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Eurovision 2026: Delta Goodrem sends Australia to the grand final with note-perfect performance

There was wind, there was fire, there was Goodrem’s remarkable upper-range – resulting in a refreshingly self-assured offering from Australia ‘Sung by a silver robot from 1984!’ The 11 biggest bangers in Eurovision 2026 Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Standing before a glistening crescent moon and adorned in more than 7,000 Swarovski crystals, Australia’s 2026 Eurovision hopeful Delta Goodrem delivered a powerful performance on the 70th anniversary of the global song contest – and become the first Australian act to qualify for the grand final since 2023. Heading into the competition as an early favourite behind Eurovision heavy-hitters Denmark and Finland, Goodrem delivered a note-perfect rendition of her power-ballad entry, Eclipse. The track is impressive if a little formulaic – and of the 35 countries competing, 15 are represented by solo female performers, so Goodrem needed to find a way to stand out in a crowded field. Despite playing it safe, Goodrem’s performance was precise and undeniable. After making a dramatic trek downstage and towards her piano – bedazzled in sparkling gold, of course – Goodrem performed a short piano solo (although the camera was unexpectedly obstructed in this moment, making it difficult to see Goodrem actually play the instrument). The performance climaxed with a key change, and the 41-year-old singer was propelled into the air on a platform that rose from within the piano itself. There was wind, there was fire, there was Goodrem’s remarkable upper range – it was a refreshingly self-assured offering from Australia after a disappointing couple of years for the country in the competition. Australia’s first appearance at Eurovision was in 2014, when Jessica Mauboy performed as an interval act during the competition’s semi-finals. Last year’s Australian entry, Go-Jo, failed to wow judges and did not progress to the grand final with his campy ode to self-confidence, Milkshake Man. In 2024, duo Electric Fields made history as the first Australian Eurovision entrants to perform in Yankunytjatjara – a traditional language of the Aṉangu peoples – yet their song One Milkali (One Blood) also failed to progress beyond the semi-final. Only 35 countries are competing at Eurovision this year, the lowest number of entries since 2003. Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands all boycotted the 2026 competition , citing Israel’s participation in Eurovision and the Israeli government’s attacks on Gaza. Ahead of her debut performance at the semi-finals, Goodrem said: “Performing on the Eurovision stage is something I feel so deeply in my heart, carrying Australia with me in every note and every moment.” This week, Goodrem announced her seventh studio album, Pure, will be released on 6 November. The Eurovision song contest grand final will air on SBS On Demand from 5am AEST on Sunday 17 May.