This year marks the fifth participation for Australia at Junior Eurovision, and so far, the nation has not yet fallen out of the Top 10. The last two entries have resulted in 3rd place, and this year it will be up to Jordan Anthony to continue the run of good results. This is the first time in the five years of participation for Australia that a male artist will represent the nation, but will Jordan Anthony rise up the results table?
Song + Vocals
The boys are finally represented in the short but successful history of Australia at Junior Eurovision, and the team could not have picked a better representative. Jordan is an incredible vocalist, and we saw him shine on the most recent Voice Australia season, where he reached the finals. Even if you aren’t a fan of the song he will be performing at Junior Eurovision, you are bound to appreciate the vocal talent of this 14 year old.
The song he will be performing is titled We Will Rise, and absolutely falls into the category of ‘uplifting song with a positive message’ that Australia seem to live by when it comes to Junior Eurovision. Honestly, it’s getting a bit predictable for Australia to always be represented by cliché entries, but I can overlook that based on the vocals in this song.
I enjoy that the song grows well over the three minutes, and not all the big notes are revealed through the first chorus. It’s like we get a taste of what’s to come, and by the bridge and the final chorus, Jordan is unleashing his vocal talent which will certainly impress viewers if he pulls the notes off on the night.
Based off his Voice Australia performances, Jordan has good control of his voice, and can definitely pull off the big notes. In that sense, a ballad style song like We Will Rise is probably the most suitable for him in that he can really show off the vocals. There’s also a snippet of him performing We Will Rise acoustically, and it is impressive.
Act + Performance
Jordan Anthony is a great choice for Australia, not just vocally, but due to his recent experience in the Voice Australia – not the kids edition, but the adults edition. Not only did he pass the auditions, succeed through the battle stages and the live shows, but Jordan finished 4th in the final. Considering he is just 14 years old and managed to battle against some of the nation’s biggest new voices is something to celebrate.
This experience is also helpful when it comes to familiarity with cameras, and working with stage productions on television. I’m expecting a very polished performance from Jordan, and hopefully the stage production can create an uplifting atmosphere just as the song does.
Conclusions
Even though the song is a bit cliché, I think Australia will be in for another strong result, and very possibly another Top 5 result. Australia usually fare well with the juries at the contest, and I can see this being another jury friendly entry. With a strong stage performance, this will do well.
Rating
8/10
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