Category — Australian Idol

Look I firstly want to say I am real sorry that former Australian Idol contestant Tom Williams was the subject of a violent attack, however blaming Australian Idol producer’s for it is a bit spurious.

Tom from Adelaide who was a contestant in the year that Wes Carr won told the Herald Sun he blamed the Australian Idol producers for the attack which left him badly injured.

The article states:

Tom Williams was beaten so badly he fractured his eye socket and he says the incident took place because producers didn’t provide contestants with adequate support after the show.

“After Idol they completely drop you,” Williams told The Sunday Telegraph. “I was there with all this exposure and it was difficult without any support.”

After being booted off Idol in 2008, the year Wes Carr was crowned winner, Williams returned to Adelaide to live with his parents. He finished Year 11 but dropped out because he claims he was bullied by fellow students and teachers.

Two weeks ago, Williams claims six men attacked him in Adelaide’s Melrose Park.

He is reluctant to discuss details as charges have been laid and the matter is likely to be heard in court.

“They were calling me a faggot and all that kind of stuff before they started kicking me,” said Williams, in Sydney to promote his debut single, LOL

Personally I don’t know how the producers could have stopped the attack unless he wanted a personal bodyguard at all times since he finished the show.

I suppose people have to way up the positive benefits of getting TV exposure on reality shows, ie it can fast track their career versus the negatives of people recognising them when they are out in public.

There is no doubt that Lisa Mitchell is a talented songwriter and performer, anyone who watched Australian Idol the year she was on it could see here was a girl with a bright future.

She signed with an independent record label and went to London to learn her craft. In great news for her and women in the entertainment industry as well she won the Australian Music Prize. It is a $30,000 prize with artistic support, and it is the first time a woman has won the prize.

It is unfortunate that she is embarassed by her Australian Idol past, something that has given her a high profile and has made it easier for her to gain media stories.

The SMH article states:

An emcee at the Museum of Contemporary Art said Mitchell had ”thrown off the shackles of Australian Idol, which is no mean feat”. Indeed, the show is often pilloried as yielding overnight but fleeting fame and next to no credibility.

But English-born Mitchellwas not fazed by references to her past on the TV talent show – she placed sixth in 2006.

”I just hope that people can take my songs just for my songs, not for anything that has happened in the past,” she said.

Considering American Idol contestants tend to embrace their road to fame, it is something the Australian ones are still not particularly comfortable with. Matt Corby appears to be slightly embarassed by his time on the show as well.

This year on American Idol appears to be the year of the alternate girl with Crystal Bowerstox and Siobhan Magus looking to be front runners.

Sabrina Batshon was one of the more intriguing individuals on this year’s Australian Idol, and I have been wondering what she has been up to and in the clip above she talks about what she has been doing.

In summary:

• She has been writing songs,
• Scouting for a record company,
• Got engaged, and
• She will be touring.

No dates are out yet but if you are interested in seeing her perform keep an eye on her website http://sabrinabatshon.com.au/

In nonsurprising news, Australian Idol will rested for 2010 according to the Daily Telegraph..

Even though the show had been announced in the Channel Ten 2010 line up, it was always unlikely it was going to go ahead.  As I suggested in a previous blog post that Channel Ten did not want to kill it off last year at a time they were making the positive announcements of the next year’s programming.

This season’s finale only garnered 1.4 million viewers.

Dicko confirmed he has not renewed his contract and is looking around for other TV projects.

Though hopefully it will be back bigger and better in 2011 as Ten has asked Fremantle to think about ways to re-launch it.

Poor Jay Dee Springbett, he was a last minute replacement judge on Australian Idol for disgraced radio personality Kyle Sandliands in 2009, and it would appear he is about to be dumped from the show.

An article on news.com.au suggests the judge is not coming back to the show, and that Channel Ten are looking for bigger and better replacement.

Australian Idol has not been officially signed yet, but it is believed it will be. It has been suggested that Kyle might be coming back to the show.

Jessica Mauboy’s publicist muAst have been the only one working this week as every paper I picked up over the past few days there has been a story about her in it. Today was no exception with this article in the Sunday Telegraph saying she wanted to win three or four Aria’s this year.

Also she was mentioned in this article in the Saturday Daily Telegraph about Australians who will shape 2010. The Australia Idol runner up will be in a movie called Bran Nue Dae. She has also said she hopes to do further acting work.

In other Australian Idol alumni news Kate DeAraugo is actually dating producer and guitarist France Millo, they met when he was a “roadie” for the Young Divas. They have been dating three years, and are apparently close to getting engaged.

Guy Sebastian has also had a great year and he tweeted today “Desperate Housewives and Brothers and sisters are also using Like it Like That in the US!! Unreal!” and “Thanks to everyone for making Like it Like That the highest selling single of 2009!! Im blown away.”

Ajay Rochester is again getting bad PR because of alleged bad debts. This one is about a non-paid hairdressers bill. She claims it was meant to be a “contra deal” whatever that means. (Source Sunday Telegraph)

Susan Boyle the runner up of Britain’s Got Talent has the highest selling album of 2009. She also has said she would like to tour Australia this year. (Source Herald Sun)

Mark Holden thinks that new Australian Idol judge Jay Dee Springbett will get better. Somehow I doubt he will get a second season. There is no news yet on whether Australian Idol will get the go ahead this year. (Source: Herald Sun)

I was a bit perplexed about this article in the Sunday Telegraph where it said that Australian Idol winner Stan Walker’s mother would be negotiating his record deal with Sony Music.

The good news is that Stan is determined to get some money for his album of the songs that he performed on the show, something previous winner Damien Leith, and runner-up Jessica Mauboy did not get.

However is his mother the right person to do this?

The article states:

Walker, 19, has set up his own company – Stan Walker Music Pty Ltd, headed by his mum, April – to negotiate his record deal with Sony Music so he doesn’t end up like Leith.

I am always a bit wary about relatives getting involved in business deals, especially when they have no experience in the area. Yes she would have Stan’s best interest’s at heart,  but will that be enough?

The Sunday Telegraph are hinting that all may be forgiven with fallen Australian Idol judge Kyle Sandilands, and they may be trying to tempt him back to the show.

The article states that “confidential” research taken by Fremantle Media showed the viewers did not take to new judge Jay Dee Springbett and they found Marcia Hines “bland”. Yes they paid for that, I would have told them that for free.

It would appear they were unphased by the snarky tones of the pair twittering during the show this year and could welcome him back into the fold.

I wonder if they will also get rid of Marcia, maybe they could replace her with Julie Zemiro. Now that would be a positive thing.

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Has Kate D’Arrugio been wiped from the annals of Australian Idol history? In the opening credits when they flashed through talent that has been through the show, she was not there. Natalie Gauci, and Casey Donovan were.

Well there are still fans of Australian Idol, as they packed the Opera House Forecourt in this sweltering heat, however a fair whack of them were Stan Walker’s family.

The opening group song had energy, but it did highlight that there was not a lot of talent this year, however at least this year the top two were probably the best performers of the series. Unfortunately Ashleigh Toole we never got to know you. I did like the girls song When Love Take Over, and Sabrina Batshon does have a set of pipes on her. The boys song did not do for me quite so much, Casey Barnes must take the title of blandest Australian Idol ever, well until next year.

I did find it mildly amusing that Ian Moss was singing Michael Jackson’s Beat It. I am presuming this is Idol’s tribute to MJ, but seriously why are we still paying homage to this guy? Yes he wrote and perform some great songs, but his behaviour in his personal life is seriously disturbing. Considering Kyle Sandilands was wiped from Idol for inappropriate behaviour, shouldn’t Michael Jackson be as well?

Poor Ricki-Lee looked like she was being knocked around by the heat, and Twitter exploded with opinions about her dress, and the necessity of her to climb out of a bed at the beginning of the song.

Guy Sebastian had to perform by himself because Jordin Sparks from American Idol had to have an emergency appendectomy. A pity Adam Lambert couldn’t fly out to replace her.

Anyway it was not surprise when Stan Walker was named this year’s Australian Idol – a well deserved winner, as he was the one who did give us the most Australian Idol “moments” this series.

The question of what next for Stan and Hayley will quickly be replaced with the question of what next for Australian Idol.

Australian Idol judge Jay Dee Springbett is finally getting into his judging groove, and in an article in the latest edition of TV Week he gives his views on this  year’s show.

This is what he said:

Who do you think will win?

Stan

Who would you be most excited about producing a record with?

My qualities would be best suited to Stan’s record, with my contacts and connections. So from my personal point of view, it would probably be Stan. But Stan or Hayley’s record, I could do a great job on either.

Who are you surprised stuck it out throughout the competition?

I’m surprised at one person – James. He was almost gone, then Toby gave his bloody speech!

Who do you think should still be standing?
I would’ve liked to still see Ashleigh Toole, who was the first one kicked off – she was a dark horse, actually. I think there was more to her than met the eye. And Kate Cook – it would’ve been and interesting angle to make a little country record, and she’s a really great girl.

Which contestant would have been the hardest ot produce an album for?

I think Sabrina would have been a challenge. And for me, Toby. I know the nation loved him, but I think he’s two or three years away from finding himself, musically.

How have you found the public criticism of your time on the show?

The rivalry with Dicko was schoolboy antics, but the media reception when I first got into this was a bit harsh, and that threw me. But I just didn’t read the press and it went away, so it was  as easy as that!

Will you be back next year?

I haven’t been invited yet! I’ve really enjoyed working with everyone but I think I just need to go away at Christmas and get some head space. I would never discount it. It’s been a real challenge for me, and I’m at the stage now where I’m finally getting OK at it, so it would be a shame if it all went tomorrow.