Swedish Eurovision icon Loreen wants Australia to stay in the singing contest as she believes we have a “collective responsibility” with other nations to continue Eurovision’s positive influence on the world.
Australia bombed out at this month’s contest in Malmô, Sweden with Electric Fields failing to progress from their semi-final with their entry “One Milkali (One Love)”. It was only the second time Australia has not qualified for the Eurovision grand final in nine years of competing.
Local broadcaster SBS and the European Broadcasting Union do not have a long-term deal in place that guarantees Australia’s future involvement in Eurovision, including the 2025 contest in Switzerland.
But Loreen, the only woman who has won the competition twice, told Rolling Stone AU/NZ she wants to see Australia compete in Eurovision “forever and ever.”
“Oh my god, Australia, don’t stop being in this competition,” she said.
“I definitely think there’s a place for Australia at Eurovision from this day on until forever. Every country should be in this competition, and this is a community of love where we share creativity. All of us are part of something that is so important in the world.”
Loreen handed over the Eurovision trophy to Switzerland’s Nemo this month following her history-making win in Liverpool in 2023 with her song “Tattoo”. She said she’s not planning a tilt for an unprecedented third title unless “the universe wants me to do it again.” She spent most of her victory year out of the spotlight as she wanted to work on new material and deliver something for “my people and my community.”
“Some people say, ‘Now you’ve won, you can just chill, right?'” Loreen said. “I’m like, ‘What?’ This is my people, this is my community and they’re important to me. So I don’t want to chill, I want to create something for us that is us and represents all of us. And that is not chilling, you know. So I have been working.”
Loreen performed her new single, “Forever”, at this month’s competition in Malmö, with a performance filled with steamers that is believed to have taken months to prepare.
She is yet to confirm a full album release, but instead she’s announced a massive European tour in early 2025. And in exciting news for local fans, she wants to add Australia to her itinerary.
“I remember Australia very, very well because I was at this wonderful Pride party years ago that was just so off the hook. I was there really fast but it seems like a very beautiful place, like a paradise.
“Let me tell you this – do I want to be in Australia in 2025? Yes. Am I going to send it out to the universe and be like, ‘I hope this happens,’ and probably talk to my management about it? Yes! I’ll try to make sure it happens but let’s see what the universe has in store.”
Loreen’s “Forever” is out now.
