Watch Kate Miller-Heidke’s Showstopping Eurovision Grand Final Performance
The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest took place early this morning, and Australia's Kate-Miller Heidke absolutely nailed her song 'Zero Gravity'.
Across Australia this morning, lovers of camp hauled themselves from their beds before sunrise, eager to cast a critical eye on this year’s crop of Eurovision Song Contest grand finalists. Among the finalists, Australia was represented by popera singer Kate Miller-Heidke, who performed ‘Zero Gravity’ while swinging about on a pole like one of those cat teaser toys.
Miller-Heidke previously sung ‘Zero Gravity’ during the final of Eurovision – Australia Decides in February. Back then, the performance’s staging trapped her immobile in a towering skirt, as though Rapunzel had been fused to her prison at the waist. Behind her a woman draped in a floaty black dress swayed on a pole.
It was already very Eurovision, but Miller-Heidke upped her game for the grand final. Not only did she add another menacing lady to swing about behind her like a spooky ghost, but she also got a pole of her own, turning into a giant, fluffy, opera-singing lollipop.
Australia’s Eurovision performance garnered a lot of attention overseas, and was very well-received by the public, who largely felt Australia had nailed the spirit of the competition.
A few viewers made the now-customary objections about Australia not technically being part of the EU. However, as Australia has been participating in the competition since 2015, most just shrugged, sipped their wine, and went, “Why not?” Which is basically Eurovision’s unofficial motto.
Australia saw Frozen, saw Wicked, drank a magnum of vodka, inhaled some helium, and thought "Yeah, fuck it, I can climb that washing pole." #Eurovision
— RedScharlach (@redfacts) May 18, 2019
Speaking to SBS earlier this year, Miller-Heidke shared that ‘Zero Gravity’ was about “coming out of depression and it tries to capture that feeling of transcending a long period of feeling low”. In particular, it was about her feelings while recovering from post-natal depression. So it’s fitting that a pair of Dementors were included in her staging.
#Eurovision me watching Australia’s back up singers #aus pic.twitter.com/osxsbfaUwm
— Maria (@mariacusworth) May 18, 2019
The two on either side will cast healing spells on the one in middle, so you might want to deal with them first pic.twitter.com/53GaKXrZQV
— Adam Vian (@SFBDim) May 18, 2019
Australia what the hell stop showing us all up. YOUVE STUCK AN OPERA SINGER ON TOP OF A POLE. HOW COULD YOU OUT-EUROVISION US??? #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/iLSx1rEGdd
— Ellen Rose (@icklenellierose) May 18, 2019
Australia, i See what you did there. #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/SQS6rRVMxZ
— Moritz Breske (@Moritz_deu) May 18, 2019
my 3 last brain cells be like #Eurovision #Australia #Aus pic.twitter.com/cdnlDzwUgP
— Santiago (@SHENGDlYAGE) May 18, 2019
Australia walking into Eurovision like pic.twitter.com/zFeI0NzuHl
— Plastic Tea’Hara (@dolpeol) May 18, 2019
Australia’s #Eurovision team whilst planning their entry pic.twitter.com/kHXGlsFnyf
— michael phillips. (@_MPhillips96) May 18, 2019
The biggest argument in Europe at the moment is if Iceland or Australia should win and we should relish these few pure hours #eurovision
— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) May 18, 2019
Any country that doesn't give votes to Australia is an enemy of the state. #Eurovision #SBSEurovision
— Adam Liaw (@adamliaw) May 18, 2019
This year’s Eurovision Song Contest was held in Tel Aviv, which spurred intense criticism and a boycott campaign.