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Voyager’s Simone Dow on why “prog is perfect for playing at Eurovision” as she brings tech-metal solos to one of the world’s biggest stages

Can Aussie rockers Voyager win Europe’s favorite song contest like Lordi and Måneskin before them? “It’s a dream,” says guitarist Simone Dow

Historically, the Eurovision Song Contest might not always have made for essential viewing for those of a guitar-y persuasion. But this year, it’ll be worth tuning into the grand finale on May 13, if only to catch Simone Dow, of prog-metal quintet Voyager, tearing it up for Australia on what is surely the first 7-string guitar to have ever graced the competition.

Honorary Europeans for the occasion, Voyager will be bringing the fretboard heat to the Liverpool event with their genre-busting track Promise . 

Stuffed with chewy dual-guitar riffs, eighties pop synths, earwormy hooks, melodic soloing and – last but not least – a keytar, the adventurous tune packs everything you could possibly hope for into three minutes of pure Eurovision excess. “We just can’t wait to showcase what Voyager is all about in a very large, flamboyant and over-the-top fashion,” Simone says from her home in Perth. 

The band has been vying for the opportunity to represent their country since Australia was first invited to take part in Eurovision in 2015, and now that their time has finally come, spirits in the Voyager camp are understandably sky high.

“Who doesn’t want to play on what’s quite possibly the greatest stage and greatest music experience in the world?” Simone smiles. “I’m just thrilled and we all are. You dream of playing on a massive stage where you can actually go all out and have all the bells and whistles at your disposal.” 

As she says, Voyager are more accustomed to “playing at these small pubs,” but during the contest, they will be beamed directly into the homes of around 160 million viewers worldwide. The big question is: will the voting public be ready for a progressive pop metal odyssey, or will it be “nul points” for the Aussie hopefuls?

“I think prog is actually perfect for playing at Eurovision,” she argues. “The whole point of it and the whole purpose is not just the music; they really want you to demonstrate the theatrical side of it as well. It’s the visuals, how it looks and how you tell that story on stage, as much as the music. Prog is usually five-minute epics where you’re telling a thousand stories, so why not?”

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Voyager will no doubt stand out against the competition, but it’s not as if Eurovision hasn’t seen its share of guitar-driven acts before. Most memorably, Finnish monster rockers Lordi got their scaly talons on the trophy back in 2006 after storming to victory with their thrashable, chantable anthem Hard Rock Hallelujah – proving for once and for all that riffs and distortion have a place at the otherwise squeaky clean, poptastic affair.

“We actually went to see Lordi in concert,” recalls Simone, who, along with frontman/keytarist Danny Estrin, has long since been bitten by the Eurovision bug. “It was incredible. It was a full stage show they put on with props, not just wearing the outfits. It was kind of Alice Cooper-esque. I guess that was the first time I thought, ‘Wow, okay – I guess metal does perform at Eurovision!’” 

More recently in Eurovision guitar history, we’ve seen the swaggering sexually charged bombast of Måneskin take the title for Italy in 2021, and, of course, Sam Ryder so nearly clinched it for the UK last year with Spaceman – complete with its Brian May-inspired Strat solo. 

The crowning glory of Promise is Simone’s own powerhouse solo, which burns for four short but perfectly formed bars before melting seamlessly into a fiery keytar throwdown from Estrin – after which she and rhythm guitarist Scott Kay resume a powerful palm-muted chug that powers the song to its close. 

She says: “With that solo – and you’re going to laugh when I say this – I was basically thinking that I wanted it to sound kind of Per Nilsson-ish from Scar Symmetry, but simpler. 

“Obviously, he’s just a phenomenal guitar player and can play six-billion notes. I can’t play like that, but I wanted it to still sound interesting without it being overly complex. Because it is a pop song, you’re not going to be playing a one-minute shred guitar solo. It’s just something that follows the melody of what’s going on and is still a little bit playful.”

Simone cites progressive titans such as Guthrie Govan, Plini and David Maxim Micic as having influenced her technical yet accessible approach to soloing. “I just really like their note choices,” she explains. “To my ears, it just sounds really playful and they know how to not overplay. They know the point to go hell for leather and play lots of notes, but then they know how to pull it back and play these really tasty runs as well.”

Looking ahead to her own moment in the spotlight, she laughs: “It’s probably not the hardest solo I’ve ever had to play on stage, but that’s probably a good thing, what with the nerves!”

Guitar-wise, Simone’s main weapon of choice is her Barolo finish Ernie Ball Music Man JPX 7-string. She’s had an endorsement with the brand for several years, having initially been swayed away from playing Ibanez guitars by a desire to “move onto a guitar that had higher grade tone woods.” 

Built from a combination of mahogany, maple, and alder, the JPX fits the bill nicely, and although the model itself was released to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci’s signature line with Music Man, it suits Simone as if it had been designed especially for her. 

“Honestly, if I was to make a guitar for me – a signature guitar – those would be the specs that I would go for,” she says. “It’s just been an absolutely awesome tool. It’s the only guitar I take on the road with me. It takes a real bashing and it takes it well!”

Although the JPX’s Barolo finish offers a subtle sparkle, changing from black to purple in different lights, the pomp of Eurovision naturally calls for something a little showier.

Cagey on sharing the exact details until the big night, Simone does concede with a smile that she may possibly have something surprising happening for Eurovision. “I’m not going to reveal it yet,” she teases. “But there may be a new guitar getting used – maybe a new Music Man getting debuted – something a little bit more glamorous than what I usually play. So keep your eyes peeled!” 

There may be a new guitar getting used – maybe a new Music Man getting debuted – something a little bit more glamorous than what I usually play. So keep your eyes peeled

For tone, she relies on a Line 6 Helix HX Stomp to give her everything she needs, having recently “downgraded” – for reasons relating to touring cost and convenience – from a Mesa/Boogie full stack amp rig. Weighing less than a kilo and small enough to pack as carry-on luggage, the amp modeller and multi-effects processor has revolutionised the game for her. 

“They are incredible,” she enthuses. “Myself and Scott have barely even scratched the surface with them. We basically just programmed in the basics that we need which are: a clean with some nice delays and reverb, a main rhythm which is similar to a Mesa tone, a slightly boosted distortion with a delay for lead licks that need to poke out a little bit more, and then we’ve got the full on-a-mountain-top solo patch!”

Post-Eurovision, Voyager will be hitting the road to tour in Australia, putting the finishing touches to their eighth studio album, which is tipped for release later this year, and setting their sights on a return to European soil for a winter tour.

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Since graduating university with a degree in English, Ellie has spent the last decade working in a variety of media, marketing and live events roles. As well as being a regular contributor to Total Guitar, MusicRadar and GuitarWorld.com, she currently heads up the marketing team of a mid-scale venue in the south-west of England. She started dabbling with guitars around the age of seven and has been borderline obsessed ever since. She has a particular fascination with alternate tunings, is forever hunting for the perfect slide for the smaller-handed guitarist, and derives a sadistic pleasure from bothering her drummer mates with a preference for “f**king wonky” time signatures.

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Voyager: "We are progressive in many ways"

With Voyager on album number six, it feels like the melodic prog metallers are now truly finding their feet in the prog world. The Aussies open up about their impressive new effort Ghost Mile…

Voyager are in a pretty darn good mood. As the Australian prog metallers speak down the phone from their home city Perth, you can hear guitarist Simone Dow’s infectious, bellowing belly laugh from the other side of the world as it picks up like gusts of wind, setting off her bandmates, too.

They have every right to be feeling jolly. They’re on the cusp of releasing the best album of their career, Ghost Mile . It seems, after six records and a slew of line-up changes, the band have finally found their groove.

“With each album it’s definitely been more and more of a band writing exercise, whereas it never used to be like that,” Dow says. “We’re writing in the jam room now, all five of us together. We’ve got the same line-up again, and it’s very cohesive.”

The only mainstay in Voyager since their inception in 1999 has been singer and keyboard player Daniel Estrin. “I used to be the youngest member of the band, but now I’m the oldest,” he quips.

Take a listen to the eye-wateringly compelling and catchy Ghost Mile and you can tell that Voyager have grown up. It’s focused and firm, leaning towards contemporary tech riffs for its gruffer moments, but still slathering itself with all the luminescent melody in the world.

Stomping lead track Ascension sounds defiantly massive as it juxtaposes snarly, pointed riffs with Estrin’s lofty, wouldn’t-sound-out-of-place-in-the-80s vocals, while What A Wonderful Day is an intriguing cocktail of electronic flourishes that exemplifies how Voyager aren’t ones to shy away from more typical song structures. Disconnected , meanwhile, explodes with snarling machine gun guitar work that actually wouldn’t sound out of place on a Meshuggah record.

Voyager’s line-up – completed by Scott Kay on guitar, drummer Ashley Doodkorte and bassist Alex Canion – has remained in place since their last album V , and you can tell, with their sound evolving organically after the record’s release in 2014.

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The tech crew who worked on that album remained on board too, and the sound is truly fit for mainstream consumption, with its hues crisp and clear, booming and bright. It’s clinical without feeling colourless.

“I think it’s a natural progression from where we left off, and we seem to have been doing that with our last few albums,” Estrin says. “Just taking the main elements and building on that, and I’d say this is probably our most modern one to date. I think in terms of some of the things we’re trying, it’s also probably our most daring one. There are some pretty different things on there.”

“I don’t think it’s really a forced change, it just happened naturally, from what we’d been listening to,” Kay adds. “We’d been listening to a lot less of just heavy music in general, and as a group, listening to all kinds of other stuff. I think that’s kind of seeped its way into what we’re doing. It’s less of a strictly metal record – there’s all these different elements to it.”

Some of the influences swirling in the buzzing minds of Voyager during the writing of Ghost Mile included the likes of the djent-leaning Periphery and TesseracT , but there was ambient and indie too.

It’s a contrast to Voyager’s earliest material, which erred on the side of power metal, while later releases promoted a modern-day theatricality linked more with the likes of arena mainstays Avenged Sevenfold . Largely gone, too, is the gothic look which permeated some old promotional photos.

“I compare it to Pantera , because they started as a power metal band and went into a completely different direction,” Estrin says. “There are some similarities. Voyager started very much out of a genesis of power metal and progressive metal, and I think it’s come a long way from there. That wasn’t a conscious thing, it was a natural progression. It’s become what it has today.

“You can tell, even on the first few albums, there are some elements of what we’re doing now. But one thing that will never change is the catchy choruses, the big anthemic poppy top that Voyager is used to. We’ve combined that more with the heavy grooves and complex riffage underneath, to appease the prog fans and to make it more fun to play because otherwise you’d just be playing boring pop songs, and who wants to do that?”

The band quickly gained traction worldwide despite hailing from Australia, as they landed slots at the likes of the ProgPower festivals and were snapped up by Dutch label DVS.

They had to cut their teeth, though, playing local gigs alongside acts from genres like grindcore and death metal because of the compact size of the country’s scene at the time.

“It was almost a struggle to make an impact in Australia,” Estrin reflects. “Being an Australian band in the early days was really to our advantage, and we had a bit of a cult status I guess all over the world. The scene in Australia was really small back in the day. I guess we were sort of pioneers in starting it, and making melodic and progressive music that little bit more accessible. Now, I wouldn’t say it’s mainstream, but it’s a very healthy scene.”

This time around, Voyager are self-releasing their album, and perhaps highlighting how today’s industry is forcing musicians to explore new revenue streams, they launched a successful PledgeMusic campaign to offer fans pre-orders alongside unique items, such as signed gig banners and handwritten lyrics.

“I don’t see it as being too different to what the old funding model was, it’s just that we’re doing this without a label fronting money for pressing and everything like that,” Kay says.

“I don’t think labels front money anymore these days,” Estrin adds. “I think it’s very rare. It definitely changes the band’s need to approach things. But also, it’s a huge new world of opportunities that we didn’t have before the internet. I think gone are the days of Bon Jovi and the private jets of the 80s and massive record deals. I think it’s a completely different paradigm, a completely different framework in which we’re working.”

Despite the band hurtling down a more adventurous path in the last few years, Estrin knows that some naysayers still argue against Voyager being called prog. While he admits that might be because “we don’t have 17 ⁄ 8 time signatures going through the whole thing”, the Aussies have plenty going for them in the thinking-outside-the-box stakes.

It’s left-leaning music which isn’t afraid to take twists or turns, despite often tunnelling down the well-trodden, melody-ridden route of ‘verse, chorus, verse’.

“I don’t mind the progressive label,” the vocalist adds. “We are progressive in many ways – we’re constantly evolving musically and we do have a lot of complexity in our songs. It’s kind of like ABBA. They write amazing pop songs, but when you dissect them, they’re extremely complex inside. They have their complexity, to make their songs interesting, but also have that catchy pop element. If that’s progressive, I don’t know? Are ABBA a prog band? Possibly…”

“I guess what makes us experimental, if you want to call us that, is our willingness to try things and just be open-minded with ideas and see where they go,” adds Kay. “I wouldn’t say there’s any conscious effort to be deliberately experimental or different. It just seems to be a matter of the sum of our parts coming together and producing whatever it is that comes out.”

There is much to be optimistic about in the Voyager camp right now. They’ve been promoting their record on Australia’s live circuit alongside wacky electronic prog metallers The Algorithm, and you would expect a full global assault to follow.

It’s likely that those attending the Ghost Mile shows will leave high on life, heart lifted. And, most tellingly, stuck with Voyager songs rattling around their head for days.

“You want a hook,” Dow says. “That’s what grabs you when you listen to a band, either a catchy vocal hook or guitar lick. Then you’ve got bands like Meshuggah… they’re fantastic, but there’s not anything that’s hooky that’s going on. There’s a lot of fantastic bands that are like tech death, but I can’t listen to that all the time, because it’s just riff after riff after riff.

“I think what we’ve got special is the music that we write. It gets stuck in your head. Maybe that’s annoying to some people, but I think it’s a good trait to have.”

Ghost Mile is out now on IAV Records. See www.voyager-australia.com for more information.

Voyager - Ghost Mile album review

Karnivool and Voyager, live in Melbourne

A writer for Prog magazine since 2014, armed with a particular taste for the darker side of rock. The dayjob is local news, so writing about the music on the side keeps things exciting - especially when Chris is based in the wild norths of Scotland. Previous bylines include national newspapers and magazines.

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‘In it for the ride’: who are Voyager, the synth-metal band representing Australia at Eurovision?

Lead singer Daniel Estrin reveals how a group of Perth students obsessed with melodic metal have made it to a Eurovision semi-final to be watched by millions

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“Synth-metal” is the short name for the genre of music played by the Perth band Voyager, who have been chosen to represent Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest.

But the quintet’s lead singer, Daniel Estrin, prefers to describe it as “epic progressive powerpop metal”.

Think melodic 80s pop with a heavy edge, climactic guitars and keytar solos.

“When people think of metal they think of Slayer, Metallica, Pantera,” Estrin says. “They don’t really think of melody.”

He thinks the niche sound will appeal to Eurovision’s audience.

“Our kind of melodic metal makes the charts [in Europe], when it doesn’t necessarily in Australia.”

Voyager will take their song Promise to the international music competition in Liverpool this May, becoming the first group to represent Australia.

Promise required “a different kind of writing process”, Estrin says. Made specifically for Eurovision, Voyager were not just producing a great song but also devising a performance that would work seamlessly from a staging perspective.

After testing a handful of initial melodies, the group’s bassist, Alex Canion, fixated on what is now the song’s theme.

“Our bass player said: ‘This is something, let’s latch on to this’.”

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The quintet wanted Promise to emulate the feeling of a journey.

“It had to start mysterious, then open up, pull back, then crush the main character, open up again and end on a positive note,” Estrin says. “It is very Voyager, but also very Eurovision.”

Showcasing Western Australian landscapes, the accompanying music video feels epic too. Featuring the Pink Lake, then the Abrolhos Islands, the video ends with a keytar and guitar duel against a glorious sunset.

“It was almost too perfect,” Estrin says.

Voyager emerged from the campus of the University of Western Australia. “It was a bunch of first year students who wanted to do metal with keyboards.”

In 2003, the group signed to a Dutch label and began playing at festivals, while their popularity grew. Seven albums later, Voyager has amassed “this great fanbase all around the world”.

“We were born and bred in Western Australia, and now we are able to represent on the world stage,” Estrin says. “It is super satisfying.”

The group were told the good news in a casual video call.

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“The production team was like, just spitballing it out there, how would you see the staging?” Estrin says. Each band member shared what they imagined their ideal Eurovision performance would look like. “Then it was like, good news, because you are going to be representing Australia.

“And we all went: ‘What!’ It was one of those moments where you almost fall off your chair.”

Voyager have had their sights set on Eurovision since Australia first took part in 2015, submitting songs every year. They were shortlisted in 2020 and came close last year, leading in the public vote for the song Dreamer but placing second on the combined score to Sheldon Riley performing Not the Same.

“To us, last year was already a huge win,” Estrin says. “We were overwhelmed by the popular vote. We never thought we would get to that.”

This time around they have been selected without a public vote.

“It felt like we had the right song, the right support. We are as ready as we’ll ever be.”

The beauty of the Perth music scene is when niche bands across the metal and rock genres play together, Estrin says.

“We don’t have that many bands of the same genre,” he says. “One night we are playing with a death metal band, then an electric metal pop band. The crossover is really awesome.”

The flip side of a small music landscape is that it’s “hard to categorise”. Estrin says the struggle of being a synth-metal band within this already niche pool is that “people don’t get to hear your music”.

The semi-final performance expects an audience of 5 million people. If the band makes it to the finals, they expect an additional 170 million new listeners. Estrin is excited to see both the genre and his band receive “the recognition I think we do deserve”.

“Whether they like it or not, they get to hear it, and that is awesome.”

He is less concerned with the band’s outcome in the competition. “I’m in it for the ride, the enjoyment, the moment,” he says.

“Only very few people are allowed to have this experience, and I consider myself extremely lucky that through the creation of music … I’m able to travel the world and make people happy.”

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As much as you can rely on the Earth’s ellip4cal orbit, you can depend on Voyager to consistently evolve. The band’s interplanetary balance of virtuosic pyrotechnics and sky scraping radio-ready hooks morphs at the speed of sound from one era to the next. In bursts of bright light, luminous keys, neon guitar wizardry, and stratosphere-shaking rhythms, they elevate hard rock to another realm. The group blast off on a signature hybrid of prog, rock, and metal possibly best described as the musical equivalent of Guardians of the Galaxy.

After piling up millions of streams, earning acclaim from the likes of The Guardian, and wowing the globe on the Eurovision Song Contest, the Perth, Australia quintet—Danny Estrin [vocals], Simone Dow [guitar], Scott Kay [guitar], Alex Canion [bass], and Ashley Doodkorte [drums]—take flight like never before on their forthcoming eighth full-length LP, Fearless In Love [Season of Mist].

“It’s progressive in the sense we’re always trying to reinvent and refresh ourselves as musicians,” notes Danny. “I want to develop musically from where we left off. We made sure Fearless In Love was melodic with some sugary hooks, but we also stayed true to our sound and delivered a few more guitar solos. It could appeal to fans of complex music as well as anybody who might want a straight-up banger. It’s a melting pot of the genres that define us distilled into the unique Voyager sound.”

This cohort of dynamic talents and personalities initially crash-landed stateside for a now-renowned performance at the 2011 ProgPower USA Festival in Atlanta, GA. Since then, they’ve unleashed a string of fan favourite albums—V [2014], Ghost Mile [2017], and Colours in the Sun [2019]—in addition to sharing stages with the likes Deftones, Leprous, Devin Townsend, Opeth, and Poppy to name a few. Australia notably handpicked Voyager as its entrant into the global Eurovision Song Contest 2023 with “Promise.” The Guardian hailed the buzzing single as “a pop number that bends the genre with trademark riffs, climactic guitars and keytar solos,” and it crashed the Top 3 of the Australian Independent Label Singles Chart. They even appeared on TODAY Australia to wave the metal flag by teaching daytime TV hosts black metal growls, as plugged by Metal Injection!

Throughout 2022, they crafted what would become Fearless In Love with engineer, mixer, and coproducer Matt Templeman. This time around, the musicians recorded live, unlocking a new energy altogether.

“Normally, we write and record our parts individually, but the whole band decided to go old school and do everything together this time,” he goes on. “This line-up has been together for twelve years, and we gel so well. It’s cool because we can play off each other like a live show with funky bass, groovy guitars, and creative drum patterns. It translates to the album.” On the single “Prince of Fire,” glimmering keys give way to a hard-hitting guitar riff as Danny’s slick vocals seesaw atop a punchy bass line.

“It’s actually one of the heaviest songs we’ve done, yet it’s got this super eighties mentality,” the front man reveals. “Lyrically, it’s about being perceived as the bad guy, even though you’re trying to do your best. You have good intentions, but sometimes you end up being the ‘Prince of Fire on night patrol’. Musically, it sways side-to-side, and then you’re crushed—which is a common theme for us.”

Then, there’s “The Lamenting.” Seventies-style sonics dissolve in a haze of riffs offset by swooning vocals and synths. Distortion drowns out the light in its final moments.

“You’re lamenting past loves and trying to let go and not wallow in those memories,” Danny elaborates. “There’s a bitter end that almost leaves you in the dark without pulling you out. It’s one of the most melancholic and sad songs on the album.”

Meanwhile, “Ultraviolet” layers a hypnotic refrain above chugging guitar as growls pierce the groove before a hummable solo.

“It’s about coping with the speed of modern society,” he states. “I like a fast-paced world, but it can be too much. You almost want to bury your head under your pillow and scream, ‘Slow down’. The expectations we have on each other as humans are just nuts. Sometimes, you need to become ultraviolet, duck under, and go, ‘No more for me, thanks’.”

The finale “Gren (Fearless In Love)” concludes the album with a climactic crescendo pushed even higher by resounding melodies and nimble instrumentation.

“When you’re in love, you have boundless energy and feelings for a person, which makes you almost invincible,” he elaborates. “There’s a huge vulnerability, because you’re not invincible at all. You’re totally susceptible to extreme hurt and letdown. There’s something beautiful about letting yourself go and fully experiencing being fearless though.”

In the end, a similar creative boundlessness drives Voyager.

“When you listen to Fearless In Love, I’d love for you to say, ‘I’ve never heard anything like this before’,” he leaves off. “Secondly, I hope you’re uplifted, intrigued, and emotional. We try take you on a journey through struggle, positivity, negativity, and a society that doesn’t always make sense. Maybe, listening to the record will make you feel better about dealing with this crazy modern world we’re living in.”

• Danny Estrin : Vocals/Keytar
• Simone Dow : Guitars
• Scott Kay : Guitars
• Alex Canion : Bass
• Ashley Doodkorte : Drums

After breaking out with a Top 10 finish at Eurovision and the ARIA-topping album Fearless in Love, VOYAGER were dealt a cruel twist of fate last fall when vocalist, keytarist and founding member Daniel Estrin was diagnosed with cancer. While Danny’s chemotherapy treatment has been very effective, his cancer is the most aggressive mutation. His medical team will continue fortnightly chemotherapy for the foreseeable future, which makes touring impossible. As a result, VOYAGER has made the collective decision to cancel all shows in 2024 to ensure focus is on Danny’s recovery and continuing the positive medical progress that he’s made.

VOYAGER are counting on a successful comeback in 2024. The Eurovision breakouts are now announcing the rescheduled dates for their European and UK tour supporting Fearless in Love.

VOYAGER have been everywhere since landing in the Top Ten at Eurovision. They’ve topped the AIR chart. They’ve chatted with Today and Guitar World and graced the cover of Prog magazine.

Voyager have come a long way. The band just released their breakthrough album ‘Fearless in Love’, but they first formed back in 1999, when Daniel Estrin was studying at the University of Western Australia.

You’ve probably noticed, but VOYAGER are on quite a ride. The band started this year with a Top Ten finish at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, thanks to their keytar-charged power ballad “Promise”. Back home, they were treated to a hero’s welcome with a sold-out summer tour of Australia. Earlier this week, they released “Ultraviolet”, which highlighted a darker, more introspective side to to their electro progressive metal.

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Who are Voyager, the band representing Australia at this year's Eurovision?

The synth-metal group will represent australia at the 67th eurovision song contest in liverpool with their song promise..

Perth-based synth-metal band Voyager will represent Australia at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Source: Supplied / Michael Dann

• SBS has announced Perth-based synth-metal group Voyager as Australia's 2023 Eurovision Song Contest pick.
• It's the first time a band will represent Australia at the contest, to be held in Liverpool in the United Kingdom.
• The contest will be held from 9 -13 May.

'Dream come true': Australia's Sheldon Riley through to Eurovision grand final

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Voyager's lead singer Danny Estrin reveals cancer diagnosis and cancels European tour

Australian progressive metal band Voyager's frontman, Danny Estrin, has revealed a "life-altering" cancer diagnosis, as the band cancels its upcoming European tour. 

Key points:

• Estrin, who is the Perth band's lead singer, shared his "life-altering" cancer diagnosis 
• The band has cancelled an upcoming European tour with hopes to reschedule in October 2024
• Its last performance will be at the America's Cup Event in Fremantle on Sunday

Estrin, who is the Perth band's lead singer, shared the announcement on the band's official Instagram account on Friday. 

"Last week I was dealt some life-altering news: I've been diagnosed with cancer that requires immediate treatment," he wrote.

"I am absolutely devastated that we cannot perform on our forthcoming European tour, especially after this incredible Eurovision year we've had.

"I am on strict doctors' orders to not take this lightly, put my health first and get this sorted so we can be on stage again as soon as possible." 

Estrin said it had been an "extremely hard decision to make" and the band's upcoming European tour would be rescheduled to October 2024. 

"Voyager will perform our last show for a while at the America's Cup Event in Fremantle, Western Australia this Sunday 24 September 2023, so come and party with us before I start treatment," he added.

"I'm surrounded by my incredible bandmates and team who are navigating all things Voyager whilst I am out of action."

The band was  Australia's lead contender at the 2023 Eurovision , making the grand final and eventually finishing ninth. 

The band has had its fair amount of changes throughout its lifetime. 

Voyager parted ways with bass player Jennah Greaig in 2004 and his replacement, Melissa Fiocco, was later replaced with Alex Canion after the release of the album uniVers.

In June 2008, guitarist Mark De Vattimo quit Voyager due to personal and professional differences.

Guitarists Chris Hanssen and Scott Kay and drummer Mark Boeijen soon followed.

A June Australian tour saw sold-out shows nationwide, with the Perth performance needing to move to a larger venue to accommodate demand.

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From Runaway to Dreamer to Promise, how Voyager finally made it to Eurovision

Australia's Voyager is through to the Eurovision 2023 grand final

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Voyager: Meet the Eurovision die-hards finally representing Australia

Prog-rock band voyager have come close to representing their country a couple of times in the past, article bookmarked.

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Australia may have only joined Eurovision in 2015, but fans are hoping 2023 could be the country’s year thanks to the star power of prog-rock band Voyager .

The five-piece – whose current line-up features Daniel “Danny” Estrin, Simone Dowe, Scott Kay, Ashley Doodkorte and Alex Canion – first formed in 1999. Since then, the band have swapped out their members many times, releasing seven studio albums over 24 years.

Voyager are representing Australia for the first time in Liverpool in this year’s final, but this is far from their first shot at Eurovision glory.

Follow our live blog for all the latest updates on Eurovision 2023

The group were shortlisted to compete for Australia in 2020 (although they did not make it to the country’s final), only to become the runners-up in Australia’s competition last year, eventually losing out to the raven-haired belter Sheldon Riley.

• Eurovision 2023 – live: Mae Muller to represent UK in Liverpool final as mystery guest teased
• Mae Muller: ‘Eurovision 2023 is the year of the pop girlies!’
• Eurovision 2023: Betting odds and favourites
• Eurovision Song Contest 2023: Lineup and running order

For 2023, Voyager were internally selected to represent Australia with their song “Promise”, which is part pulsing synth track, part rock head-banger.

As with many Eurovision songs, such as this year’s self-empowerment anthem “Queen of Kings” by Norway’s Alessandra , Voyager’s track imparts a positive message.

Lyrically, “Promise” speaks to the importance of companionship in a chaotic world. “Sometimes we all just need a friend, partner or family to tell us it’ll be alright,” said guitarist Scott Kay.

Voyager is set to compete in the second semi-finals on Thursday (11 May) in Liverpool, where they will be up against Denmark, Armenia, Romania, Estonia, Belgium, Cyprus, Iceland, Greece, Poland, Solvenia, Georgia, San Marino, Austria, Albania, and Lithuania for a chance to compete in Saturday’s grand final (13 May).

We spoke to guitarist Kay about the history of long-haired rockers in Eurovision and the pressures of going up against Sweden’s Eurovision favourite and competition darling Loreen in Liverpool.

Hi Scott! Congrats on your Eurovision entry track “Promise” – it’s a belter! What’s the backstory behind the song?

“Promise” began as an intriguing introduction, with Danny begging the question: “Have you ever done anything like this before?” to which our answer as a band was, “Nope!”.

It felt like a great idea to explore, so we delved into it together. “Promise” lyrically is a reflection of the chaos in the world, and that sometimes we all just need a friend, partner or family to tell us it’ll be alright.

Eurovision loves a long-haired rock star, who have been some previous favourites of the genre?

We love Blind Channel from Finland. The staging was epic, and the theatrics for the performance are epic. Their performance has influenced us, and we hope to capture that same energy.

Australia is still a relatively new addition to Eurovision – how has the country embraced the madness of the competition?

By staying up to ungodly hours just to simply watch Eurovision! We’re more dedicated viewers by default, I think. Australia is such a massive cultural melting pot, so it only makes sense that Eurovision would be embraced so deeply. We love theatre, drama, the discussion about the music and the outfits.

This isn’t your first attempt to represent Australia at Eurovision. What has made 2023 the right year?

We were internally selected this year, but won the popular vote last year with our song “Dreamer” in 2022. I genuinely think we were a point of difference for Australia last year; a heavy band with a pop sheen, and our song had immediacy to it. This year, we believe it only made sense to be chosen to represent the country considering how close we came in 2022!

What parts of Liverpudlian culture are you most excited to experience?

Liverpool is such an art-focused city, so it’s going to be great to be immersed not only in the Eurovision culture, but the music and art scene that already exists there. If we have time it would be great to get to a pub and watch some local talent, perhaps visit the Beatles Museum too.

Who’s your favourite past Eurovision winner?

“Euphoria” by Loreen is just such a captivating and powerful song, it’s hard to go past. It’s both amazing and slightly intimidating to be competing against her this year as well!

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Australian band Voyager qualify for Eurovision grand finale

Perth band Voyager has pushed through to the grand finale of Eurovision on Sunday, emerging as an unlikely favourite with their catchy rock tune.

Why this festival photo is sparking outrage

Star’s brutal accident mid-Coachella set

Aussie music festival’s ‘massive’ reveal

Australia’s representation at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest has made it through to the all-important grand finale.

Five-member Perth synth metal group Voyager excelled at Friday’s second semi final with their song Promise, booking them an unexpected spot in Sunday’s final in Liverpool, UK.

Australia pushed through as one of 10 acts who managed to qualify for the finale, with six countries being knocked out in the second semi. All up, there are 26 acts performing in the final showing, which kicks off tomorrow at 5am AEDT.

Voyager’s lead singer Daniel Estrin is perhaps the most unlikely rock star to emerge from the 67th annual contest, holding a day job as a partner at a law firm.

“I think I might be the first lawyer to take part in Eurovision,” he told SBS.

Voyager’s appearance marks the eighth time Australia has been involved in Eurovision, and follows Sheldon Riley placing 15th in last year’s contest.

2023 could well be our first and last chance at winning the title, as Australia’s contract with the European Broadcasting Union expires this year with doubts over whether or not it’ll be renegotiated.

Former The X Factor winner Dami Im is, so far, has proved Australia’s closest shot at taking out Eurovision, coming a close second in 2016 with her ballad Sound of Silence .

The UK is hosting Eurovision this year after placing second at last year’s contest.

Ukraine took out the title in 2022, and while the winner usually hosts the following year’s competition, it was deemed unsafe due to the ongoing war between the country and Russia.

All the countries performing in the Eurovision 2023 grand final

In running order:

2. Portugal

3. Switzerland

10. Albania

12. Estonia

13. Finland

14. Czech Republic

15. Australia

16. Belgium

17. Armenia

18. Moldova

19. Ukraine

21. Germany

22. Lithuania

More Coverage

24. Slovenia

25. Croatia

26. United Kingdom

A photo taken at a popular music festival in Sydney yesterday has sparked outrage for one very clear reason.

Rapper Kid Cudi was rushed to hospital midway through his Coachella set after a brutal accident played out in front of everyone.

The largest hip-pop and R&B music festival in the southern hemisphere has revealed a “massive” line-up for Aussie fans.

Voyager formed in Newbury (Berkshire) – originally as The Paul French Connection –  and charted in 1979 with their debut single Halfway Hotel  which reached #35 in the UK (#15 in Australia) and became the title track of their debut album.

Their second album – Act of Love (1980) – produced the single Sing Out (Love Is Easy) which received saturation radio airplay in Britain but did not chart.

A third (self-titled) followed in 1981 with Dominic Telfer on bass, replacing Chris Hook. The single from this album, Rosie , did not chart either.

After touring extensively, and in the absence of any further chart hits, Voyager disbanded in 1981.

Drummer John Marter joined the lineup of Marillion while guitarist Paul Hirsh played on tours with Status Quo and Chris Rea.

Singer Paul French took a different musical direction becoming a full-time composer.

Following the release of a retrospective CD in 2004, the original lineup reunited for an album of original material in 2006 entitled Eyecontact .

Paul French Vocals, keyboards Paul Hirsh Vocals, guitar, keyboards Chris Hook Bass, vocals John Marter Drums Dominic Telfer Bass

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Voyager Singer Danny Estrin Reveals Shock Cancer Diagnosis

"I’ve been diagnosed with a form of cancer that requires immediate treatment."

Voyager (Supplied)

Perth progressive metal outfit Voyager have revealed that vocalist Danny Estrin has received “a shock cancer diagnosis”.

The band, who have had a massive year around Eurovision and their recently released album Fearless In Love , have postponed their upcoming European tour to 2024 so that the singer can undergo “immediate treatment”.

“Last week I was dealt some life-altering news: I’ve been diagnosed with a form of cancer that requires immediate treatment,” Estrin shared via the band’s Facebook .

“I am absolutely devastated that we cannot perform on our forthcoming European tour, especially after this incredible Eurovision year we’ve had. I am on strict doctors’ orders to not take this lightly, put my health first and get this sorted so that we can be on stage again as soon as possible. This has been an extremely hard decision to make, but one that everyone will hopefully understand."

The band’s 2024 Australian tour remains unaffected at this stage - you can find all the tour dates below.

In regard to what type of cancer Estrin has been diagnosed with, Voyager said: “We please request you respect Danny’s privacy on this matter until he is ready to share further information publicly. Please be assured he is getting the best treatment available to him.”

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Estrin has requested privacy during this difficult time, and Voyager “will endeavour to communicate with fans as soon as possible”.

If you’d like to support Estrin and the band, you can purchase merch from Wild Thing Records (AU) , Kings Road (UK/EU) and Merchbooth (USA) outside of Australia and sign up for their Patreon .

Reviewing their last show in Brisbane for The Music , Carley Hall praised Voyager for living up to the recent swathe of hype brought on by the band’s appearance at Eurovision . Hall wrote:

If there were ever any suspicions about whether this band’s bark was bigger than its bite, they’re quickly quashed. Voyager has spent half its lifetime as a band with members coming and going around its mainstay Estrin; the Voyager that we see now on stage have had 10-plus years of playing together – and you can hear and see it in action.

Fearless In Love was released on Friday, 14 July, via Season Of Mist , debuting at #3 on the ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart and earning critical acclaim.

In a recent interview with The Music , Voyager drummer Ashley Doodkorte said the release of Fearless In Love offered the band a sense of “massive catharsis” to “finally have it out there”.

‘FEARLESS IN LOVE’ 2024 AUSTRALIAN TOUR

Saturday 3 February – Boorloo/Perth , Metro City Thursday 8 February – Naarm/Melbourne , 170 Russell Friday 9 February – Meanjin/Brisbane , Princess Theatre Thursday 22 February – Ngambri/Canberra , The Basement Friday 23 February – Eora/Sydney , Manning Bar Saturday 24 February – Kaurna/Adelaide , Unibar

Tickets: livenation.com.au

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