0.003 number used in Austria's Eurovision song has a very important meaning

There’s actually a hidden meaning to Austria’s entry at the Eurovision Song Contest this year.

Fans across the continent are ecstatic that The Eurovision Song Contest has returned, and the 67th edition of the European singing competition is already in full swing.

This year, Liverpool’s M&S Arena is hosting a selection of singers, bands and groups, all of who want to claim the Eurovision crown and bring the contest to their shores next year.

Countries such as Austria, Croatia and of course the UK are in it to win it, but Ukrainian entry Tvorchi will also be hoping to repeat last year’s win.

Austrian duo Teya & Salena opened the proceedings this evening with their track ‘Who The Hell Is Edgar?’.

A catchy track which features the bizarre lyrics : "Poe. Poe. Poe. Poe. Who the hell is Edgar Allen Poe.”

Of course, Edgar Allen Poe is an American writer who was known for his tales of woe and mystery — not a figure we would expect to be at the centre of a Eurovision song.

The performance itself also featured the number ‘0.003’ being broadcasted on the screen, and now Eurovision fans have learnt why.

BBC

According to a tweet, the Austrian performance is actually about the lack of royalties that musicians receive.

Taking to Twitter, TV and film critic Scott Bryan wrote: “Austria’s song is about the lack of royalties musicians receive from the likes of Spotify, with 0.003 referencing how much some artists get per stream.

“Just boss moves. Absolutely no notes,” he added.

And following the tweet, Eurovision fans have come out in support of Teya & Selena’s stand against the music industry’s abysmal pay.

Twitter/BBC

One Twitter user wrote: “All in for Austria tonight (and the channelling of Edgar Allen Poe as a medium for this too)

Another said: “The Austrian entry is also a side-swipe at the music industry and particularly the streaming services that de-value artists’ labour.”

A musician also had their say on the 0.003 reveal and wrote: “I’d be buzzing if I got £0.0003 per stream. I recently received £1339 for 724K streams on Spotify. That’s about £0.0018 per stream

“And hey… And hey... I'm so grateful. I am in no position to complain. But that's also part of the problem.”

Austria will be hoping that their song will earn them their third-ever Eurovision win.

Their first win was in 1966 and their second being 2014 — could 2023 be their next?