EUROVISION 2019 REVIEW: AUSTRALIA - Kate Miller-Heidke - Zero Gravity

Review time!

Today we look to our non-European Eurovision friends, Australia. After their first ever national final (Electric Fields remain iconic), they chose 'Zero Gravity' by Kate Miller-Heidke.

Here are my thoughts:

What I Like: 'Zero Gravity' might just be a guilty pleasure of mine this year. On first listen I threw this away for being a little messy but in a way its actually quite clever. The mix of the thumping pop beat juxtaposed with the nutty opera notes actually hooks you in. Let's not forget this song has a inner message about battling mental demons and rising above that all, and when you know about that message the 'nothing holding me down' roaring through really makes an impact. This also really makes me connect to Kate as an artist, she just gives off a likable energy at all points throughout the performance and that will really do her some favours.

With 'Zero Gravity' being such an in your face entry I expected to grow off this almost instantly after it was chosen, but its actually still holding my interest and I've actually even ended up warming to this more because of that message that the song holds. Also that spirit in the background is what I'd like to be in the future. If Kate is reading this and wants someone to be the dark spirit in the background for the performance in Tel Aviv, I'm available so PM me hun.

What I Don't Like: A lot of people have criticised the staging and I see why. I think that they have a good product here but it was executed poorly at Australia Decides, I think with a more subtle costume and some other minor tweaks this could actually come across way better than it did.

I also think that this is a little too gimmicky in its performance to the point that the message is lost and you just have people laughing at the crazy opera girl in the massive dress, and I actually think that's what the Australians ended up voting for in the end. I actually could see Australia falling into a rut of selecting 'gimmick' entries down the line if the national final continues, as its clear to see they've been itching to select a song like this, but I think SBS should work on toning back the crazy and appealing to another audience, especially considering what follows them and blows them out the water with the crazy factor in the semi-final.

Prediction: Okay, this is an interesting one. I feel like if there was a year that Australia misses out this could be it. I think Australia got a real bad luck of the draw here being drawn into such a crazy, televote friendly semi-final the year they finally tried to appeal to the televote audience. As mentioned above, Australia ends up feeling quite tame when it comes before Iceland and Portugal which could actually lead to this being forgotten by the end of the show, and an entry like Zero Gravity should not end up being forgettable. I see this being borderline but I have it down as a qualifier at the moment.

Final Score: 7/10

Summary: A well performed mash-up of pop and opera with a real catchy refrain, having all the elements to be a successful Eurovision entry. The luck of the draw is really unfortunate and I think that could seriously damage its chances in the semi, so hopefully it gets through and has a more favourable starting position in the final. I'm into this WAY more than I should be!

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