Guy Sebastian To Funk Up Eurovision With Upbeat R&B Jam “Tonight Again”

Mike Wass | March 16, 2015 4:53 pm
Guy Sebastian's Going To Eurovision 2015
Australia will be participating at this year's Eurovision Song Contest for the first time.

Eurovision has to be the most polarizing event on the musical calendar. You either live and breathe for the glitz, glamor and general tragedy of the world’s campest competition or politely pretend it doesn’t exist. Most Australians, it seems, fall into the former category. That could explain why the country was (randomly) granted a wild card entry to compete in the final this year and the heated discussion that followed the selection of Guy Sebastian as their representative.

On paper, the 32-year-old is a fantastic choice. He’s incredibly talented, has an international profile thanks to hits like “Battle Scars” and continues to dominate the charts at home — recently landing his eighth consecutive top 10 LP with Madness. However, some commentators felt the decision was too safe, overlooked unsigned/new acts and ignored the event’s colorful tone.

None of those arguments hold much sway with me. It makes perfect sense to send an actual hitmaker instead of an underground act, and unsigned talent should probably try their luck with JJJ Unearthed before performing in front of a global TV audience of 200 million people. As for Guy’s music being too credible (for want of a better word), a lot of countries have moved away from the cheese factor in recent years and those entries are occasionally rewarded with votes. Lena’s quirky “Satellite” is a good example.

Guy unveiled his Eurovision entry today (March 16) and it’s a self-penned retro-R&B anthem called “Tonight Again.” And, as expected, it’s really good. The funk-heavy jam has shades of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” with its throwback sound and punchy hooks. Time will tell how voters in EDM-loving lands like Latvia and Belarus respond to the jaunty anthem, but I like it. Watch up top.

Is “Tonight Again” a good fit for Eurovision? Let us know in the comments below.

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