C’mon, I’m not the only one watching and discussing Voyager and this year’s Eurovision Song Contest!?

This year’s Australian entrant Voyager, is a progressive metal band from Perth formed back in 1999 with immigration lawyer Daniel Estrin out front. For those of you who found that whole sentence a ridiculous juxtaposition, I’ll remind you of how and where Midnight Oil began.

Voyager was in the second semifinal. Of late prog metal hasn’t been a genre of choice at Eurovision, with every single guitar group eliminated in semi-final 1. But they, their song (and car) Promise made the cut. Alongside nine other nations including Austria’s Teya & Salena and their song, Who The Hell Is Edgar?

(Spoiler alert. It’s Poe. Edgar Allan, Edgar Allan Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe and it’s more catchy than I anticipated.)

For the record Dami Im’s second place in 2016 is our best result. Still, Voyager’s 9th is pretty good, given the competition.

Like any good radio station and record company, Australia’s contract with Eurovision runs out this year and needs be renegotiated before the 2024 contest. Everybody loves a winner. Even though we’ve only been competing in this glorious kitschy over the top display of costume excess since 2015, our lives (and SBS’s ratings) would be much the less rich without it. Long may our Eurovision participation continue!

By Jen Seyderhelm