Perth synth metal band, Voyager, will become the first-ever group to represent Australia at Eurovision.
Voyager — comprising lead vocalist and keytarist Danny Estrin, guitarists Simone Drew and Scott Kay, bass guitarist Alex Canion, and drummer Ashley Doodkorte — have thrown their hat in the ring every year since 2015 for a chance to represent their country.
“I feel like Eurovision is typically renowned for solo performers. I think coming into it as a band is really special, especially as the first Australian band,” Kay told So Perth.
Voyager was internally handpicked by the SBS after it went close to winning Australia Decides last year with its pumping hit ‘Dreamer’. Voyager lost by three votes to Sheldon Riley and his song, ‘Not the Same’.
“It’s been a really awesome kind of slow grow. We’re used to kind of grinding it out as a metal band,” Kay said.
“We had a hashtag Voyager for Eurovision (#voyagerforeurovision) since Australia has been eligible. We just feel like what we do with the Eurovision stage so well because we’re a fun band and we love to entertain.”
Voyager will take its song ‘Promise’ to the international music competition which attracts more than 160 million viewers. The music video highlights iconic WA landscapes such as Nature’s Window and the bright pink Hutt Lagoon.
“Promise is a track trying to reflect on both the positives and negatives of an over-communicated world. It’s just sometimes the world can be very overwhelming and very chaotic. Sometimes you just need someone to reel you back in if you’re feeling lost or hopeless and just tell you that it’s going to be alright,” Kay said.
“It’s a reflection on how tough life and the world can be sometimes, but that there is hope there for everyone if you search for it.”
Voyager joins previous performers Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Kate Miller-Heidke, and Dami Im, who placed second – our best-ever finish.
The 67th Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Liverpool, United Kingdom, from May 9th to 13th, 2023. The top 10 countries will then advance to the final on May 14th.
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Lead image: Mike Dann
