Eurovision Song Contest: SBS

sábado, 29 de marzo de 2014

Australian superstar to sing at Eurovision

Sydney, Australia - This year, Australian broadcaster, SBS, are responsible for the interval act in the second Semi-Final of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, and they have chosen platinum selling artist, Jessica Mauboy, to take on this unique challenge in Copenhagen.

She has taken part in the Australian edition of Pop Idol, has released several platinum selling albums and is also a prize-winning actress. Now, Jessica Mauboy has come out as a Eurovision Song Contest diva, as she will form the interval act during the second Semi-Final on the 8th of May.

A huge talent

This comes as good news to Mikkel Bech, Supervising Producer for the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest:
“She is incredibly good and a huge talent, and she is really, really excited about travelling to Denmark and standing on the big Eurovision stage”, says Mikkel bech
“This is huge for her. When we told her that up in the region of 180 million people watch the Eurovision Song Contest, you could tell that she was thinking ‘Gosh, this is going to be huge!’”

DR rewarding Australian Eurovision loyalty

The agreement with Australia came into being when host broadcaster DR decided to reward the country’s unrelenting enthusiasm for the Eurovision Song Contest by inviting them on to the stage in Copenhagen.
They have decided that Jessica Mauboy will lead the festivities when the Aussies form the interval act for the second Semi-Final:
“She has written a song especially for the Eurovision Song Contest. You can hear it is her, but she reflects the Eurovision spirit perfectly”, says Mikkel Bech.

Representing the new Australia

Jessica Mauboy is not just a prize winning actress and singer, she has also performed for celebrities such as the American talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres. She has an aboriginal background and has been especially chosen by Australian television to represent her country in Copenhagen:
“Jessica is an example of what Australia is all about. Australian TV (SBS) have chosen her because she shows another side of Australia that you maybe have not heard so much about before – she reflects the ‘new’ Australia”, concludes Mikkel Bech

Australia to take part in Eurovision!

Sydney, Australia - They love the Eurovision Song Contest in Australia, so much so that DR is giving the country a central role in the second Semi-Final on Thursday the 8th of May.

Every year, when the Eurovision Song Contest is broadcast on screens all over Europe, it is also watched enthusiastically in Australia. They have been doing this since ABBA won in 1974.
Now the Land Down Under is being rewarded by DR:
”Australia is going to take part in the second Semi-Final. They have asked several times if they can take part, because they love the Eurovision Song Contest so much. So this year we have given them permission to take to the stage and show us what they can do”, explains Mikke Bech, editorial boss for this year’s edition in Copenhagen.

Australian interval act

In essence, this means that Australia – who has produced acts including Kylie Minogue, Nick Cave and Olivia Newton-John – has said yes to producing the entertainment just before we find out the results of the second Semi-Final at the Eurovision Song Contest on the 8th of May.
And there will certainly be something to look forward to, when the Australians take to the stage as the so-called Interval Act, promises Mikkel Bech:
”They will come up here with a huge display of all possible senses that represent what Australia is. They are going to work visually with what Europe means to them and what Australia means to us in Europe, so it is going to be big and spectacular – and it is going to involve a lot of humour”.

Australia loves the grandeur of Eurovision

Mikkel Bech travelled to Australia to meet with the people at TV station SBS, who are responsible for Australia’s act during the second Semi-Final, and here he had the opportunity to ask why they love Europe’s favourite TV show so much.
”The Australians love the grandeur of the Eurovision Song Contest and what they themselves describe as the somewhat kitschy element to it, but people down there take it very seriously, and there are many people who watch it. It is a big deal for them”
”Also, many of them have European blood flowing through their veins, so for them it is also a connection to their roots in Europe. I believe that many Australians in one way or another have Europe in them, and many people can related to the show”, says Mikkel Bech.
In addition, SBS is the Australian broadcaster that broadcasts the Eurovision Song Contest shows every year to Australian viewers, a little after Europe because of the time difference.