Ahead of the Eurovision 2021 Grand Final tomorrow, SBS is delighted to disclose this year’s Australian Eurovision Jury who are playing a crucial role in the legendary voting procedure for the 65th Eurovision Song Contest taking place in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Viewers in all 39 participating countries, including Australia voted for their favourite songs in the Eurovision Semi Finals and are invited to vote in the Grand Final via televoting, which makes up 50% of the total vote.
The other 50% of the vote is decided by a National Jury in each participating country. The jury comprises of a team of respected local music/entertainment figures with extensive experience in the industry and, of course, a passion for the world’s biggest song contest*.
Australia’s 2021 Eurovision Jury members are:
Kamahl
Kamahl is a Malaysian-born Australian singer and recording artist. His highest charting local single ‘Sounds of Goodbye’ (1969) reached the top 20 on the Kent Music singles chart. Another single ‘The Elephant Song’ (1975), peaked at number one in both the Netherlands and Belgium. In 1985, the Chicago Tribune reported Kamahl as having sold more than 20 million records worldwide and winning 76 gold and 14 platinum records. Kamahl has released singles and albums in the United States, Canada, Britain, New Zealand, South America, India, Singapore, Malaysia and Germany.
Brooke Boney
Brooke is the entertainment reporter on Nine Network’s breakfast program Today. With a background in political journalism, having previously worked for National Indigenous Television (NITV), SBS and the ABC, Brooke joined Today after her role as Triple J’s weekday morning news presenter.
Ash London
Radio and television personality, Ash is most well-known as the host of Ash London LIVE on the Hit Network. Ash has also previously co-hosted Eleven’s music video show The Loop with Scott Tweedieand Network Ten’s Game of Games Grant Denyer. In 2014, she also co-hosted Australia’s longest running radio chart show Take 40 with Angus O’Loughlin, before launching Shazam Top 20 around the country every night across the Today network in 2015.
Jack Vidgen
Jack is an Australian singer and winner of the fifth season of Australia’s Got Talent. His first album ‘Yes I Am’ debuted at number three on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified gold. Jack was one of the ten participants in Eurovision – Australia Decides and stunned the audiences with his single ‘I Am King. I Am Queen’.
Millie Millgate (Jury chairperson)
As Executive Producer of Sounds Australia, Millie is responsible for the roll out and representation of the Australian music industry at key international music events. She has been instrumental in the growth of Australian music worldwide, having overseen the marketing, networking and showcasing activity undertaken at 80 different international events in 69 cities, across 25 countries since 2009.
PUBLIC VOTING
10 contestants were chosen from each Semi-final to qualify for the Grand Final in addition to the Big Five – Spain, UK, France, Italy, Germany and hosts the Netherlands. The voting window for the Grand Final opens after the last song has been performed and ends 15 minutes later.
For Australian viewers, this means they will need to vote during the LIVE broadcast of the Grand Final on Sunday 23 May at 5am (AEST) by texting the numbers that appear on screen during the live broadcasts.
Jury members and public voters can’t vote for their own country.
The 26 countries from Semi Finals to be voted through to the Grand Final are – Norway, Sweden, Lithuania, Ukraine, Russia, Belgium, Azerbaijan, Israel, Malta, Cyprus, San Marino, Greece, Moldova, Iceland, Serbia, Albania, Portugal, Bulgaria, Finland, Switzerland, Spain, UK, France, Italy, Germany and last year’s winner, the Netherlands.
The Grand Final of the 65th Eurovision Song Contest will be broadcast LIVE and in primetime exclusively on SBS on Sunday 23 May.
LIVE early morning broadcast:
Grand Final – Sunday 23 May, 5am (AEST) on SBS
Primetime evening broadcast:
Grand Final – Sunday 23 May, 7.30pm (AEST) on SBS
