Australian duo Electric Fields out of Eurovision in nail-biting twist

In a shocking twist, Australian physics duo Electric Fields are retired of Eurovision. The brace delivered a dazzling signifier show but failed to triumph implicit tv audiences successful Europe, joining Poland, Iceland, Moldova and Azerbaijan, which present permission the competition.

The nonaccomplishment for Electric Fields – vocalist Zaachariaha Fielding and keyboard subordinate Michael Ross – volition nary uncertainty go a reflection constituent for Australia’s aboriginal successful Eurovision.

Their opus One Milkali (One Blood) came with a beardown signifier performance, but that was not reflected successful the buzz connected the crushed successful Malmo, Sweden.

Electric Fields performing One Milkali (One Blood) for Australia astatine the Eurovision archetypal semi-final.Credit: EBU

Australia’s past Eurovision grounds has seen the state everyplace from 20th spot (Jessica Mauboy, 2018) to 2nd spot (Dami Im, 2016). Only erstwhile person we failed to suffice for the last (Montaigne, 2021) and 3 of our artists (Dami Im, Kate Miller-Heidke and Voyager) were ranked archetypal successful their semi-finals.

The archetypal Eurovision semi-final circular was brutal. The winning countries present advancement into the last wherever they conscionable the winners of Friday’s 2nd semi-final, past year’s victor (Sweden) and the alleged “Big Five”, Spain, Italy, Germany, France and the UK.

There is simply a consolation prize for Australia: different Australian contender, vocalist Silia Kapsis, who is representing Cyprus, came done the archetypal semi-final with a creaseless show that seemed to seizure the vigor of the room.

Though she is determination nether the emblem of Cyprus, Kapsis has a sizeable Australian following, and is apt to triumph votes from the Australian tv assemblage arsenic she progresses into the final. (Under Eurovision rules, the assemblage successful Cyprus cannot ballot for her, but Cypriot Australians successful Australia can.)

Electric Fields performing One Milkali (One Blood) astatine Malmo Arena.Credit: EBU

From a starting tract of 37 countries, lone 26 marque it to the final, which volition beryllium staged successful Malmo connected Sunday morning, Australian time. On existent polling, the starring contenders for the triumph are Croatia, Switzerland, Italy, Ukraine and Ireland.

This year’s archetypal semi-final was peculiarly tough; Australia was up against immoderate of the strongest performers successful the competition, including Croatia’s Baby Lasagna (singing Rim Tim Tagi Dim) and Ireland’s Bambie Thug (singing Doomsday Blue).

The archetypal semi-final besides featured this year’s breakout superstar, Finland’s Windows95man, singing No Rules! Windows95man’s chaotic show is axenic Eurovision successful the truest kitschy sense; it includes being calved from a denim ovum and moving amok connected the signifier with nary pants on.

Though the nonaccomplishment volition beryllium hard for Australian Eurovision fans, determination was a affirmative footnote: Fielding, who is besides an accomplished scenery artist, was connected Tuesday named a finalist for the prestigious Hadley’s Art Prize, which celebrates excellence successful modern scenery art.

Windows95man performs No Rules! for Finland astatine Eurovision.Credit: EBU

The prize, announced aboriginal this year, is worthy $100,000 to the winner. Both Fielding and his father, Robert Fielding, were announced arsenic finalists. Zaachariaha was besides the recipient of the 2023 Wynne Prize, which is judged by the trustees of the Art Gallery of NSW.

With Australia retired of the competition, Serbia, Portugal, Slovenia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Finland, Cyprus, Croatia, Ireland and Luxembourg present determination into this weekend’s final. Six much countries volition beryllium sent location successful Friday morning’s 2nd semi-final.

Though the culling process is portion of the contention structure, it highlights 1 of the nuanced aspects of Australia’s information successful Eurovision: erstwhile we triumph a slot successful the final, it comes astatine the outgo of sending a geographically European state home.

The archetypal semi-final besides included a 3rd Australian performance; Australian-born Irish vocalist Johnny Logan returned to the signifier that made him a prima to execute Euphoria.

Australian vocalist Silia Kapsis representing Cyprus astatine Eurovision.Credit: EBU

Logan was the archetypal creator to triumph Eurovision twice, representing Ireland successful 1980 and 1987. His double-win grounds was held until past twelvemonth erstwhile Sweden’s Loreen won her 2nd Eurovision.

Who volition triumph is hard to pin down until the competitory tract is clearer. Croatia’s Baby Lasagna has each the hallmarks of a winner. In the media centre, adjacent to the arena, his show was accompanied by hundreds of members of the property singing along. It’s anecdotal data, but it’s hard to reason with.

Switzerland, Italy, Ukraine and Ireland are besides dominating the speech astatine this point. Behind them, forming a 2nd question of countries, Netherlands, Greece, the UK, Lithuania, Belgium and Israel are besides polling well.

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Israel’s information has been the taxable of immoderate contention with calls to boycott the lawsuit if it was allowed to participate. Changes were made to the lyrics of Israel’s song, Hurricane, due to the fact that the organisers deemed them to beryllium political. Israel’s vocalist Eden Golan did not be the “turquoise carpet” opening nighttime lawsuit astatine the weekend.

This year’s 68th yearly Eurovision Song Contest is the ninth successful which Australia has competed. It is the seventh clip the contention arsenic been held successful Sweden; this twelvemonth besides marks the 50th day of Swedish supergroup ABBA winning Eurovision successful 1974 with their deed opus Waterloo.

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