Delta Goodrem’s Stellar Performance at Eurovision 2026
Delta Goodrem has expressed her immense excitement following Australia’s fourth-place finish in the 70th annual Eurovision Song Contest, which was won by Bulgaria. The competition took place in Vienna, Austria, and saw Australia become a central figure in the event. Goodrem described the experience as one of her most memorable, feeling the support of the nation during her captivating performance.
The contest concluded after a four-hour telecast and a week of celebrations in Vienna. In a close race, Australia, Israel, France, and Italy dominated the leaderboard until the final votes were tallied. Bulgaria ultimately secured victory with their entry “Bangaranga” performed by Dara, while Israel came in second, Romania third, and Australia fourth.
The final scores showed Bulgaria at the top with 516 points, followed by Israel (343), Romania (296), Australia (287), Italy (281), Finland (279), Denmark (243), Moldova (226), Ukraine (221), and Greece (220). The final moments of the count were intense, with Israel briefly leading before Bulgaria’s strong audience vote of 312 points sealed their win.
Booing was heard in the arena as the scores were announced, reflecting the tensions surrounding the inclusion of Israel in the competition. Five countries withdrew from the contest in protest against Israel’s participation, following the conflict in Gaza.
Historically, this is Australia’s second-best performance, following Dami Im’s second-place finish in 2015. More than a dozen European countries did not make it to the grand final, highlighting the fierce competition.
Speaking backstage after the grand final, Goodrem shared her feelings: “I’m absolutely stoked… I am honoured to have hit the stage, that iconic Eurovision stage. I am so blown away by the love and support. I don’t even know how to say thank you. I felt the country with me.”
Goodrem described her journey to the Eurovision stage as an incredible adventure. She emphasized the emotional release after the performance and the impact it would have on her future career. “I feel like the past few years, I have been hitting the road a bit more. That’s my favourite thing to do. We like to have emotion, but we like to have a lot of fun,” she said.
Her performance, titled “Eclipse,” was a testament to her growth as an artist. The show featured innovative stage technology, including a Versa Ribbon Lift used by Beyoncé. The performance included layers of moon shadow, an intersection of moon and sun, and a piano intermezzo that led to an explosion of gold, creating a mesmerizing spectacle for the audience.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised Goodrem on Instagram, stating, “Well done, Delta Goodrem. You did Australia proud.” Courtney Act, who co-hosted SBS’ Eurovision coverage, also expressed admiration for Goodrem, calling her performance “even better than the semi – perfection.”
Goodrem’s performance reached an estimated global audience of over 150 million people, marking the largest audience of her professional career. Her ability to exceed expectations was evident in her fusion of acoustic and visual artistry.
Behind her hand-crafted gold gown, adorned with 7000 Swarovski crystals, was a piece of innovative stage technology known as a Versa Ribbon Lift. The performance itself was designed by Dan Shipton and Ross Nicholson, creating an extraordinary effect that captivated the audience.
Goodrem’s campaign for Eurovision love involved traveling from Australia to Europe, performing at concerts in Amsterdam and Oslo, and engaging with fans. This year’s Eurovision journey highlighted the complex relationship between soft diplomacy and the perception of Eurovision as a political platform.
The Eurovision grand final is a four-hour-long event featuring song, spectacle, and a unique scoring system. The 2026 contest featured artists and songs from 35 countries performing in 20 languages.
SBS will replay the Eurovision grand final tonight at 7.30pm AEST. Both semi-finals and the grand final are available via SBS on Demand.
