LONDON (AP) 鈥� With links to and , Delta Goodrem is one of the best-connected contestants at this year鈥檚 .
She鈥檚 also one of the most successful participants, as the award-winning Australian singer-songwriter has sold over nine million albums and topped charts in eight countries.
Goodrem is representing her home country in the which takes place this year in Vienna. Even though it鈥檚 way outside of Europe, Australia has been invited to compete since 2015.
In the 1990s Goodrem, who was a former star of Australian soap 鈥淣eighbours,鈥� wrote a track called 鈥淓yes on Me鈥� for , who won Eurovision representing Switzerland in 1988.
She was also mentored by the late Newton-John, another global superstar who took part in the song contest on behalf of the United Kingdom in 1974, although not as successfully.
鈥淕rowing up, Olivia Newton-John and Celine Dion were two of my greatest loves in music,” she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I would be the musician I am today without my influence from the two of them. And they have both been a part of that stage from different countries.鈥�
Goodrem also has a link to the entry representing the tiny country of San Marino. Boy George, who appears on SENHIT’s entry 鈥淪uperstar,鈥� used to be a judge and rival alongside Goodrem on Australia’s hit TV talent show 鈥淭he Voice.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e got my eyes on him. I鈥檓 watching him,鈥� Goodrem joked. 鈥淚 was so excited and couldn鈥檛 stop laughing … it鈥檚 so playful that Boy George was like, 鈥業鈥檓 coming to Eurovision!鈥欌��
The Associated Press spoke to Goodrem in London about competing with her power ballad 鈥淓clipse鈥� in the Eurovision Song Contest.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
AP: When was the first time you ever heard about Eurovision?
GOODREM: It鈥檚 been a bit omnipresent where you sort of heard it in the air. And I guess obviously Australia鈥檚 been in for 11 years. So we became a lot more actively like Team Australia. But growing up, you always were, you know, enamored with this incredible iconic stage and it鈥檇 always find its way to us.
AP: I feel like you鈥檝e been representing Australia your whole life.
GOODREM: I feel that as well and I鈥檝e always been very patriotic and very true to the love I have for Australia and it feels like they鈥檙e all celebrating, we鈥檙e all sort of there together on this journey.
AP: How competitive are you?
GOODREM: Oh you know, I鈥檓 definitely here to give it my absolute all, yes.
AP: Did you watch last year?
GOODREM: So (last year) I was doing my couple of shows here (in London) and I had sort of got to experience the energy of Eurovision on the ground and I just thought it was palpable, it was incredible and I was watching all the programs and it was really exciting and somebody had asked me, 鈥榳ould you do Eurovision?鈥� And I said, 鈥業鈥檓 always open鈥� 鈥� You never know where your path鈥檚 leading, just if it feels right.
AP: While Eurovision tries to keep out politics, it鈥檚 always crept in. What do you think about the boycott this year?
GOODREM: I really am a true believer that throughout my career, coming to my show, I鈥檓 about unifying 鈥� music for me is a moment where we鈥檙e all singing the same song. And I believe in that, and I have my whole life, that it鈥檚 very healing, music has a real power.
So I sort of focus on the power of music being a unifying space and a place that can wrap around people鈥檚 lives and their soundtrack and that鈥檚 where it sits for me.
AP: What did you think about the news that they鈥檙e doing Eurovision in Asia?
GOODREM: The more music the better. I think that鈥檚 so exciting. That means I get to immerse myself in the music in September for .
AP: I need to ask you about staging. I see the video for this involves a lot of sand.
GOODREM: Yes, you鈥檙e thinking I should bring Australian sand, you know, that鈥檚 very patriotic. I start a little beach on stage, look up at the moon for 鈥淓clipse.鈥� I definitely am really excited to bring it to life.
AP: If you win, can Eurovision go to Australia?
GOODREM: Sure. Yeah, yeah!
AP: Is it more likely that it鈥檇 be a co-host?
GOODREM: Look, I don鈥檛 know those logistics yet but I鈥檓 open to the conversation 鈥� If you would like to vote for me then I鈥檓 happy to talk about if we could like have it here or if, you know, I鈥檓 happy to do a deal.
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