Jessica Mauboy speaks out on ‘horrific’ Eurovision fallout as shock label call exposed ‘politics and greed’ behind the scenes

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Jessica Mauboy is finally sharing details about her difficult experience at Eurovision 2018, explaining how the event deeply affected her.

The singer has revealed that her 2015 Eurovision performance of “We Got Love,” now one of her most popular songs, was unfortunately remembered more for controversy and negative reactions to her 20th-place result than for the song itself. It’s been almost eight years since she represented Australia.

Even though the song remains popular, Jessica admitted she began to avoid it, as it brought back difficult memories of what happened while it was being made.

She explained on the Stellar podcast that she’s taking back ownership of the song due to the upsetting circumstances surrounding its original release.

I approach that song and its story much differently now. Releasing it felt incredibly vulnerable, and sharing the meaning behind the lyrics was a really big step for me. Unfortunately, its impact was somewhat lost because of the political climate at the time.

Although Eurovision is promoted as a joyful, unifying music event, Jessica shared a different experience – a highly stressful environment filled with backstage chaos and conflicting interests.

She wasn’t ready for how tough the competition actually was, and afterward, things became very difficult for her personally.

She remembers a Sony executive calling her to say she hadn’t met expectations or hadn’t done her job well.

I was initially puzzled, but then I understood what was happening. They clearly wanted us to discover something important.

The comment really hurt, especially because she had put so much heart and soul into her performance.

Jessica explained that the situation wasn’t just due to pressure within the music industry. Broader issues also played a role, like the ongoing debate about Australia’s participation in Eurovision and the voting results that have consistently disappointed Australian contestants.

‘I wanted to bring the club to them because it’s one of those songs that just hits home,’ she said.

Performing this piece always deeply moves me, as it perfectly captures the current state of global corruption, politics, and greed.

It’s remarkable that a song initially linked to a difficult time in her career has become so popular, especially within the LGBTQIA+ community, where it’s now a staple on dance floors throughout Europe.

After eight years, Jessica feels she’s finally taken back control of her song. She performed a remixed version at the first-ever Mighty Hoopla festival in Sydney last month, and felt a strong sense of ownership while doing so.

The Eurovision experience ultimately marked a turning point.

Jessica spent years recording with large record companies, first leaving Sony in 2020 and then Warner in 2024. She then decided to start her own independent record label called Jamally.

Now, she is determined to do things differently.

She says she’s incredibly motivated this year to create fantastic music and work with a lot of talented artists.

I want to be the one who collaborates with them and achieve amazing, positive results. It truly brings me joy to build those kinds of environments.

Jessica has accomplished a lot lately, and in March 2025, she shared that she recently became a mother.

The Australian pop singer announced to Stellar magazine that she and her husband, Themeli Magriplis, recently welcomed a baby girl.

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2026-03-29 02:33