Encore: Danny Estrin’s Eurovision glory and the bittersweet aftermath

Voyager frontman Danny Estrin on his unconventional path from heavy metal to law and on to the Eurovision grand final (R).

Danny Estrin is one of the few Australians who knows what it’s like to perform at Eurovision. 

As frontman for the progressive synth metal band, Voyager, Danny commanded the stage in the 2023 competition, wind machine and all. 

His musical education started early, on a piano gifted by his babushka and freighted from the Soviet Union to his childhood home in Hamburg.

After moving from Germany to Perth as a child, Danny turned to heavy metal as a way of finding belonging.

Danny is also an immigration lawyer, but by night he quite literally lets his hair down, swapping his suit and tie for a keytar and microphone.

Just months after Sarah first spoke to Danny in 2023, he received a stage four cancer diagnosis.

Voyager had to cancel all the shows they'd booked after their Eurovision performance, as Danny started treatment, supported by his wife and two girls.

While his cancer is terminal, Danny has been doing really well, defying everyone's expectations.

This year he even got the band back together, and when he's not undergoing treatment, Danny is back on stage with Voyager.

Further information

Originally broadcast in August, 2023.

Danny is currently working on a television show about people's love affairs with their cars.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Tamar Cranswick.

It explores music, heavy metal, Eurovision, migration stories, migration law, Russia, Germany, multiculturalism in Australia, classical music, how to have a career in music, family, fatherhood, love, marriage, father of daughters, cancer diagnosis, terminal cancer, cars, hot rods.

To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.