Eurovision dream can be yours

INTERNATIONAL fame could be yours for a song when the Gold Coast hosts the country’s inaugural Eurovision: Australia Decides.

The new event to select an artist and song to represent Australia at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest will be broadcast live on SBS from the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on February 9.

The State Government and Gold Coast City Council outbid NSW to secure the firstever national selection show to give the public the chance to choose Australia’s entry in Eurovision 2019 in Tel Aviv, Israel, in May.

Australian Head of Delegation, Blink TV director Paul Clarke, said the Coast event would leverage Eurovision’s huge Australian fanbase.

“There’s a big Eurovision audience for SBS – three million people normally tune in and out of Eurovision on SBS,” he said. “We look forward to developing the Gold Coast as Eurovision central.”

The creator of music TV shows including Recovery, Spicks and Specks and Long Way To The Top, Mr Clarke said he expected Australia Decides to lure Eurovision fans to the Coast.

“It’s a perfect events space,” he said. “It’s small enough to make an impact. If you put an event like this on in Sydney, it’s hard to cut through, so in that respect it’s really good.”

Songwriters have until November 4 to upload their original compositions for consideration via the SBS website.