Eurovision 2018: Australia's Jessica Mauboy hints UK could host next song contest if she wins

Ozzy all-star Jessica Mauboy is flying the Eurovision flag for Australia next week with her bonzer banger "We Got Love". We said “g’day!” ahead of rehearsals and asked Jessica for the millionth time: why are Australia in Eurovision?

Jessica Mauboy (Getty)

People might not know that you actually kicked off Australia participation back in Copenhagen 2014 when Eurovision organisers invited you to perform your track [Sea Of Flags] during the interval - how was that experience?

Hey! Yeah so 2014 felt like an open door for Australia. We were like “hey, we love Eurovision, we’ve been watching it for a very, very long time - we’ve got talent, we love competitions and we’d love to be a part of it and this”. I remember gracing that stage having written Sea of Flags specifically for an occasion or show like Eurovision. It was wild, but so giving and so welcoming at the same time.

And because you’ve been involved in Eurovision for 4 years now, how many times have you heard “Jessica, WHY are Australia in Eurovision?”

[Laughing] I’ve had hundreds of those conversations most probably, but you know it’s such a wonderful thing. Eurovision really sparks conversations globally. That’s the power of Eurovision.

Of course, Australia is no physical part of Europe but it has a shared history, so we’re almost like brother and sister in that sense. There are so many Australian connections generated from Great Britain and Europe that it makes sense that we’d take part when we love it just as much as anybody else.

So if people keep asking and it keeps the conversation going - I embrace that. As a young Australian, there’s nothing quite like connecting with another country and sharing your experiences and culture. That’s really the beauty of it. It makes me really proud to be a part of something like that.

What’s going on with Eurovision Asia [the Eurovision Broadcasting Union announced this back in March 2016, with Asia-Pacific countries such as China, Japan, New Zealand and Pointless-favourite Vanuatu expected to compete] - weren’t Australia entering that too?

Eurovision is only getting stronger and bigger, and now that Australia’s a part of it, I’m sure there are so many people knocking on the EBU’s door and saying “these people are a part of it - why can’t we be?” The Eurovision team are always wanting to be fair and to stay to true to the competition and I really respect that. But they’re also broadening their heart and their eyes and their ears, and so Eurovision is only going to get bigger. This is just the beginning.

Because Australia’s so far away, there’s a bit of an expectation in Britain that if you do win, the contest might have to be hosted in the UK….

That would be amazing!

Wouldn’t it? For a start we could replace all the international judges with Dannii Minogue…

YESSSSSSS!!!

…in a dream scenario where you do win the Eurovision crown, how would you like to see it hosted next year?

Phew! Look, there are so many ways it could happen - but that’s probably the way to go, we’d have to team up somehow with the UK or with wherever it’s going to lead to that people want. I guess that’s the idea though I’m not sure how the process really works but in a perfect world, of course, Australia would love to host Eurovision.

But if it couldn’t be in Australia where would you like to see it go?

I’m sure it’d be the UK for sure. My second home is pretty much the UK and I love it very dearly, I have such a soft spot for it and do a lot of my writing there so yeah, that would be a pick for me.

So basically, we need to vote for you to have two chances of hosting Eurovision next year?

[Laughing] Quite possibly!

Australia would make for such great hosts - how big is Eurovision down under?

It’s huge. We’ve been broadcasting Eurovision for more than 30 years and, literally, you talk to every second person in Australia and they grew up traditionally watching the show - it’s a huge part of our culture. The love has spread to Australia - and now that we’re competitors it’s just getting bigger and bigger.

My first Eurovision memory was when I was about 11 years old, and I first remember seeing an advert for it when I was awake in the early hours of the morning watching the soccer with my dad. It popped up on the telly and immediately I was like WOW. It hooked me straight away - the performances, the vocals, the staging, I fell in love.

I knew from that point I wanted to be a part of it. Then in 2014, in Copenhagen, I felt like I was on this dream boat - going from my childhood memory aged 11 to actually being on that stage… it was beyond. There’s nothing else like it in the world.

Australia will perform ninth in the second Eurovision semi final on Thursday 10 May (BBC Four). You can watch the Eurovision Grand Final on Saturday 12 May (BBC One).