Season
13 of “The Voice Australia” kicks off
tonight with another international festival artist joining the coaching cast. Coaches play
a key role in selecting, assistance & guiding contestants through stages
like blind auditions, battles & live
shows. Since the show's establishment, there have been 20 coaches, promoting big
names such as Kylie Minogue, Ricky Martin, will.i.am & Kelly
Rowland. A notable direction connecting many of these coaches is their participation
with the Eurovision Song Contest.
This
season, Eurovision 2019 contestant Kate Miller-Heidke becomes the third
Australian Eurovision representative to take a seat in “The Voice's iconic red
chairs. But it's not just Eurovision beginners who have ties to the contest.
Let’s explore these connections:
Eurovision Entrants
Guy Sebastian
Eurovision
2015 (Australia) - 5th place
The
Voice Coach - 2019 onwards
Guy
Sebastian rose to fame after winning the first season of “Australian Idol” in 2003 & has since become one of Australia’s most victorious
music artists. After releasing numerous chart-topping albums & singles, Guy
appeared for Australia in Eurovision 2015, finishing an magnificent 5th. He
joined “The Voice Australia” as a coach
in 2019, and his artist Bella Taylor Smith won in 2021. Notably, his brother
Chris won the rivalry in 2020, although Guy was not his adviser.
Jessica
Mauboy
Eurovision
2018 (Australia) – 20th place
The
Voice Coach – 2021 to 2023
Jessica
Mauboy became a household name as the
runner-up on “Australian Idol” in 2006
and has since enjoyed a successful music and acting career, starring in “The
Sapphires” & “The Secret Daughter”. Jessica spoke for Australia at
Eurovision in 2018 and joined “The Voice” in 2021. While she coached talented
contestants like Seann Miley Moore and Kaylee Bell, she didn’t secure a win
during her tenancy.
Kate
Miller-Heidke
Eurovision
2019 - 9th place
The
Voice Coach - 2024
Known
for her unique fusion of pop, opera, and folk music, Kate Miller-Heidke became
Australia's Eurovision representative in 2019, placing 9th with her spectacular
performance of "Zero Gravity." She has since been announced as a
coach for “The Voice Australia” in 2024. Beyond her music career, Kate has also
co-written the musical “Muriel’s Wedding” alongside her husband, Kier Nuttall.
Other Coaches with Eurovision Connections
Delta Goodrem
The
Voice Coach - 2012-2013, 2015-2020
The
Voice Kids Coach - 2014
While
Delta Goodrem has not performed at Eurovision, she has accorded as a
songwriter. Delta co-wrote "My Girls," Australia’s Junior Eurovision
entry in 2015, which was performed by Bella Paige.
Ronan
Keating
The
Voice Coach - 2016
Ronan
Keating, a former “Boyzone” member, was
a coach on Season 5 of “The
Voice Australia”. While he hasn't performed at Eurovision, he co-hosted the
1997 Eurovision Song Contest and co-wrote Denmark’s 2009 entry "Believe
Again," which placed 13th.
Rita Ora
The
Voice Coach - 2021 to 2023
Eurovision
2023 Interval Act
Rita
Ora coached on “The Voice Australia” for
three seasons, winning twice. She also executed as an interval act during the
first semi-final of Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool. While she hasn't competed in
Eurovision, her artists have had success in Eurovision-related competitions,
including coaching G-Nat!on for “Eurovision - Australia Decides” in 2022.
