Eurovision 2025: Milkshake Man explains the meaning behind Australia's song

Australia Broadcast Center

15-05-2025

Australia's Go-Jo seems like every Eurovision trope rolled into one.
From his sparkling blue lycra jumpsuits to his impressive hip gyrations, the bright, manic energy of the 'Milkshake Man' singer is infectious.
But underneath the zesty, bold confidence, Australia's entrant is anything but a stereotype.
Hailing from the tiny WA town of Manjimup (population 9,000), Marty Zambotto grew up off-grid, free to roam his family's remote farm.
"I feel like I am quite an individual," Zambotto admits, "and I think that definitely came from my childhood."
From days spent wandering nature with almost no access to TV or the internet to TikTok virality and now European fame, Zambotto's path to success hasn't been straightforward.
We caught up with the 29-year-old as he struts his stuff for Basel's Eurovision fanatics, uncovering the surprising depth that lies beneath his raunchy silliness.
Straight off the bat!
So, the song actually has a really deep meaning.
It's all about self-confidence and self-expression and feeling comfortable with who you are — being the loudest and proudest version of yourself.
Like in the second verse: "The shake is not a drink it's a state of mind." It's this ability we have in all of us that just needs to be woken.
'Milkshake Man' is like an environment I built around that idea, through the chaotic-ness of the character.
I don't even think the humour is intentional, it's just how it comes out.
I'm quite a clumsy person and I'm quite a loud person, and people find it really funny, but it's actually who I am.
I'm all for people laughing, not with me, but at me. I think any form of joy around the world is the best kind.
Yes! I am actually. I'm into cartoon love.
Like a lot of Snoopy — it might be how Snoopy feels when someone who he admires kisses his cheek, and then he kind of flutters off into the distance.
...What does sexual awakening mean?
The way I grew up, all we had was magazines, and I'm pretty sure the only people that were on the front cover was like, Grant Denyer and Lee Lin Chin. So I never really thought about that stuff too much.
I was gonna say it would be from saving somebody, but I would say I'd be saving many people.
I'd save one person, maybe I get a scratch to the face, start bleeding, then I'd save someone else. Then I get a punch to the eye, it starts bleeding down my face.
And then eventually I'd just, you know, find myself under a tree with a harmonica.
[Laughs] Sorry, I dunno.
That's the thing, we didn't have TV.
Well, we did, but it was all powered by a generator and inverter, because we were off-grid, so we watched it probably once or twice a week for like an hour until the batteries died.
So mostly we'd just be running around outside discovering and inventing things.
I used to always find myself challenges with being barefoot.
I remember once I ran on a gravel road for like, 10 kilometres and it was like: 'OK, I've accomplished this. Now it's time to go to a train track.'
And then I would run on a train track barefoot, and that is hard. Have you ever seen a train track, like how sharp those rocks are? I need you to be more impressed here.
My dad, being French, he followed it for a very long time.
When I was about four, he had 'Waterloo' on a VHS by ABBA. And I remember watching glimpses of that when I was young.
I always remember Bjorn's guitar; it was this star, speech-bubble thing like you see in action comic books where it's like: 'Pow! Kazoo!'
As a kid, I was like: 'Woah, that's pretty cool.'
I love the aesthetic of ABBA. The 70s and 80s are my favourite in terms of fashion, and I love the music too. Gosh, don't even get me started — I'm still inventing a time machine so I can try to go back.
My eyes are very attracted to 70s and 80s clothing. I have a 70s suit collection that's my pride and joy.
They're really rare, but I have a full denim one and it's a three piece; I have the vest as well as the pants, and they're flared at the bottom.
And I risked it! I got it off eBay, and when you order clothes online, it's a gamble. But it came and it fit like a glove.
Yeah, I think so.
Getting deep, but I invented this subconscious thing when I was a kid, where I'm Marty, but then my thoughts, I call Wheat. And it's the two of us together, so I never feel alone.
I was about eight or nine, and I loved Weet-Bix at the time, so I think that's why I called it Wheat.
Sometimes, you know, he will say something naughty, like: 'You shouldn't leave today because you don't look too good.' And it's just like: 'Shut up, Wheat.'
It's helped me in so many ways, and it eases my nerves. Even now, before I go onto stage, I will say to myself internally: 'This is something we dreamt of, Wheat.'
It's such a beautiful thing, and I still use it every single day. It's one of the most empowering things that I've ever done, and it makes me feel like a kid still.
Yeah! And the crowd excites me more than anything.
Knowing that I can get on a stage and see people, know that people will smile and have fun, it makes me go a little too hard sometimes.
Australia's Go-Jo will perform in Eurovision Semi-Final 2 on Friday, May 16 at 5am AEST, live on SBS and SBS On Demand. The Grand Final will broadcast on Sunday, May 18 at 5am AEST.
Quotes have been altered slightly for clarity and brevity.