Thanks to SBS in Australia, I have a top quality picture of the incredible vision that is Kate Miller-Heidke and her Strange Fruit performance artists in mid-sway during their literally 'out of this world' staging for "Zero Gravity" here in Tel Aviv. This was taken at the Jury Press rehearsal on Monday, where reactions would be restrained in a professional capacity but it was the all important lead up to the Jury SF1 show - there was a big question that would come out of that.
The Press had seen this via the press screens in the Centre - would this translate to everyone in the hall and also to those watching on a screen that didn't have a giant English/Hebrew watermark all over it?
Remember back to how "Zero Gravity" looked in Australia all the way back in February...
The giant dress, the sole acrobat moving about her - an incredible visual feast, sure, but it helped to know the back story of Kate and the reason for writing the song (her post-natal depression after the birth of her son, Ernie), as that made understanding why the dark figure was moving about her and trying to come into contact with her easier. As regular readers and listeners to my radio show know, I was hooked for first listen (9.5/10 on the SECHUK Jury 2019 and top of the tree for me) and definitely on first view (as I wrote in detail in a previous article). I had no doubts that this would be Australia's entry for Tel Aviv and from chatting to lots of Aussies here in Israel, they were of the same opinion, especially those who were at the NF (picture by AAP Image/Regi Varghese).
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As soon as they saw this, they knew that Kate was going to win and she did. The down side to that was that she joined the 'hated NF winners group' that seemed to set itself up amongst sections of the fandom this year (joining Bilal and Ester in a small subset where the preferred fan favourite didn't win and then the actual winner had outright scorn unleashed on them). In the run up to Tel Aviv, the things that Kate has had on her side is talent, humour and social media savvy. Her back catalogue is huge and varied in nature, any communication she makes is 'typically Australian' (great dry humour with a touch of sarcasm where needed) and in the run up to the SF, lots of PR on her sites that give a message - VOTE FOR ME!
There are lots of other artists who have been in front of that board and yet Kate is potentially the only one to really use it in the most direct way!
We moved onto the rehearsals here in Tel Aviv and possibly we had a 2019 equivalent of "Fuego", in as far as how a Eurovision entry is perceived by press and fans (although not by me, I was sold already). Last year, Eleni Foureira was a rank outsider, at one stage with odds of 200-1, based on the fact that all we had to go was an official video and a couple of live performances of other songs. After her first rehearsal, we all know what happened - fan and press plaudits about her 'Beyonce style' staging and a massive shortening of her odds until she became bookies favourite on Final day and just missed out on giving Cyprus their first ever winner. This all sound a bit familiar? Kate was 100-1 for a long time (I know, I have two £10 bets on her at that price) and as soon as what we were going to be served up with here in Tel Aviv was shown, we now have Australia in this position at oddschecker.com:
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Currently third at 8-1 at best, almost a repeat story of Cyprus 2018 and that is not only down to the first and second rehearsals but also down to the four shows that I saw between Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th on the Pavilion 2 stage at the Expo Tel Aviv. That included the first Press rehearsal and the Family Show rehearsal but more importantly Jury SF1 and the televised show. For most entries, what you see on screen is much the same as what you see in the hall and the process is not all that interesting - that cannot be said for "Zero Gravity". If you were in the hall, this is what you would have seen:
The whole routine is incredible, put together like (what it is) performance art and for that, Strange Fruit have to be highly commended. The fact that Kate is now not only up high but now moving AND singing perfectly is a major feat in itself. Let's start with the logistics - getting on the poles:
Kate could have gone with the simple option of just using the 'tall dress' but she has decided to end up a pole! Being up in the air has brought a certain wow factor whenever she and her associates in the air are wheeled into the arena from the side of the stage - that was the reaction she had in the Jury and televised SF1, almost immediately after Oto Nemsadze had completed singing "Keep On Going", which meant that he and his five backing singers were walking off amongst stage hands swarming around them, all intent on positioning the three Australians in place. We have now got to the stage of being able to analyse Kate's entry as we Press have seen it on Monday and Tuesday...
We moved onto the rehearsals here in Tel Aviv and possibly we had a 2019 equivalent of "Fuego", in as far as how a Eurovision entry is perceived by press and fans (although not by me, I was sold already). Last year, Eleni Foureira was a rank outsider, at one stage with odds of 200-1, based on the fact that all we had to go was an official video and a couple of live performances of other songs. After her first rehearsal, we all know what happened - fan and press plaudits about her 'Beyonce style' staging and a massive shortening of her odds until she became bookies favourite on Final day and just missed out on giving Cyprus their first ever winner. This all sound a bit familiar? Kate was 100-1 for a long time (I know, I have two £10 bets on her at that price) and as soon as what we were going to be served up with here in Tel Aviv was shown, we now have Australia in this position at oddschecker.com:
The whole routine is incredible, put together like (what it is) performance art and for that, Strange Fruit have to be highly commended. The fact that Kate is now not only up high but now moving AND singing perfectly is a major feat in itself. Let's start with the logistics - getting on the poles:
In case you were wondering, this is how @kmillerheidke is preparing for her high-flying performance of #ZeroGravity. Your backstage pass to #Eurovision with Australia's contestant on #AustralianStorypic.twitter.com/fv8Qr0HbPD— Australian Story (@AustralianStory) 11 May 2019
Kate could have gone with the simple option of just using the 'tall dress' but she has decided to end up a pole! Being up in the air has brought a certain wow factor whenever she and her associates in the air are wheeled into the arena from the side of the stage - that was the reaction she had in the Jury and televised SF1, almost immediately after Oto Nemsadze had completed singing "Keep On Going", which meant that he and his five backing singers were walking off amongst stage hands swarming around them, all intent on positioning the three Australians in place. We have now got to the stage of being able to analyse Kate's entry as we Press have seen it on Monday and Tuesday...
- There has never, EVER been a question about Kate's singing. She is classically trained, has been singing in an operatic style for years, and as far as other more contemporary styles are concerned, her back catalogue demonstrates that she can easily cope with anything thrown at her. Her main strength, even more so than her vocals, is her songwriting, particularly her story telling. "Sarah" is perhaps one of the most dramatic plays I have ever heard in a song and "Caught In The Crowd" takes painful memories to a whole new level. "Zero Gravity"? There won't be many songs at Eurovision that have the subject of post-natal depression at their core and yet how the song is written and constructed is a celebration of coming out the other end of the process - you can take that message away with you or you can just focus on her vocal prowess.
- The music of "Zero Gravity", that mix of opera and EDM, has brought lazy comparisons with Elina Nechayeva and "La Forza", especially as we had THAT dress too. I loved this mix from Kate but even I recognised that the combination would not be to everyone's taste. That is why the new and improved third part of the entry's 'triangle', the staging, has been the main change to propel her up the Eurovision 'charts'
- The visual element of "Zero Gravity" has wowed EVERYONE who has seen it, even those fans who have had negative responses to it ever since it won "Eurovision: Australia Decides" - most have now shifted to 'dislike the song but it looks superb'. The stage designer and whoever came up with this concept has to be applauded and rewarded if Australia go on to win in Tel Aviv. It is the 'floating through space and above the planet' that has taken this entry to a whole new level and having two supporting acrobats does give a visual balance on screen. It also makes the whole a little bit tidier and less busy. The other thing that the swaying and floating does enough on its own that you now longer need to understand Kate's backstory to get the whole message of the song - in fact, that simplifies matters too.
All in all, Australia now have the complete package as a Eurovision entry - we saw this all come together at the SF1 shows:
Hear those whoops, cheers and tumultuous applause? I was in the Jury SF1 and it was absolutely electric from when Kate and Strange Fruit were wheeled onto the stage up until when she was wheeled off - you heard the cheers and applause in the hall, the loudest on the night by far and it looked amazing on tv too, according to my partner Ellen, back in the UK!
This Eurovision is still potentially one of the closest in years, with no act pulling away from the rest with the reveal of their staging but lots strengthening their position with theirs - nations that come to mind are France, Azerbaijan and of course Australia. Drawing second half (albeit to Paenda's music at the qualifier's Press Conference) should improve Kate's chances if they needed any more help. The big question is what will the juries and public around Eurovision want to vote for this year - if vocal perfection PLUS an amazing visual spectacle is what voters want, Australia may be there or thereabouts at the end of the evening on Saturday 18th May. Even though we have shed seven songs at this time, there are still too many variables to predict who will win and how well Kate Miller-Heidke will do this year. If you follow my blog and my radio show, you already know what I think...
This Eurovision is still potentially one of the closest in years, with no act pulling away from the rest with the reveal of their staging but lots strengthening their position with theirs - nations that come to mind are France, Azerbaijan and of course Australia. Drawing second half (albeit to Paenda's music at the qualifier's Press Conference) should improve Kate's chances if they needed any more help. The big question is what will the juries and public around Eurovision want to vote for this year - if vocal perfection PLUS an amazing visual spectacle is what voters want, Australia may be there or thereabouts at the end of the evening on Saturday 18th May. Even though we have shed seven songs at this time, there are still too many variables to predict who will win and how well Kate Miller-Heidke will do this year. If you follow my blog and my radio show, you already know what I think...
Kate Miller-Heidke and Australia
to win Eurovision 2019 in Tel Aviv!
to win Eurovision 2019 in Tel Aviv!
The only question would be where ESC 2020 would be held...