Australian singer Sheldon Riley has been chosen to represent his country at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
Sheldon is 23 years old and he debuted in 2016 auditioning in season eighth of The X Factor Australia where he was eliminated at the bootcamp stage of the competition.
Two years later, Riley appeared in The Voice Australia.
Even though he didn’t win the talent show, the young artist released his first single “Fire” that same year.
Riley’s Eurovision entry “Not the same” is a heartbreaking song written by Sheldon himself and produced by Cameron Nacson.
Speaking about the track, the Aussie artist said “‘Not the same’ is the story I never thought I’d ever feel I’d be able to tell. Written from the memories of a child who at age 6 was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, growing up in public housing, moving from home to home, unaware of my sexuality, among a deeply religious family. A path already laid that I would never be able to properly understand or interact with other people. I actually wrote this song back around late 2015, I had sent myself the lyrics on my old Facebook account. It was more of a poem back then though, reflecting on how far I had come, recently having come out to my family and feeling so free to speak my mind more and more each day. I have always connected to Darker Disney Animations, characters that were perceived to be different, evil, misunderstood and weren’t given a chance to explain parts of themselves that they ultimately couldn’t change. Maleficent, Cruella DeVille, Ursula. It probably explains my dark aesthetic… The song is really a gift back to any one who might be in my position when I first fell in love with Eurovision. Regardless of gender, sexuality, race, financial position, trauma, color, age, shape or size. You’re ‘Not the same’ but you’re not alone”.
Lyrics:
I was told at six years old
They’d avoid me if my heart was cold
Found it hard to talk and speak my mind
They never liked the things that I would like
Cause you’re told to play but you’re not the same
As the other kids playing the same games
Try to jump on in but they push away
So far away
I’m not the same, no
I’m not the same, no
Years went by I tried and tried
My father asked me if today I smiled
I said “yes, I did” but that’s a lie
Oh, I always tell those lies
Then you run and hide, hide the break inside
Till you realise that the light shines bright
Through those, oh, who’ve broke inside
I’m not the same, no
I’m not the same, no
I’m not the same, no
I’m not the same, no
Cause you never want to the be kind of person
Who can’t work it for those who can not word it
Cause you’ve been the kind of person who felt this pain
Oh, yeah, I felt this pain
So you go and leave the pain and find another way
To make yourself another game, maybe one for all to play
Because it’s not just me who’s not the same, we’re not the same
We’re not the same, no
We’re not the same, no
We’re not the same, no
We’re not the same, no
