Vanessa is one of the favourites going into 'Eurovision - Australia Decides', we caught her for a quick Q&A, have a read below.
So Vanessa, you're living in the States with your family.... life is good.... what made you decide to join the wonderful circus ride that is Eurovision?
Eurovision is like the Olympics for song writers, and what made me want to be involved is I felt I had the right song.
Tell us about your relocation, leading up to then you were a huge star in Australia, a household name - was it helpful in a way to escape that or at least take a 'breather' from it?
I got the opportunity to work on Gospel music and work with some pretty incredible producers and writers. It lead me down the road of 10 years in Los Angeles and still going.
You've been back in Australia for some time and this summer you've done the Carols, the drought relief concert and many more - what's the reception been like from Australians having you 'back home'?
It’s been wonderful to be back on the road in Australia and reconnecting with everybody on the stage. I’ve been back and fourth a lot for family and friends, I just kept quiet on those trips.
Your new album 'Back to Love' features a lot of song credits with the Swedish songwriter Aleena Gibson who has written a lot for Melodifestivalen? Was this thought of around Eurovision at all or is it just a happy coincidence?
Aleena Gibson is a dear friend of mine, we have written many songs together, she is incredibly talented and It wouldn’t surprise me if she had 4 other tracks heading to Eurovision.
Most artists are a little daunted at the thought of singing to an audience of 200 million at Eurovision, but you have of course sung to billions at the Sydney Olympics. Were you fearless back then when taking it on and would you be less or more nervous now potentially doing Eurovision?
I feel extremely comfortable on stage, I’ve spent more time on it than off. I’m extremely excited for this performance it’s going to be three minutes of a complete visual art piece.
For those rediscovering you and your music since those early days, what's changed from the Vanessa of 2000 to the Vanessa of 2020 other than your hair, family and the tatts!
I’ve embraced my individuality and feel comfortable in my own skin.
Now that you've chosen 'Lessons of Love', why did you pick this song to be your Eurovision song over others?
We knew (Aleena-Trevor and I) in the writing session once the chorus hit that it could be a great Eurovision song.
What should we expect from your performance at Australia Decides?
I’m going to leave it a surprise, but it’s going to be big and dramatic.
Can't wait, thank you for your time!
Tune in to SBS at 8:30pm AEDT Saturday 8 February to find out who will represent Australia at Eurovision
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