From the streets to stardom
Australian Idol hopeful reveals her inspiring story
The Australian Idol auditions ramped up tonight on Channel 7 and 7plus, as our star judges Harry Connick Jr, Meghan Trainor, Kyle Sandilands and Amy Shark gave out golden tickets to eight talented Aussie singers.
Sydney school student Amelie Matthews’wowed the judges with her rendition of I Don’t Want To Be You Anymore by Billie Eilish. Amy raised concerns that the 15-year-old may be too impressionable for the competitive music industry but relented giving Amelie a golden ticket.
Surfer Sash Seabourne from Margaret River spun Whitney Houston’s classic I Wanna Dance With Somebody on its head, delivering Kyle exactly what he was looking for: “Something refreshing, something exciting, something that’s different from everything else we’ve seen. I’m super pumped.”
Hitting the road, Amy popped in to visit 19-year-old Noah Cookson in Mackay, Queensland. The heartthrob was torn between becoming a rugby league player or a musician, but after one too many head clashes, he hung up his footy boots and has devoted his life to music. Singing Coldplay’s Yellow, Noah gave Amy goosebumps, as she declared: “Not only am I giving you this [a golden ticket)]but I think you could win this thing.”
Dance teacher Jasey Fox tried his luck in the audition room, putting his glam rock filter on Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. Overcoming his nerves, he pictured the judges naked before belting out a powerhouse performance that left them all floored and secured his spot in the competition.
From loving Australian Idol as a kid, to having a kid of her own, Bundaberg mother Michaela George tried her luck singing Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato. Her unexpected vocal range left the panel flabbergasted, with Harry exclaiming: “You’re real sweet, but I bet if you make it through, there is going to be this other side to you, where you’ll say ‘You’re gonna have to get outta my way’.”
Full-time musician Isabella Vicente revealed she previously lived on the streets, which resonated with Kyle, who was also homeless at one point in his life. Reimagining Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game, Isabella received four “yes” votes. “You found something that kept the integrity of the song, but it was completely different from Chris Isaak’s version. I dug it,” Harry exclaimed.
Paramedic Jess Crossman proved she is ready to revive her music career, as she auditioned with You’ve Got The Love by Florence + The Machine. Meghan thought she was too similar to Florence, but Harry disagreed, saying: “I really dug it. You’re just off the path enough to make me really like you.” With Kyle and Amy agreeing with Harry, Jess was granted a golden ticket.
Inspired by her culture, Noora H took to the stage to perform an acoustic version of Sia’s showstopper She Wolf. After a nervous start, Noora pulled it together to show the judges why she could be the next Australian Idol. Kyle said: “We’re not just dealing with nerves of auditioning, you’re representing people you don’t see a lot of on TV.” With Harry saying “no”, Noora’s fate lay on Meghan’s sequinned shoulders. “You pulled a uey. At first, I was like ‘oh no!’ but then I was like ‘oh yes!,” said Meghan, before giving Noora her golden ticket.
Sunday night on Australian Idol: A nervous Tessa Noll auditions for the judges. Will she follow in the footsteps of her famous uncle, Australian Idol legend Shannon Noll? Amy Shark travels to North Queensland to dig up some of Australia’s untapped talent.
Australian Idol – 7.00pm Sunday. Continues 7.30pm Monday and Tuesday on Channel 7 and 7plus
Media Release – Seven
See tonight’s audition highlights:
