Australia Plays It Safe At Eurovision 2026
The selection of Delta Goodrem to represent Australia at Eurovision 2026 raises uncomfortable questions about who the contest is for – and whether SBS’s internal selection process aligns with Eurovision’s democratic and cultural ideals.
Delta Goodrem is one of Australia’s bestselling singers and a household name, with a career spanning chart-topping albums, ‘Neighbours’, major brand campaigns, and ‘The Voice’. There is little doubt she will represent Australia with professionalism and deliver a polished performance at Eurovision 2026.
But is an established pop performer with a prolific career the best choice to represent the uniquely diverse Australian musical identity? If you think of Eurovision in terms of the Olympics – and many do – it makes sense to send the best talent we have. It’s not uncommon practice.
Several 2026 competitors are similarly well known at home. Italy’s Sal Da Vinci is a veteran artist from a storied entertainment family; Bulgaria’s Dara rose to prominence through The Voice Bulgaria; Finland’s entry combines classical virtuosity with mainstream appeal.
Delta Goodrem will not be an outlier on the Eurovision stage – but Australia’s selection process is.
And Eurovision is not the Olympics. It is not a test of technical excellence alone; it is a showcase of national culture, experimentation, and public taste. Traditionally, Eurovision representatives are elected democratically by the public via national song competitions. The issue, then, is not Delta Goodrem. It is how Australia chose her.
SBS has broadcast Eurovision since 1983 and is an associate member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which owns and operates Eurovision. Australia was first invited to participate in the contest in 2015 to mark the event’s 60th anniversary.
Our debut Eurovision representative was Guy Sebastian, a safe and popular choice as the first winner of Australian Idol who by that time had established a prominent solo presence. Since then, we have offered a variety of contestants spanning style and genre that were selected by either public voting or internal submission.
From 2019-2022, SBS ran the ‘Australia Decides’ program, which allowed the public to vote for their favourite acts, giving us performances from Kate Miller-Heidke, Montaigne, and Sheldon Riley. After 2022, SBS reverted to an internal submission process that encourages artists and industry professionals to nominate rather than compete, negating the democratic spirit Eurovision intends to foster.
Had there been a competition or public voting, would Delta have won? When given the opportunity to decide for themselves, Australians voted for independent artists and emerging talent rather than an established performer. Delta Goodrem in 2026, like Guy Sebastian in 2015, is a safe bet. She will sing her new single ‘Eclipse’ to a global audience of more than 160 million viewers at the Wiener Stadthalle on 14 May.
At the ten-year mark, it seems SBS is still trying to justify Australia’s participation in Eurovision, which has often been a point of confusion and criticism.
Australia’s participation is publicly funded through the International Cultural Diplomacy Arts Fund, alongside substantial federal support for SBS. With that investment comes a responsibility to promote emerging and distinctive Australian voices – not simply the safest international export.
Eurovision Song Contest was started in 1956 by the EBU as a strategy to test transnational live television and encourage and the production of local music. It has since become the longest-running international music competition on television and one of the world’s longest-running television programmes. It has aired every year except for 2020 when it was cancelled due to COVID-19.
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Eurovision is the biggest live music stage in the world, exposing performers to millions of global viewers. It’s a chance for countries to showcase rare talent and highlight what makes their music unique.
But rather than take a chance, SBS have opted for the path of less resistance, selecting the least controversial, most-likely-not-to-ruffle-feathers, popular option on the menu.
“To mark this milestone [70th year], we wanted to send one of Australia’s most iconic artists to the world’s most iconic stage,” SBS head of entertainment Emily Griggs said.
“Her powerful voice is balanced by restraint and an openness that draws people in, creating performances that feel both intimate and expansive.”
In 2023, a bold choice was made by SBS to have Australia represented by Voyager, a prog metal band from Perth that had placed runner-up in the 2022 run of ‘Australia Decides’. The band had earned a strong national following but were by no means renowned superstars. Nevertheless, they were the first actual band and the first artists from Western Australia to perform at Eurovision.
This year, Serbia’s entrant is Lavina, a progressive metal band formed in 2020. They too earned their place through competition, winning ‘Pesma za Evroviziju ’26’ with the song ‘Kraj mene’, their first single to be sung in their native Serbian tongue. The band has said they wrote ‘Kraj mene’ with a focus on staying true to their metal roots, rather than producing something that was “competition-friendly”.
If Serbia can send a progressive metal band committed to artistic integrity, there is no reason Australia cannot trust its public – and its artists – to do the same. Eurovision rewards risk, authenticity, and conviction. Australia should stop playing it safe.
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