Delta Goodrem Reaches Eurovision Grand Final!

Delta Goodrem has brought Australia to the Song Contest grand finals for the first time in three years. 

The Australian singer wowed audiences with her epic ballad Eclipse on during the semi-finals on Friday morning, with Australia making it through to the finals by popular vote. 

Australia joins second-round winners Ukraine, Bulgaria, , Norway, Cyprus, Malta, Albania, Denmark and Czechia in the finals.

They will compete against against first-round winners: , , , Moldova, Israel, Belgium, Serbia, Lithuania, Croatia and .

Betting markets have placed Australia firmly among the frontrunners to win the competition, with bookmaker Sportsbet ranking Australia as the second favourite to win behind Finland.

Following Friday's performance, Delta was praised widely by Eurovision fans online. 

'So errr.. Delta Goodrem really just came out here and said ‘Eurovision winner? That would be me.’ A vocal masterclass. Her stage presence is UNMATCHED!! Australia, 12 points!!!!' one user enthused. 

'No doubt who gave the best performance in the two Semi Finals of the ESC - tonight Delta Goodrem knocked it out of the ball park for Australia. Repeat that on Saturday night & she has a great chance of first Aussie win,' another agreed. 

'Delta just SMASHED the stage of #eurovision. That's what an artist means,' yet another user commented.

Insiders have also called Australia one of the most visually ambitious Eurovision performances to date.

Set against dramatic beams of light, cascading shadows and swirling smoke, Delta's staging transforms Vienna's Wiener Stadthalle into a shimmering cosmic spectacle inspired by the shifting brilliance of a solar eclipse.

It comes amid rumours Delta was forced to mime one crucial part of her performance. 

The singer, who regularly plays piano during her performances, may have had to mime the instrument on stage during due to Eurovision's strict rules banning live instruments on stage.

The rule, introduced in 1999, means all instruments must be pre-recorded and played through backing tracks during performances.