Australian Fan of the Week - Joshua

Each Friday we'll be chatting to a fan from Australia and a fan from Europe. Today we have Joshua from Sydney who you can find on Twitter @joshuammayne

What is your name and where are you from?

Joshua Mayne, from Sydney, Australia

What do you do or tell us something interesting about you?

I’m a high school student and writer (for sites including ESCDaily, FourFourTwo Australia and Front Page Football). Something interesting is that for my Society and Culture major work at school next year, I will be researching and investigating the multicultural image that Australia has projected through Eurovision, analysing its meaning and relevance.

When did you first get into Eurovision?

In 2013, I first learnt about Eurovision. Australia’s participation in 2015 definitely sparked my interest, and since 2016, I’ve been following the contest religiously.

Which is your favourite Eurovision year and why?

2015 – There were so many countries that could have won that year. It was a really competitive year with some great diversity.

(Aussievision - we totally agree with this!)

Which Eurovision song:

Is the best?

Amar Pelos Dois (Portugal 2017), closely followed by What’s The Pressure (Belgium 2016)

Out of pre-selection songs, Save Me by Wiktoria (Melodifestivalen 2016) is by far my favourite.

Is overrated?

Beautiful Mess (Bulgaria 2017) – Kristian Kostov had great stage presence with a killer voice, but personally, I find that the song is bland and lacking in substance.

Was robbed?

Hear Them Calling (Iceland 2016) – Not only did this song deserve to qualify, it deserved to finish top 5. The definition of being robbed!

Had the best live performance?

Fångad av en stormvind (Sweden 1991) – You don’t need flashy lights and technology when you can dance and sing as well as Carola and her backup dancers!

(Aussievision: Old school - nice choice!)

Did you last play?

Cheesecake (Belarus 2014) – My friends still joke around about Teo’s funny leg dance during his performance!

Is your guilty pleasure?

If I am allowed to include pre-selection songs, it would definitely be Bada Nakna (Melodifestivalen 2016). If not… Cake To Bake (Latvia 2014).

Do you support any other countries other than your own?

Not in particular. Ultimately, it comes down to the song choice, but, I do have a slight bias towards songs sung in French (a language I learn at school).

Why should Australia be in Eurovision?

There are many reasons, including our history of broadcasting the contest, alignment with European values and our positive contributions to the contest. I spoke about this in a video for ESCDaily earlier this year…

Sea of Flags, Tonight Again, Sound of Silence or Don’t Come Easy?

Tonight Again – It’s funky, groovy, and just a pleasure to listen to!

And finally we notice you're a big football fan, do you think loving competitive sports and Eurovision can go hand in hand? And which are you more excited about - the World Cup or Eurovision?

​Definitely! I’ve always loved competition, and that’s a unique aspect of Eurovision as a music contest.

For the second question, I would have the say the World Cup, as it only comes around every four years. Really excited for the 2018 contest, though. I’m sure that Portugal will put on a great show, and Jessica Mauboy will do Australia proud!

Thanks for your time Joshua and keep up the good work!