Earlier in November, the first two acts were revealed for the Australian national selection, Eurovision – Australia Decides. Australian broadcaster SBS have now revealed the next two acts for the selection, which will take place in February next year.
Joining Casey Donovan and Vanessa Amorosi in the selection will be Mitch Tambo and iOTA. The acts will perform original songs at the national final, and they will be joined by another six acts yet to be revealed.
Mitch Tambo is a Melbourne-based singer who came to national attention earlier this year after performances on Australia’s Got Talent. He combines traditional Indigenous sounds with contemporary beats and production, and is an up and coming voice in the Australian music scene.
Mitch wears his trademark headpiece of Dhinawan feathers and the crest of the Murray, which is representative of his people. Commenting on his upcoming gig, Tambo says, ‘Eurovision songs often mix elements of traditional and contemporary sounds, which is exactly what I set out to do in my own music. Most importantly, it brings different cultures together all under the banner of music, which is a beautiful thing!’
iOTA is a critically acclaimed singer and songwriter, stage and screen actor, write, composer and voice-over artist. His career highlights include performances in Smoke & Mirrors, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and the Rocky Horror Show. He has also appeared in films such as Mad Max: Fury Road and The Great Gatsby.
Musically, he has released seven albums, and has been recognised with ARIA award nominations for Best Album. iOTA may not someone that comes to mind for Eurovision, but Creative Director Paul Clarke says, ‘We have a brilliant song and stage moment in mind with him, which I can promise will deliver plenty of drama, along with more than a touch of mischief and danger’
Talking about his upcoming role, iOTA says,
I’m not your typical music competition kind of guy, but I am attracted to the Eurovision Song Contest for the colour and movement, music and performance, light and shade, creativity and self-expression, singing and working an audience.’
The next six artists will be revealed over the coming months. The show will take place on the 8th of February at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.