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Montaigne releases Technicolour for Eurovision 2021

"Time to take off your cloaks" for Montaigne in Rotterdam.

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Montaigne’s entry for Eurovision 2021 Technicolour has now been released in full.

Montaigne co-wrote the song alongside Sydney-based songwriter and producer, Dave Hammer (Lime Cordiale, Thundamentals).

It will be performed at tomorrow’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Montaigne was selected for Eurovision 2020 but after the event was cancelled, SBS confirmed her return for 2021 -but all acts had to submit new songs.

At this stage all artists are expecting to attend Rotterdam in person in May under strict COVID restrictions.

…and for those wondering the lyric is not “time to take off your clothes” but “cloaks.”

Montaigne said: “I initially started writing the song after a catch-up call with my mum that was really emotional and had me crying on the floor thinking of that first line, ‘I want to be close to my mother.’ I picked up my guitar and started improvising around that, trying to get the feelings out of my system. I had to put the song down then because we were having people over for dinner.

“Later, I picked the idea up with songwriter and music producer, Dave Hammer, since we were working on trying to make a Eurovision song happen, and the song became about resilience and the courage that comes from being able to be vulnerable, being able to ask for help, and knowing that in solidarity and togetherness we are stronger as people.”

SBS Commissioning Editor and Australian Head of Delegation Josh Martin said: “We love this song! SBS has always celebrated the technicolour nature of Australia and the world, and Montaigne has written an anthem that encapsulates all that we stand for as a broadcaster and a country. Where better to premiere it, than one of the world’s most loved Pride events – the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras! The song is positive, purposeful – and let’s face it – fun! It will be right at home at the world’s largest, inclusive technicolour song contest where, to borrow a line from the chorus – ‘if we stand together, we can do whatever’.”

Creative Director of Eurovision: Australia Decides and Director of Blink TV Paul Clarke said: “Technicolour begins by addressing the universal and personal challenges of the pandemic, then it empowers you to be a superhero and rise above. It’s all done with Montaigne’s cheeky sense of humour, at once vulnerable and kinda fierce. I’m expecting some deep and moving music this year at Eurovision, but we are flicking the switch to empowerment with Montaigne and turning the volume right up.”

Eurovision will be held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and broadcast on SBS from 19 to 23 May.

12 Responses

  1. Not a huge fan. The chorus seems a bit lacking – perhaps simply due to the paucity of words. And there’s a few awkward lyric/melody combinations which throw me off…

  2. Well, I like it. I can see it being performed on the Eurovision stage with lots of whiz bang stuff to go with it. But then I love the fact that Australia is in Eurovision and have no objection about how the performers or the crowd dresses. Go Montaigne. I wish you well! Ignore the Negative Nellies.

  3. Don’t like this song at all. The versus and choruses sounds like two completely different songs mangled together.

    I’m sure she’s a great singer but her voice sounds shaky and off-key in the studio recording – how will that go live?

  4. As a Montaigne song it is fabulous but as a Eurovision song well….. um there has been worse. It is still not quirky and dance to win

  5. I won’t judge till i see it live but i’m not a fan of the song honestly. It doesn’t have a hook for me. Nothing against her i’m sure it could do well, I just don’t like it, personally. Good luck to her at Eurovision though. She is our entrant and needs our support. It’s so hard to come up with the right song for that contest and she had to do it twice.

  6. Awful. Much prefer Eurovision when it was for European countries only, and when performers and audiences were decently dressed. The partisan crowds they now have resembles a football match with flags, banners, and t-shirts. No class.

    1. Countries who are members of the European Broadcasting Union can compete at Eurovision, its not for specifically European nations. Israel is a member and competes, Morocco has competed before and other non-European countries such as Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Tunisia and Egypt could compete if they wanted too.

      Australia has had love for the contest and have been broadcasting it since the 80’s. For the 60th anniversary, we were invited to compete as a guest and then kept being invited back year after year by each host and as an associate-member we have secured a five year deal to be allowed to compete.

      Don’t question it, we’ve been competing for seven years now! Have fun and enjoy being part of the action.

    1. That’s mean. I’ll be a bit nicer and say – No thank you. I liked last year’s song but live I thought it was awful, so I don’t hold out hope for this, and so far I’ve heard a few better tracks so I won’t be betting on this to win.

      Bring on Dami Im for 2022

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