Eurovision: Australia Decides: new act, songs announced.

SBS and production partner Blink TV today announced Isaiah Firebrace’s duet partner.

Pop-punk newcomer Evie Irie will join Isaiah Firebrace in a duet for Eurovision: Australia Decides 2022 to be held on the Gold Coast in late February.

They will perform their self-penned anthem When I’m With You, which will be released February 4, alongside a TikTok Wildcard winner.

Evie Irie said: “If there’s one thing I like as much as creating music for my own projects, it’s writing with other artists for their projects: it’s not work, it’s just fun! So when Isaiah and his team asked me to do Eurovision with this random wonderful song called, When I’m With You, that we had such a great time writing together, I was seriously shook. I never EVER thought I’d have the chance to play at Eurovision and I just can’t say no to Isaiah.”

Isaiah Firebrace said: “Sometimes life takes you on a very unusual journey. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined doing Eurovision: Australia Decides with Evie Irie but I am so thankful that our planets aligned and we get to do this together. We wrote the song together, we jumped out of a plane together and we want to represent Australia together. Being together is what the song is all about and what the world needs right now. I’m incredibly proud to being doing this with Evie – she’s so unique and so special… wait until the world gets to know her like I have!!!”

They join other contenders to represent Australia in Turin, Italy in May: pop newcomer Charley, the fabulous Seann Miley Moore, Perth’s metal quintet Voyager, singer-songwriter Jude York, avant-garde performance artist Sheldon Riley, six-piece girl group G-Nat!on charismatic pop star Andrew Lambrou, powerhouse entertainer Paulini, multi-media artist Jaguar Jonze.

Two more new songs have been confirmed: Voyager’s 80’s electro pop meets metal anthem, Dreamer and Jude York’s inspirational I Won’t Need to Dream.

Danny Estrin, Vocals & Keytar for Voyager, said: “As humans, we tend to look to the stars and glorify what could be. Simply, Dreamer is about looking at the here, the now and valuing what we have around us. Especially over the last two years, hopes and dreams vs the tiny locked down bubble we live in has been a constant push and pull… It’s good to be a dreamer, but the grass isn’t necessarily always greener. We’re bringing this track to Eurovision – Australia Decides as our official entry and we can’t wait to finally be on stage again!”

Jude York said: “I Won’t Need to Dream was written by Billy Stonecipher and myself as the message we needed to hear. During this time when the future seems so precarious and it’s impossible to make plans, I couldn’t help but feel a little hopeless – about my life, relationships and career. Billy and I toyed around with a few different ways of translating that emotion into music but it all fell together when I played that first line on piano. The song practically wrote itself from there. We were really inspired by songs of the 30’s and 40’s like Dream by the Pied Pipers and Over The Rainbow by Judy Garland. The lyrics are simple and optimistic and writing it felt like I was consoling myself, singing a lullaby to help me get through this difficult patch. We’ve all had an incredibly tough two years and it’s so easy to feel hopeless. I want this song to be like a warm hug to anyone who listens to it, a gentle reminder that things can get better and that dreams eventually become reality. For me, this song has already taken me further than I thought possible.”

SBS Head of Entertainment, Emily Griggs, said: “Historically, duets create magical and memorable moments so SBS is thrilled to have Evie Irie team up with Isaiah Firebrace. This duet is no exception – it’s an impressive and catchy song. It will have you singing along in no time. It’s also an exciting time as the Eurovision: Australia Decides songs are starting to be released. The first songs from Voyager and Jude York highlighting what an important event this is in showcasing original Australian music.”

Creative Director Paul Clarke, said: “It’s wonderful to make public the first two of our songs, in what is a very strong song year. Hope everyone enjoys the first two – Dreamer and I Won’t Need to Dream. We also can’t wait for you to hear Isaiah and Evie together – smooth soul and punk edge show opposites attract.”

Saturday 26 February on SBS.

Updated.