Australian Eurovision act joke they want to become ‘the next Kylie Minogue’

The frontman of Australian Eurovision hopefuls Voyager has said he hopes to become “the next Kylie Minogue” after they qualified for the grand final of the contest.

Ten countries progressed to Saturday’s showdown while six were eliminated from the contest on Thursday night.

During a post-show press conference, the frontman of the prog rock group, Danny Estrin, was asked whether he hoped the band would become one of his country’s newest musical exports.

“I am hoping we become the next Kylie Minogue,” he joked before one of his bandmembers added that he wanted to become the next Dannii Minogue.

He added: “So yes is the answer. Australia has such a wonderful history of bands. A lot of great artists, a lot of great bands come from Australia.”

The press conference also saw Australian-Cypriot singer Andrew Lambrou, who is competing for Cyprus with the song Break A Broken Heart, pay tribute to his family and mixed heritage.

He said: “Visiting the villages where my grandparents were from is one of the most special moments of my life

“My father always said to me, ‘Andrew when you go to Cyprus and you understand where you are from you will feel something special’.

“And I am very connected to my roots at home in Australia but it finally came to life when I was in (Cyprus) and it was just a really, really special moment for me.”

He added his grandparents are “quite sick at the moment” so reaching the grand final “is just the most special thing in the world”.

“They are following every single move and they are giving me so much energy and motivation,” he added.

Lithuania’s Monika Linkyte, who qualified with her ballad Stay, hailed her country’s close relationship with Ukraine amid the Russian invasion.

She said: “In this period I feel like Lithuanians really feel (like) brothers with you and sisters and very united. I have many Ukrainian friends which I made in very sad conditions because I made friends because of the war. It is very, very sad.

“I am just very thankful and happy. First of all I want to thank every single Ukrainian who is fighting for everyone’s freedom because this is not only you in your freedom.”

She added, “it is all Europe’s freedom”, before calling out “Slava Ukraini” meaning “Glory to Ukraine”.