It’s not every day you see a country’s prime minister chanting “Yum yum!” in public. But in the colourful, chaotic world of Eurovision, that’s just part of the hype – especially when Australia’s 2025 entry is a shirtless man dancing in an ice cream truck.
Meet Go-Jo, also known as “Milkshake Man”, the viral pop star from Western Australia who’s about to hit Europe’s biggest stage with a song that’s part club banger, part life philosophy.
“It’s a superpower,” he said of the song’s deeper message. “It’s about confidence. Feeling loud and proud. That’s why I made the Milkshake Man to help others feel the same.”
Go-Jo, whose real name is Marty Zambotto, spoke to Seven Sharp just before flying out to Germany, where this year’s Eurovision Song Contest will take place.
“I’ve already tried on three things,” Go-Jo said with a grin. “Life is just better with colour, isn’t it?”
The Manjimup-born artist has been on a wild trajectory since the release of his Eurovision entry Milkshake, a pulsing, joyful track that quickly went viral on TikTok and has topped the charts in New Zealand. Fans shout lyrics at him in the street. At Sydney’s Mardi Gras, he was mobbed by supporters. Even Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese couldn’t resist quoting the chorus.
“I’ve even had a message from someone in Antarctica,” he said. “That’s when I knew this is wild.”
But Go-Jo’s isn’t just here to be catchy. Behind the playful visuals and candy-coloured music video lies a message of empowerment for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t fit in.
“There’s a line in the song that says, ‘The shake is not a drink, it’s a state of mind, a superpower you were born to find’. That’s what this is really about.”
Growing up in a large family on a self-sustaining property, Go-Jo said he learned to embrace individuality early.
“We didn’t have much, but we had everything we needed. My parents are the most creative people I know.”
And one of the more unexpected results of that upbringing, he said, was his lifelong love for raw broccoli.
Go-Jo’s fans will know he’s often seen handing out fresh broccoli at shows – not as a joke, but as a genuine gesture of joy.
“It’s the best snack ever,” he insisted. “Raw broccoli with aged balsamic vinegar. Trust me.”
In case broccoli wasn’t unexpected enough, he’s also hoping to sway a few votes with a dash of French flair. A dual citizen, he’s including a French lyric or two in his performance, although he admitted he wished he’d learned more of the language growing up.
“My dad always tried to teach us,” he said. “But I was too restless to sit still for more than five minutes.”
Still, he said he mastered at least one key phrase: “De la gomme, de la jarre”, which, loosely translated, means “vegetables in the garden” which he joked was “perfectly on brand”.
While Go-Jo’s staging for Eurovision remained tightly under wraps, he promised it would be a spectacle.
“I just want people to feel good,” he added. “Like the loudest, proudest version of themselves.”
