Australia will not return to the Junior Eurovision Song Contest this year with ABC.
Australian broadcaster ABC has confirmed to Eurofestivales that they will not participate in this year’s Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Should Australia wish to participate, they may do so under broadcaster SBS, who hadn’t ruled it out.
SBS was responsible for the country’s participation at the 2015 and 2016 contests, with ABC in charge from 2017-2019. In 2020 neither SBS and ABC aired the 2020 Junior Eurovision Song Contest which saw Australia withdraw due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Australia’s latest appearance at the contest was in 2019 with Jordan Anthony. He finished in 8th place with his song “We Will Rise”.
Junior Eurovision 2021
The 2021 Junior Eurovision Song Contest will take place in La Seine Musicale, Paris, France on Sunday 19th December. The contest will be hosted by France for the first time following Valentina’s victory at the 2020 contest with her song “J’imagine”.
To date, the following countries have confirmed participation in the contest:
- Albania
- Azerbaijan – Sona Azizova
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ireland
- Malta
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Poland
- Portugal – Simão Oliveira
- Russia
- Serbia
- Spain
- Ukraine
Source: Eurofestivales | Image source: EBU / Thomas Hanses
Australia debuted in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2015, the same year as their Eurovision Song Contest debut. The country is yet to win the contest, and their best result was in 2017, when Isabella Clarke performed her song “Speak Up” and received 3rd place with 172 points. They later went on to place 3rd at the 2018 contest with “Champion” by Jael Wena.
