Go-Jo: Can His Milkshake Bring Australia To The Eurovision Crown?

Go-Jo: Can His Milkshake Bring Australia To The Eurovision Crown?
Image: Photo: Nick Wilson / SBS Australia.

Marty Zambotto, better known by his stage name Go-Jo, is currently experiencing what he calls the most 鈥渆xhilarating鈥 experience of his life. 鈥 representing Australia at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest.

His flamboyant entry Milkshake Man was written during an electric two-day writing session with Aussie pop group Sheppard.

鈥淭here鈥檚 literally no greater feeling in the world than representing a country in the Olympics of music,鈥 says Go-Jo. 鈥淜nowing that I鈥檓 competing in that as a contestant for Australia, our beautiful nation 鈥 there is no more honourable, exciting feeling.鈥

has spent the vast majority of his life making music. He began learning guitar at 13 and started producing his own songs at 18. But it wasn鈥檛 until years later, after a stint playing AFL and moving to Perth, that music truly became the centre of his life.听

Now, just over a decade since Guy Sebastian took to the Eurovision stage as Australia鈥檚 first-ever entrant, Go-Jo steps up to the plate with a track that鈥檚 a pure unfiltered camp spectacle.

鈥淚 knew for Eurovision, I wanted to create something extravagant and extraordinary and out of the box, something that people typically wouldn鈥檛 release,鈥 he explains. 鈥淚 was very happy with and very proud of that song.鈥

Camp and colourful, Milkshake Man leans hard into the song contest鈥檚 love for the outrageous 鈥 and the singer has fully embraced that.听

鈥淚 don鈥檛 like putting shade on things. I like giving the full reveal,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 knew that I could really lean into that and make this thing really fun and just full of different sections, and just really extraordinary.鈥

It鈥檚 that kind of energy that resonates so deeply with Eurovision鈥檚 extensive queer fanbase, a community that鈥檚 long claimed the contest as a celebration of self-expression, resilience, and unapologetic glitter.

For decades, Eurovision has offered 17c起草社区IA+ audiences a global stage that embraces the fabulous and the ostentatious. It鈥檚 a place where queerness isn鈥檛 just accepted 鈥 it鈥檚 celebrated. So, the contest has become a sanctuary for queer artists and fans alike.

Go-Jo is aware of the queer embrace of his performance, though he admits the whirlwind nature of Eurovision has made it tricky to fully take it in. 鈥淭he whole experience has been so chaotic,鈥 he says. 鈥淏ut the response from everyone has just been so wonderful. And the support of Australia as well and all around the world, it makes my heart very warm, and I鈥檓 very grateful.鈥

Now in full promo mode, Go-Jo is zipping across Europe for the official pre-Eurovision tour. 鈥淲e鈥檙e doing a lot of press, doing a lot of promo stuff, and meeting up with the other artists and doing some collaborations with them as well,鈥 he shares. 鈥淲e鈥檙e just getting on [the] ground as much as possible and showing Europe how committed we are and how much we love this competition.鈥

He鈥檚 also breaking new ground. Milkshake Man has already smashed our country鈥檚 Eurovision records, including most streams on day one, most national radio play, and charting in over 15 countries on Spotify.听

This year also marks a decade since Australia first appeared on the Eurovision stage, initially as a 鈥榞uest鈥 participant. When Sebastian sang Tonight Again in 2015, few imagined we鈥檇 still be going ten years later. 鈥淗im coming fifth鈥 it just showed that Europe really welcomed us in,鈥 Go-Jo says.听

Since then, we鈥檝e had triumphs, like Dami Im鈥檚 near-win in 2016, and heartbreak, like last year鈥檚 unfortunate exit in the semi-final. But Eurovision has remained a cherished annual event for Aussies who revel in its spectacle and heart.

Now, Go-Jo is poised to potentially bring Australia its first-ever Eurovision crown. He won鈥檛 give away too much about what we can expect on stage, though. 鈥淚 do want to keep my lips sealed. I think there鈥檚 such magic in the unknown,鈥 he says. B

But 鈥 if the song and the film clip are anything to go by, we can expect something fantastic.听

With a hit song and a fiercely camp vibe, Go-Jo might just be the Milkshake Man to bring all of Europe to the yard.

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