Eurovision 2022: Details from Australia's press conference

Photo courtesy of Cain Cooper

Following Sheldon's second rehearsal today, he faced the press with questions about his staging, song and other matters.

Firstly, he was asked how he felt about his rehearsal saying,

"It's a really big bloody song to sing, so three takes is a bit much, but it's beautiful, I'm really grateful for everything."

Australia's Creative Director, Sacha Jean-Baptiste weighed in on where the performance was at.

"It's still a process, that's why we do rehearsals, so we're looking forward to move forward, we just had a great second rehearsal but we're also looking to tweak it and get those final things in so we can show," she said.

While Sheldon added, "I'm a perfectionist and I've never met someone more of a perfectionist than Sacha! We will be ready by semi two but it's not quite there yet."

Mike from Aussievision then asked the team about their collaboration together to bring the song to life on the Eurovision stage.

Mike from Aussievision (Photo courtesy of Cain Cooper)

Sheldon responded saying:

"It's been incredible, I'm working with amazing people from Australia and Sacha is just the guardian angel of Eurovision, I could not do this without her. It's such an important song to me, it's important that what's happening musically and visually connects really well."

Paul Clarke from SBS's production partner Blink TV added:

"Months ago, Sheldon was drafting what it could look like if he came to Eurovision, he had a really fine detailed imagining of what the performance might be. This is an artist who really understands and connects on such an infinite detail, to how he's going to look and how he's going to perform, and I think Sacha's really brought that out too. It's been really wonderful watching the two of them work together."

While Sacha followed up by saying, "Sheldon, you're a very creative person, you're an artist that knows where you want to go with a concept, so it's very easy stepping into your sphere. Talking about this song, it's big, it's dramatic, but it's also very sentimental and emotional and I think that has been our task, to really portray this song, both in the big parts and also the small parts."

Photo courtesy of Cain Cooper

During the press conference Sheldon also spoke about the process of bringing such a personal song to such a public forum like Eurovision.

"I've been planning what this moment would look like for a very long time. writing songs that I look back on, which were maybe too manufactured for the competition. So when I spoke with Paul, he said we want something more honest, something more real, I said "ok I've got this one" and they loved it, the only problem is, it's my darkest story, it's the moment in my life that I wanted to give up, it's the moment in my life where it really crumbled for me, and I didn't know if it'd be ok to be myself anymore."

"So when I get emotional, and have in the past, because I want this so bad, because it reminds me of those moments where I didn't think I'd be able to achieve anything. This isn't for me anymore, this if for other people, there are so many people around the world who aren't the same. I don't mean sexuality, I mean in all aspects."

Finally he was asked about Ukraine in Eurovision this year where he gave this heartfelt message.

"Eurovision completely saved my life, it was such a dark time for me, I think this Contest brought me so much love and so much hope, I would love to see Ukraine win this competition, I think they deserve it, I think they need this hope."

Following the press conference we were lucky enough to have an interview with Sheldon, watch below: