Australia's Eurovision entrant Dami Im says she felt nervous thinking of how many millions of people were watching her in Stockholm as she sang her way into the contest's final.
But she was heartened when she looked out on a packed theatre of enthusiastic, flag-waving Eurovision fans, the show of support later causing her to burst into tears.
The 27-year-old's performance of her power ballad Sound of Silence in her semi-final on Thursday night won her enough votes from Eurovision fans and music juries across 42 competing countries to clinch a spot in Saturday's final.
She was one of 10 contestants to get through following a glittering show at the Swedish capital's Globe Arena full of dedicated Eurovision fans, including many Australian members of the "Dami Army" there to support her.
"I feel all the pressure has been lifted in a way because at least I'm in the grand final now," she told AAP after the show.
But she said thinking about her family and other Australians getting up at 5am to watch her made her nervous along with the thought that maybe 200 million people were also watching the show across Europe and elsewhere.
"I was nervous but as soon as I saw the crowd and how amazing they were I was just blown away," she told reporters.
"I saw all the fans singing along and cheering me afterwards.
"I burst into tears after my performance because I was so touched by how everybody was just so supportive of me," Im said.
"My fan base, the 'Dami Army', they are the best, they're such happy, excited fans who are so supportive."
In Thursday night's show, after co-presenter Petra Mede announced Australia was through, Im was shown jumping up and down in jubilation holding an Australian flag.
She performed in a glittering silver gown, at first sitting on a shining cube then striding across a stage as shafts of coloured light flashed all around.
The Brisbane-based Im is among a handful of contestants tipped to do well by online polling and betting sites.
When asked at the post-show press conference how Australia could be invited to perform in Eurovision, Im explained that Australians had been big followers of the contest since the 1980s and other regular Eurovision entrants (such as Israel and Armenia) were also not in Europe.
"Australia's probably the furthest away but we just love watching it, we love the concept of everyone coming together, playing music."
Im is Australia's second participant in Eurovision after Australia was given a wildcard entry last year, with entrant Guy Sebastian coming fifth with his song Tonight Again.
