Australia’s Kate Miller-Heidke has been voted through Semi Final 1 of the Eurovision Song Contest, and will compete for Australia in the Grand Final in Tel Aviv, broadcast live and exclusive on Sunday 19 May (AEST) on SBS.
Overnight in Tel Aviv, Israel, Kate took to the stage to perform her rousing, uplifting operatic pop song Zero Gravity impressing fans, the worldwide voting audience and jurors from competing countries to be one of the ten artists voted through to the Grand Final.
Kate Miller-Heidke said:
“I’m absolutely ecstatic. It’s such an honour to be the first artist voted by the Australian public to represent the country at Eurovision and I hope I’ve done everyone proud. Competing on the world’s biggest stage in front of around 200 million people on a bendy pole five metres tall is no small feat, but I’ve had an incredible team behind me – and below me – and would like to thank them for their support. I can’t wait to be part of the Grand Final and see what all the other amazing acts are going to bring to the stage.”
SBS Commissioning Editor Josh Martin said:
“We’re thrilled to see Australia advance through to the Grand Final for the fifth year running, and so proud of how Kate has represented the country.
“Her performance of Zero Gravity blew everyone away at Eurovision – Australia Decides in February, winning the hearts and minds (and votes) of Australians. She’s soared to new heights, quite literally, in Tel Aviv and her reimagined performance is like nothing Eurovision has ever seen. From electoral polls, to bendy poles – this is a big weekend for Australia and I’m sure the whole country will get behind Kate this Sunday on SBS.”
Australian Head of Delegation Paul Clarke said:
“Our team in Tel Aviv is so proud of Kate and our respect for her continues to grow. She has shown notable courage and commitment in all aspects of her Eurovision performance and staging. Kate is quite simply a wonderful individual who refuses to be anyone but herself, and Eurovision audiences have felt and loved that throughout the broadcast. Watching the audience when they saw her arriving onstage takes us back to Dami in Stockholm in 2016. She’s saved herself for the Grand Final and she will be a strong competitor.”
The 10 countries from Semi Final 1 to be voted through to the Grand Final are: Australia, Greece, Belarus, Serbia, Cyprus, Estonia, Czech Republic, Iceland, San Marino and Slovenia.
They will join the 10 countries to be voted through from Semi Final 2 on Friday 17 May, along with the Big Five – Spain, UK, France, Italy, Germany and hosts Israel, to compete in the Grand Final for the title of the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 winner.
If you missed Kate Miller-Heidke’s qualifying performance LIVE on SBS this morning, tune into the primetime broadcast on Thursday 16 May at 8.30pm AEST on SBS.
Primetime evening broadcasts
Semi Final 1 – Thursday 16 May, 8.30pm, SBS **FEATURING KATE MILLER-HEIDKE
Semi Final 2 – Friday 17 May, 8.30pm, SBS
Grand Final – Sunday 19 May, 8.30pm, SBS
LIVE early morning broadcasts
Semi Final 2 – Friday 17 May, 5am (AEST) SBS
Grand Final – Sunday 19 May, 5am (AEST) SBS
