2 hours Ago By Michael James
Marty Zambotto , better known by his stage name Go-Jo, is currently experiencing what he calls the most “exhilarating” experience of his life. — r epresenting 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 .
“There’s literally no greater feeling in the world than representing a country in the Olympics of music,” says Go-Jo . “Knowing that I’m competing in that as a contestant for Australia, our beautiful nation — there is no more honourable, exciting feeling.” The 29-year-old performer 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’t until years later, after a stint playing AFL and moving to Perth , that music truly became the centre of his life. Now, just over a decade since Guy Sebastian took to the Eurovision stage as Australia’s first-ever entrant, Go-Jo steps up to the plate with a track that’s a pure unfiltered camp spectacle.
“I knew for Eurovision , I wanted to create something extravagant and extraordinary and out of the box, something that people typically wouldn’t release,” he explains. “I was very happy with and very proud of that song.” Camp and colourful, Milkshake Man leans hard into the song contest’s love for the outrageous — and the singer has fully embraced that.
“I don’t like putting shade on things. I like giving the full reveal,” he says. “I knew that I could really lean into that and make this thing really fun and just full of different sections, and just really extraordinary.
” It’s that kind of energy that resonates so deeply with Eurovision ’s extensive queer fanbase, a community that’s long claimed the contest as a celebration of self-expression, resilience, and unapologetic glitter. For decades, Eurovision has offered LGBTQIA+ audiences a global stage that embraces the fabulous and the ostentatious. It’s a place where queerness isn’t just accepted — it’s 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. “The whole experience has been so chaotic,” he says.
“But 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’m very grateful.” Now in full promo mode, Go-Jo is zipping across Europe for the official pre- Eurovision tour.
“We’re 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,” he shares. “We’re just getting on [the] ground as much as possible and showing Europe how committed we are and how much we love this competition.” He’s also breaking new ground.
Milkshake Man has already smashed our country’s Eurovision records, including most streams on day one, most national radio play, and charting in over 15 countries on Spotify . This year also marks a decade since Australia first appeared on the Eurovision stage, initially as a ‘guest’ participant. When Sebastian sang Tonight Again in 2015, few imagined we’d still be going ten years later.
“Him coming fifth...
it just showed that Europe really welcomed us in,” Go-Jo says. Since then, we’ve had triumphs, like Dami Im ’s near-win in 2016, and heartbreak, like last year’s 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’t give away too much about what we can expect on stage, though. “I do want to keep my lips sealed.
I think there’s such magic in the unknown,” he says. B But — if the song and the film clip are anything to go by, we can expect something fantastic. 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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