Music

Australia’s Kate Miller-Heidke sees Eurovision as a ‘haven for outsiders’


Kate Miller-Heidke will represent Australia this year (Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Kate Miller-Heidke was chosen as Australia’s entry for Eurovision 2019 after she performed her song Zero Gravity in a spiked headpiece and a skirt that rose her into the air, in front of an acrobat chucking herself around on a swaying platform.

So it’s no wonder she feels drawn to the Song Contest.

The 37-year-old will represent Australia with the opera-inspired Zero Gravity, and Kate already feels a connection with Eurovision.

Speaking to Metro.co.uk, Kate said: ‘The reason that I was drawn to Eurovision in the first place is because it’s a haven for outsiders. It celebrates difference, and I do see myself as a niche artist in a lot of ways.

‘My favourite Eurovision songs are those that you’d never hear anywhere else. So in that way, I do feel a connection with the spirit of Eurovision and music that is joyful but experimental.’

However, despite her eccentric and somewhat over-the-top performance impressing at the national selection, Kate is drastically rethinking the staging for the semi-finals (and hopefully the grand final) in Tel Aviv next month.

She told us: ‘It’s very much a collaboration between me and the director and the choreographer, and the costume designer. This time around, we’re changing things quite dramatically. It’s a brilliant opportunity to have a first crack at the staging.

‘There were certain things that worked about it, and certain things that were too much, too distracting. So we’re going back and honing it, refining it, and hopefully it will be bigger and better in May.’

So does that mean no bouncing acrobat?!

Despite Australia only joining Eurovision in 2015 – a move which was initially planned as a once-off for the contest’s 60th anniversary – the country has been Eurovision-obsessed for years, so Kate was already a big fan before becoming an entrant.

However, she didn’t realise how all encompassing the job would be.

She said: ‘I’ve always been a fan. My friends have Eurovision parties every year and we dress up. It’s huge in Australia. But I guess I didn’t understand from the artist’s perspective just how much work goes into it.

‘I was so naive in retrospect. I honestly thought it would be a case of flying in, singing my song and flying back out again. But it’s completely taken over three months of my life.’

Kate will compete to get Australia to the grand final in the first semi-final on 14 May.



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