Aussievision Team: Hayley

Name and where you live

I am Hayley and live in Brisbane but I am originally from Tasmania. I am a lucky fur-mum to a beautiful rescue greyhound and two naughty cats.

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I am Hayley and live in beautiful Brisbane, but I am originally from Tasmania. I work with the State Government in Communications and spend a lot of my time editing and trying to be wordy. I love animals (dogs in particular) and food, but not those two things together... I am also a big Brisbane Lions supporter and was lucky enough to watch them win at the G in 2024!

I have really been into my music since a very young age and have VERY diverse music taste. I used to work part time while at high school so I could save money to go to see bands and buy CDs and merch. My first record was an ABBA album aged 3 and I am a life-long U2 fanatic. I love anything from moody electro pop like Bjork, Moby and Röyksopp (and adore Kylie!) but also love Jimi Hendrix, Queen and alt-rock of the JJJ era of 1990s to 2000s! Apart from the "genre" of Eurovision, I also listen to a lot of progressive rock and metal (Tool and Queens of the Stone Age are favourites). I am also very much an 80s music aficionado and trust me - you want me on your trivia team if its 80s music night.

Travel is my bag and I have been all over the world - my favourites are Sweden, Japan and Mexico and my favourite European city is Stockholm. I am heading over to Africa in July and cannot wait and am currently planning a northern lights trip to Iceland and Norway for 2026!

What is your Eurovision journey?

I knew about the Eurovision Song Contest from an early age being a keen ABBA fan. My first contest was in 2000 when, the year Denmark won with 'Fly on the Wings of Love'. I used to love listening to Terry Wogan's commentary. In the 2010s my love developed into quite the obsession and I was getting up at the early hours to watch the contest and only up until about 2018, I would switch off the TV after the songs and try to spend the whole day without social media or TV so I could find out the winner when re-watching on the Sunday night (this strategy actually never worked).

I was so excited to be accepted as a contributor for Aussievision so I could funnel my Eurovision energy somewhere instead of making my friends suffer!

I am lucky after so many years of watching Eurovision, I finally lived out my dream in 2022 by attending my first Eurovision in Turin and then followed up with Liverpool and Malmo! People who attend their first Eurovision will always remember their first live song and mine was "Sekret" by Ronela (Abania 2022). I think for the three I have been to - Turin had the best city vibe with the weather and the food, Liverpool had the best vibe - the city embraced it so much, and Malmo had the most incredible stage - like wow!

Do you have any affinity to nations other than Australia?

Turkey - please come back Turkey! I also adore Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia. I would also love to see Bulgaria make a return. But really, it is about the song, no matter where the song is from, if I like it, I like it. I do tend to lean to countries that send a heavier genre (looking at you Finland) and would love to see Germany send a metal/rock song in German.

Any Aussievision highlights?

Oh so many! Well without a doubt it is working in the media centre in Malmo - what an amazing experience. Meeting some of the lovely artists on the turquoise carpet was another. One of the first articles I wrote was about ABBA which for me was a special moment. Another highlight is definitely hanging out with other Aussievision folks on the ground at Eurovision.

Quick questions on Eurovision entries

Best winner:

Tu te reconnaîtras (Luxembourg 1973)

Favourite three non-Australian entries:

My Number One (Greece 2005), Doomsday Blue (Ireland 2024) and Adio (Montenegro 2015).

Favourite Australian entry:

It is without a doubt, Voyager's Promise. Seeing it live multiple times in Liverpool was a highlight and when they qualified, I nearly lost my mind and screamed the stadium down! I cannot think of a band more deserving than Voyager and they finished in 9th place - what a result! A lesson on how to perfectly craft a rock song for Eurovision.

Makes you dance:

Well I really love my dance tracks and bass-heavy songs, so I could list many (and I will) ... Fuego (Cyprus 2018), Hero (Sweden 2008), Dum Tek Tek (Turkey 2009), La La Love (Cyprus 2012), If Love was a Crime (Bulgaria 2016), Shum (Ukraine 2021), Discotheque (Lithuania 2021) and Slo Mo (Spain 2022).

Favourite non-qualifier:

Amazing (Estonia 2014), Time (Belarus 2015), Loop (Malta 2024) - What else do Malta have to do to qualify - I think I will be salty about this until the day I die!!

Favourite Eurovision year:

2015 and 2020 (oh the possibilities....)

Favourite national final songs:

I have a deep obsession with Filip Baloš - Novi plan drugi san (Serbia 2022). It was my most played song in 2023 AND 2024! I also love Voyager's Dreamer (Australia 2022) and Quiero Arder (Spain 2023).

Favourite national finals:

Well I must admit, after 2025, I have to say Poland - that was slick and such a great selection of songs!

Any final comments?

I just am so happy I am part of the Eurovision/Aussievision community. I have made some wonderful friends to share Eurovision with. I never thought when I first started watching that it would mean I travel solely for Eurovision. I love the fact that you can go to EuroClub after a show on your own, and you are highly likely to see someone you know - how cool is that! Who would have thought a song contest could change your life so much?