SBS today announced that multi-talented singer and ARIA Award winner Jessica Mauboy will perform at the 59th Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark and broadcast on SBS over three days from Friday May 9 to Sunday May 11. 

Jessica’s performance follows SBS’s ambition to increase Australia’s presence at Eurovision by having an Australian artist perform, which has been embraced by the European Broadcast Union and the 2014 host broadcaster DR.

Jessica will perform an original song that she co-wrote specifically for her Eurovision performance during Eurovision’s semi-final two, to be broadcast on SBS on Saturday May 10.

The performance will be a celebration of Australian music and culture and marks the first time in Eurovision history a solo artist from a non-European Union country has been invited to perform at the contest. 

The Eurovision Song Contest attracts an international audience of over 180 million people and SBS and production partner Blink TV agreed that Jessica Mauboy was the perfect artist to showcase the depth of Australian music and culture on the world’s biggest stage.

SBS Managing Director Michael Ebeid said:

“SBS has been broadcasting Eurovision for over 30 years and we know how much Australians’ love of the song contest has grown over those years, and that’s why on their behalf we wanted to increase Australia’s presence at it.

“We are very excited to have secured an opportunity for Australia to be represented at Eurovision and so proud that Jessica Mauboy will be representing our country to Eurovision’s world audience. 

“As a young Indigenous artist who has achieved  global success, Jessica’s performance will be a fantastic coup for Eurovision’s worldwide audience and showcase the strong links between the Song Contest and SBS’s purpose of reflecting diversity. We are honoured that the European Broadcasting Union has supported us to achieve this ambition.”

SBS and Blink TV in addition to Jess’ performance in semi-final two are producing a feature documentary following Jess’ Eurovision journey from Darwin to Denmark. The documentary Jess Mauboy’s Road to Eurovision will screen on Saturday May 10 at 7.30pm before the SBS coverage of semi-final 2 begins at 8.30pm.

Jessica Mauboy said:

“I am super excited and honoured to have been invited to perform as a guest at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.   Like so many Aussies, I have loved watching the show from my lounge room and now to be a part of one of the world’s biggest music shows is just incredible. I can’t wait to bring a little bit of Australia to the contest.” 

Australian audiences first discovered Jessica Mauboy through Australian Idol in 2006, she has since gone on to release 3 studio albums with Sony Music Entertainment Australia, with accumulated sales in excess of 2.1 million units.

Jessica has also enjoyed success with her roles in Australian films, Bran Nue Dae and the International Award winning The Sapphires for which Jessica won an ACCTA & AFCA Award for Best Supporting Actress. 

Jessica recently appeared on iconic television show Sesame Street singing an Australian song Five Kangaroos with children from the Yipirinya School in Alice Springs where Jessica is Ambassador. 

With 14 x consecutive top 30 hit singles to date, multiple awards including ARIA Award for Best Female Artist in 2013, Jessica features firmly amongst some of the most successful Australian female artists of all time.  Her performance at Eurovision is an incredible opportunity to introduce Jessica to European audiences.

Denis Handlin, AM Chairman & CEO, Australia & NZ, President Asia, Sony Music Entertainment, said:
 
“I first signed Jessica when she was just 16 years old and since then we have worked together on delivering many multiplatinum singles and albums. Through her incredible talent and charm she has become one of Australia’s most successful and much loved performing artists. It is fitting that Jess represent Australia at Eurovision as she embodies all of what it means to be Australian in this day and age and I am incredibly proud that she will be representing Australian music on the world stage. We are delighted to be partnering with SBS on this wonderful opportunity and look forward to sharing this special song that Jess has co-written with the rest of the world.”

More details on SBS’s multiplatform Eurovision coverage across television, radio and online will be announced in the following weeks.