In late February SBS and production partner Blink TV announced the artist who will represent Australia at the 67th Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, United Kingdom, and it was none other than Perth’s fearless, riff-laden, genre-bending band Voyager!
The opening line of Voyager’s 2023 Eurovision song Promise is somewhat prophetic. As vocalist Danny Estrin belts out the lyric, “Have you ever done anything like this before?” Audiences across the globe will realise we haven’t. For the first time ever, a BAND will represent the country – and not just any band – a band with soaring melodies, masterful riffs, keytar solos, powerhouse rhythms, and enough charisma to take on the world! Shattering expectations, their resilience, and determination has finally paid off. Theirs is a story of passion, perseverance, and patience. The band has been throwing their hat in the ring for the Eurovision Song Contest since Australia announced its participation back in 2015. Eight years later, they have prospered, overcome, and are now victorious. Voyager are a band who takes everything in their stride, over the years garnering a strong fanbase near and far, continuing to vie for their Eurovision dream. At last year’s Eurovision – Australia Decides, they took out second place in a nail-biting finish, leading the public vote with their song Dreamer.
Now, Voyager are about to set sail Merseyside with their song Promise; an epic, progressive pop metal track that transports the listener on an emotive story of adventure and redemption. Blending New Romantic, ‘80s infused vocals with technical, melodic framework, groovy basslines, bombastic drums, and what is fast becoming the band’s signature instrument, the keytar, it’s sure to lift the roof off Pier Head, Liverpool. They have toured the world many times over, with an influx of fans on their latest European tour, won over by their electric live performances.
An interesting side story to all of this is that not one but two members of the band, Simone Dow (Guitars) and Alex Canion (Bass), are staff members at acclaimed Perth music store Concept Music and needed to take leave from their positions in order to represent Australia at Eurovision. Fortunately Concept Music owner Graham Hoskins was thrilled for the band and happy to grant them leave. Not only that, Graham sat down with Simone and Alex for an extended chat about the band and their upcoming Eurovision journey.
Once Voyager returns from Eurovision, they’ll be celebrating some more with a national Australian tour.
Voyager will kick off the tour Friday, June 9 at The Zoo, Brisbane, on to Melbourne on Saturday, June 10 at Stay Gold, Friday, June 16 at Unibar, Adelaide, Hometown Perth on Saturday, June 17 at the Rosemount, then back East to finish the tour in Sydney on Friday, June 23 at Metro Social and Saturday, June 24 at Basement, Canberra!
You can watch the Eurovision Song Contest on SBS and SBS On Demand from 9 – 13 May!
Tickets are available now at https://ffm.live/voyagerau23.
Voyager website https://www.voyagerau.com/
Concept Music https://www.conceptmusic.com.au/