About Jaz
Hi there! If you’re reading this, you must be a Eurovision fan – and if you live it, breathe it, dream it and even eat it like I do (FYI, it tastes like Buranovskiye Babushki baked goods) then we’re going to get along great.
My name is Jasmin, a.k.a. Jaz, and I’m a born and bred Australian who sometimes wishes she was Swedish. My obsession with pop music, flags and international competitions led me to fall head-over-heels for Eurovision in 2006 (I may have also fallen in love with Dima Bilan at the time, mullet and all, but I’m not proud of it). After heading to university in 2009 to study writing and being forced to build a blog for one of my classes, I decided to combine my existing skills, newly-acquired ones and song contest-related obsessions to create what would become Eurovision By Jaz. That was just after the Moscow show, and ten years down the track I’m still here. EBJ is a passion project that receives more affection and attention than my day job, but don’t tell my boss I said so.
A few facts about me: I’m 29, a very typical Virgo and a hardcore yogi; I like cats but LOVE dogs; I’m a Joci Papái/Benjamin Ingrosso fangirl, but my favourite Eurovision entry of all time is Lane Moje by Željko Joksimović; and I can’t write a single sentence that doesn’t include an ESC reference. In 2016 I attended my first contest in Stockholm, as a fan and as press, where I complimented Ira Losco on her high heels, tripped over Eneda Tarifa’s handbag and made Måns Zelmerlöw laugh (there’s video evidence of the last one). I followed that up with the Melodifestivalen final in 2017 (ja, jag älskar Sverige) and Australia Decides in 2019 (if you were watching, you probably heard me scream-singing 2000 and Whatever). Hopefully that’s just the start…what do you say, bank balance?
Whether I’m on the ground at a Eurovision event or back home in Australia, I’ll be here on the blog talking all things ESC (and JESC) all year round. From reviewing every entry every year to ranking the best and worst from 1956 to now, my personal Eurovision party never stops and you’re always invited. You’re also invited to submit requests for song reviews/rankings (want me to count down the 10 most spectacular pairs of shoes worn on the contest stage? I’ll do it!) or to contact me just to say hello. Get in touch via my contact page or message me whenever, wherever.
You can also subscribe to EBJ if you want new post notifications delivered straight to your inbox – just sign up in the sidebar. You don’t have to sell your soul, but you do have to agree that Jessica Mauboy doesn’t deserve to be Australia’s worst-placed contestant so far.
Anyway, thanks for stopping by to learn a little something about me. I now give you permission to get on with your life, which just means thinking about Eurovision some more since Eurovision IS life, right?
Love love, peace peace,
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Show your support for the price of a coffee here.
eurovisionbyjaz.com 
35 Responses to “About Jaz”
[…] About Me […]
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GOOOD
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“Also Miss Universe, because it too features representatives from different countries in direct competition with one another” <— Omg where were you when I was growing up?!! After ESC, Miss Uni & Miss World are my second loves! I used to plan mini eurovisions and mini miss universes and get the other children in my family to take part. xD haha
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I should add into that the Olympics as well – it’s the Eurovision of the sporting world!!
We may actually be soulmates!! Although I’ve never taken part in a mini Miss Universe pageant, regretfully. That is so cute!
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OMG you must be my long lost sister! lol! Olympics too and Commonwealth Games, I actually don’t watch sport unless it’s a country competition.
I’m making it sound better than it actually was. We just used bed sheets, blankets and held them hahaha to make gowns XD hahaha
Pity World Idol didn’t become a annual thing. 😦 The Serbian night is on tomorrow, do you go clubbing much? It’s the only clubbing night worth going too, at least it has music i loveeee to listen too. Imagine if they had Scandinavian clubbing nights! xD hahaha
Do you know many Perth ESC fans? Most people including Europeans I talk to about it shuns it xD
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Hahaha, me neither!! I’m not at all interested in sport (and I hate hot weather and Vegemite…I should be deported) until its Olympics time!! I’m actually excited for the Sochi games. I love me some figure skating.
Oh man, World Idol!! That was like my Eurovision before I was a Eurovision fan!! Sadly, I still remember everyone who participated amd what songs they sang. I was fully going for the Dutch guy and then he came last =( That was definitely training for the ESC…
I’m not a big clubber. I’m kind of a grandma, actually. But if there was a club that had Scando nights I would be there for EVERY SINGLE ONE!!! In fact, I may turn my house into a Scandipop nightclub. All I’d need is some strobe lights and my iPod on shuffle XD
You may be the first Perth ESC fan I’ve ever known!! That is sad. Most people I know are aware of my obsession and seem to just tolerate it, but they not interested. They are obviously crazy.
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I’m a huge Balkan music fan. I found out about of these nightclub nights called “Ozi Serbs” who play Serbian music once a month or so at a nightclub. I find out when some singers are here through word of mouth or Facebook, if Saša Kovačević ever comes… omg! I would die!!! There’s also Greek nights too, but they are on rarer occasions. I find the Balkan community a bit more curious and friendlier even though I haven’t managed to make a friend from the event even though I have visited for 3 years now! It’s more of an instance of people knowing “of” me, than me knowing them. I feel weird when I’m all dancing alone but I reckon most people are just there to “impress and show off” xD then a cultural exchange which I am going for, plus the Eastern Europeans do music better! hahaha It makes going alone to things because I stick out as a sore thumb XD hahaha
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OMG some of my spelling mistakes up there a dreadful! Sorry, long, long day! “It makes going alone to things annoying because I stick out as a sore thumb XD hahaha” Hahaha Sometimes they ask if I’m there to check out the chicks, hahaha if only they knew. I always say I’m here for the music, and they don’t believe it. Hahaha
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Aww! Does that mean hardly anyone else is there for the music?? I would definitely be there for the music! Okay, maybe partly to check out the guys…
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Hahaha I’m sure there are those who attend for the music and social aspect. I’m so gutted, Sergej Cetkovic was in Perth recently and I missed out! The next OziSerbs night is next week on Friday, at Shape Bar. Damn, Belgrade guys are real hot. Nothing beats them!
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Hey Jaz are you going to see Jedward when they come here on the 23rd of Nov?
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I didn’t even know they were coming!! But I doubt they’re heading my way anyway. And I don’t know if I have the energy to mosh to them in this weather…
Are you seeing them??
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I really can’t believe they are coming to Perth! It’s the day after my birthday, but nah. The tickets are $84.90 for the cheapest but you can Meet & Greet for $200.00! If Ryan Dolan came here, I would go or any other cute ESC guy singer. LOL
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Are you from Perth?? Sorry, I didn’t realise. If you are, then WOOHOO GO WA!!! If not, pretend I didn’t say that…
It’s a shame neither of us are going! But I have to admit, I’m not sure I could part with $85 for Jedward. Dima Bilan, yes. Zeljko Joksimovic, YES. Ott Lepland, there are not enough yeses in the world.
And now that you mention him, Ryan Dolan?? Yeah. You’d definitely get your money’s worth of attractiveness 😉
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Yes, I’m from Perth! 🙂 I finally realised you were Perthisian when I saw the Perth Arena in your 1D adventure. Hahaha. I’ve actually seen Željko Joksimović sing live in Perth, actually in Morley. Serbian singers frequently come here, but I hate going alone to them so I always miss out. LOL No one around me understands this passion for European musk! Ryan is so cute!
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Yeah, I kind of let the cat out of the bag with that one, didn’t I?? XD
When I found out Željko had actually been to WA I nearly died. I’m so jealous you went!! How do you get in the loop to find out about this stuff??
PS – I think you should just go alone!! Let everyone else stay home all confused at the passion 🙂
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It’s interesting to see a colo(u)r photo of you for once! Has anyone ever told you that you look a little like Soluna Samay?
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Haha, I just realised how frequently I’ve been in black and white! I have never gotten the Soluna thing, but that may be because nobody I come into contact with IRL knows who she is. Who would you say your ESC lookalike is??
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To be quite honest, I have no idea! Would you have any idea?
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Erhm….I wanna say Kurt Calleja, but I think that’s only because we had a discussion about you having a Kurt haircut. Otherwise…I have no idea either. Maybe that’s a good thing. You’re too unique to have a doppelganger?
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I remember that! 🙂 However, I’ve dyed my hair and let it grow out, so it’s quite different now. But for that time, we would’ve been a good match.
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Hi Jaz. Well done on a good site. Aussies rule.
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Thankyou!! You don’t so bad yourself =)
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Hello Jaz! I “discovered” Eurovision while living in England (77-79, i.e., Marie Myriam through GA/Milk and Honey)–even staged my own little version for my family! Then I pretty much forgot about it after returning to the States until a couple of summers ago when I read a lengthy article about ESC in the New Yorker. I’ve since been able to watch it online (2011 and 2012), and even did my own version again online. 2012 was the first year that a song I liked won–usually it’s the other way around (I thought for sure Switzerland would win in 2011, and we all know how that went!). Cheers! 🙂
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Hi there, and thanks for reading and following!
I think it’s so cute that you staged your own ESC! I hate to think what my family would think if I did that. Granted, I’m not a kid anymore…
Getting to the final last year was something of a win for Switzerland anyway, so it’s not so bad.
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Hi Jaz!
I’m doing a survey about the different views and opinions towards the ESC and I found out about your website/blog. You convinced me about yourpassion and your good sense of humour. If you like, can I get in touch with you by mail or any other kind of communcationmedia? I’d love to hear your point of view etc. Let me know! X
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Hello there =]
I am quite partial to surveys!
You can post on my Facebook wall if you like (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eurovision-By-Jaz/168490799853930). I don’t think you can message through it for some reason. Otherwise you can direct message me/Tweet me on Twitter (@EurovisionByJaz). If neither of those work I can give you my email. I’m definitely interested in having a say!!
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Hi!
I don’t know if you have seen it, but in any case I think you might would enjoy this music video based on New Tomorrow from A friend in London.
Best regards,
Nicki
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[…] Bear is another Eurovision fan marooned by distance down in Australia. Blogging at eurovisionbyjaz.wordpress.com a quick aside from here about returning artists caught our eye, and we wondered if she could answer […]
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We’ve only been to one, in Oslo on home turf. But now we’re hooked, so Düsseldorf here we come! It’s us and roughly around a gazillion gays, we are such faghags:-)
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Haha sounds great….I wouldn’t mind being a faghag! Dusseldorf is going to be so great, I just have this feeling about Germany and 2011. Oslo was great too, of course…having Eurovision in your own country must be pretty excellent!
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Hi Jaz! We just found your blog through a link on ESC Insight’s FB page. It’s fab, we love it! Hope to see you next year in Düsseldorf. Cheers from Norway:-)
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Thankyou so much for taking a look, please come back =) I’m glad you liked it. I’m checking yours out as we speak. I wish so bad I could go to ESC 2011 but I’m a bit of a poor uni student as usual, aiming for 2015 though! Cheers again for the compliment. x Jaz
PS – Your blog looks awesome, I will keep reading!!!
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We will continue to read your blog, we have linked to it on our blog as we wish to recommend it as a good read to other Eurovision fans as well:-)
Thanks for checking out our blog, we are thrilled to hear that you liked it. Shame you won’t be able to make it to Düsseldorf, but as a student from as far away as Australia we understand that it’s a bit of a stretch. You better start counting down for 2015, we can guarantee you an experience of a lifetime, you will love it!
In the meantime, keep on blogging and share the Eurovision passion with the world!
❤ Astrid & Guri
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Thanks so much for the link…I’m so excited by that! I’ve been planning to add a list of blogs alongside my RSS feed for a while so I will return the favour =)
I’m dying to go to Dusseldorf but yeah, it’ll have to wait. How many ESCs have you guys been to??? If it’s more than zero I am jealous, haha.
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