The 13th season The Voice Australia kicks off tonight with another Eurovision artist joining the coaching team.
Coaches select (or are selected) and mentor contestants, guiding them through various stages like blind auditions, battles, and live shows.
There have been 20 coaches since the season began with big names like Kylie Minogue, Ricky Martin, will.i.am and Kelly Rowland among them.
However, there has been one underlying thread of many of the coaches: The Eurovision Song Contest.
Tonight's season launch will see Eurovision 2019 artist Kate Miller-Heidke become the third Aussie entry to sit in the big red chairs of The Voice Australia.
However, it's not only Eurovision entrants that share a connection to the Contest. Let's take a look:
Eurovision entrants
Guy Sebastian
Eurovision 2015 Australia – 5th
The Voice Coach - 2019 onwards
Guy Sebastian became a household name in Australia after winning the inaugural season of Australian Idol in 2003. He has gone on to become Australia’s most successful former Idol contestant with countless albums, singles and charting hits. releasing nine albums and over 20 singles, his first three all making it to Number 1 in Australia.
Also known for his judging duties on The X Factor Australia, Guy was asked to represent Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015, where he finished in an impressive 5th place.
After competing at Eurovision, Guy continued making music and also returned as a judge on The X Factor before the show was cancelled after the 2016 season. He was then announced as Joe Jonas’ replacement on The Voice Australia where he has coached since 2019. His artist Bella Taylor Smith won the show in 2021. His brother Chris also won the show in 2020 although Guy was not his mentor.
Jessica Mauboy
Eurovision 2018 Australia - 20th
The Voice Coach - 2021 to 2023
Jessica Mauboy burst on to Australia's TV screens as the runner-up on the fourth season of Australian Idol in 2006. She has since become one of Australia’s most successful female artists.
Her music career includes multiple platinum albums and hit singles and also excelled as actor.
She starred in The Sapphires and appearing in television series such as The Secret Daughter.
Jess joined The Voice in 2021 for three season and despite having some great artists like Seann Miley Moore, Jael Wena and Kaylee Bell, couldn't quite take out a win.
Kate Miller-Heidke
Eurovision 2019 - 9th
The Voice Coach - 2024
Kate Miller-Heidke is known for her unique blend of pop, opera, and folk music. She trained as a classical singer before transitioning to pop music. Her career took off with the release of her debut album Little Eve in 2007, followed by several successful albums like Curiouser and O Vertigo!
in 2019 Kate won Eurovision - Australia Decides to book her place at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. In one of the greatest-ever staging performances, she performed Zero Gravity while swinging on a pole five metres in the air. She finished 9th place on the night.
Outside of pop music and Eurovision, Kate has been heavily involved in theatre including co-writing the music and lyrics of Muriel's Wedding the musical with her husband Kier Nuttall.
She was announced as a coach for The Voice Australia this year.
Other coaches with Eurovision connections
Delta Goodrem
The Voice Coach 2012-2013 and 2015-2020
The Voice Kids Coach 2014
Co-writer of Bella Paige’s Junior Eurovision entry My Girls 2015 - 8th
While many Australian Eurovision fans have called for Delta Goodrem to represent us as a singer at the Eurovision Song Contest, she does have a small connection with the Junior version of the show. Delta, who has coached for many seasons, co-wrote My Girls, Australia’s Junior Eurovision entry in 2015, sung by Bella Paige.
The song was originally planned for release by Anja Nissen after her win in 2014 but was axed at the last minute as her coach will.i.am felt it didn’t suit her musical style.
Ronan Keating
The Voice Coach - 2016
Co-writer of Denmark Eurovision entry Believe Again 2009 - 13th
Whilst Ronan Keating has never graced the Eurovision stage as a performer, the former Boyzone member and solo artist has been both a co-host and co-writer.
Ronan, who appeared as a coach on Season 5 of The Voice Australia, co-hosted the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin with Irish actress Carrie Crowley after Eimear Quinn’s win in Norway the year before. In 2009, Keating co-wrote the Danish entry Believe Again by Niels Brinck, which finished in 13th place.
Rita Ora
The Voice Coach - 2021 to 2023
Eurovision 2023 interval act
Rita Ora was a coach on The Voice Australia for three seasons with her artists winning on two occasions. She also coached G-Nat!on who competed at Eurovision - Australia Decides in 2022.
Rita herself never competed at Eurovision, however she did perform as an interval act during the first semi-final of Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool.
The Voice Australia starts Monday 19 August at 7:30pm on Channel 7.
For continued updates on all the Eurovision Song Contest news follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. All links at: https://linktr.ee/aussievisionnet
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