Montaigne and Didirri officially 2020 Eurovision hopefuls

Art-pop auteur Montaigne and alternative artist Didirri are the two latest acts who could be representing Australia at the Rotterdam-based Eurovision Song Contest in the Netherlands.

SBS and production partner Blink TV added them to the Eurovision – Australia Decides line-up in February 2020.

They join the previously announced Vanessa Amorosi, Casey Donovan, rising First Nation artist Mitch Tambo and singer-songwriter iOTA.

Four more artists are yet to be revealed.

At only 24, Sydney-based Montaigne had multiple spots on the triple j Hottest 100, an ARIA award for Breakthrough Artist and a nomination for Best Female Artist on her debut album Glorious Heights.

Her second album COMPLEX was released in August to critical acclaim.

Montaigne said her participation in Australia Decides would give her “the opportunity to release the part of me that is dramatic and extreme”.

“I manage to do it without a massive international music event as impetus, but on the big stage in Europe in front of millions would be everything the drama queen egomaniac inside me could want and more,” she said.

“It’s a licence to let her out. And of course to represent my country!

“I didn’t quite get that far in football, so it would be cool to do it in music. It’s like the World Cup for pop.”

Didirri’s debut EP Measurements has collected over 30 million streams.

It led to him playing overseas UK festivals The Great Escape and Latitude and Barcelona’s Primavera Sound and touring the US and UK twice in a matter of months

Commented Didirri: “Although the world of Eurovision is new to me, from the outside it seems to respect a well-written song above all else.

“People seem to be free to express their art in whatever way they want. I’m a fan of ABBA, they wrote unfiltered, iconic anthems.

“My sister and I used to sing their stuff together in the bathroom. Who knows how they have influenced me, I’m quite a mix bag of ideas.

“Personal experience inspires most of my own writing – all I hope to do is to help people express some part of themselves.

“I’m also over the moon to be joining the line-up with my friend Montaigne who I respect very much.”

The live TV finale of Eurovision – Australia Decides airs on SBS on Saturday, 8 February at 10:30 CET / 19:30 AEST.