career spanning more than two decades, Goodrem is far from an unknown contender on the Eurovision roster. The multi-award-winning artist has racked up over nine million album sales worldwide and claimed the top spot on music charts across eight countries, making her one of the most commercially successful participants in this year’s event. While Australia sits thousands of miles outside of Europe, the country has received an official invitation to compete every year since 2015, extending the contest’s global reach beyond its traditional continental boundaries.
For Goodrem, Eurovision feels like a full-circle moment, rooted in the influences that shaped her into the artist she is today. Long before she was tapped to represent Australia, she had close ties to two former Eurovision participants. As a young artist rising to fame after her stint on the iconic Australian soap opera *Neighbours*, Goodrem penned the track *Eyes on Me* for Celine Dion — the Canadian icon who took home Eurovision’s top prize in 1988 while representing Switzerland. She was also mentored by the late, globally beloved Olivia Newton-John, who represented the United Kingdom at the 1974 Eurovision contest.
“Growing up, Olivia Newton-John and Celine Dion were two of my greatest loves in music,” Goodrem shared in an interview with the Associated Press in London. “I don’t think I would be the musician I am today without the influence from the two of them. And they have both been a part of that stage from different countries.”
Goodrem even has a friendly connection to another competing act this year: San Marino’s entry features British star Boy George, who previously worked alongside Goodrem as a fellow judge on Australia’s hit televised singing competition *The Voice*. The playful pre-existing rivalry between the two has followed them to the Eurovision stage.
“I’ve got my eyes on him. I’m watching him,” Goodrem joked. “I was so excited and couldn’t stop laughing … it’s so playful that Boy George was like, ‘I’m coming to Eurovision!’”
Goodrem will take the Vienna stage with her powerful original ballad *Eclipse*. When asked when she first became aware of Eurovision, she noted the contest has long been part of Australian pop culture consciousness, and that national interest grew exponentially after Australia joined the competition 11 years ago.
“It’s been a bit omnipresent where you sort of heard it in the air. And I guess obviously Australia’s been in for 11 years. So we became a lot more actively like Team Australia. But growing up, you always were, you know, enamored with this incredible iconic stage and it’d always find its way to us,” she said.
Goodrem, a self-described proud patriot, said representing Australia at Eurovision feels like a natural extension of the work she has done throughout her career. “I feel that as well and I’ve always been very patriotic and very true to the love I have for Australia and it feels like they’re all celebrating, we’re all sort of there together on this journey,” she added. When asked how competitive she is, the singer confirmed she is coming to the contest to give her performance everything she has.
The path to her Eurovision participation began unexpectedly the year prior, when Goodrem was living in London and experienced the contest’s electric energy firsthand. She said when asked if she would ever compete, she jumped at the open invitation. “(Last year) I was doing my couple of shows here (in London) and I had sort of got to experience the energy of Eurovision on the ground and I just thought it was palpable, it was incredible and I was watching all the programs and it was really exciting and somebody had asked me, ‘would you do Eurovision?’ And I said, ‘I’m always open’ … You never know where your path’s leading, just if it feels right.”
Addressing questions about political tensions that have followed the contest, including calls for boycott this year, Goodrem emphasized that music has always been a unifying force for her. “I really am a true believer that throughout my career, coming to my show, I’m about unifying — music for me is a moment where we’re all singing the same song. And I believe in that, and I have my whole life, that it’s very healing, music has a real power. So I sort of focus on the power of music being a unifying space and a place that can wrap around people’s lives and their soundtrack and that’s where it sits for me,” she explained.
She also welcomed plans to launch Eurovision Asia, scheduled for September later this year, saying “The more music the better. I think that’s so exciting. That means I get to immerse myself in the music in September for Eurovision Asia.”
When asked about her planned stage production for *Eclipse* — which features sand in the official music video — Goodrem teased a playful, patriotic twist, saying “Yes, you’re thinking I should bring Australian sand, you know, that’s very patriotic. I start a little beach on stage, look up at the moon for “Eclipse.” I definitely am really excited to bring it to life.”
If she takes home the top prize, Goodrem says she is fully open to hosting the next year’s contest in Australia, even entertaining the idea of a co-hosting arrangement if that proves more practical. “Sure. Yeah, yeah! Look, I don’t know those logistics yet but I’m open to the conversation … If you would like to vote for me then I’m happy to talk about if we could like have it here or if, you know, I’m happy to do a deal.”