Australian Idol (season 5)
Finalists
Natalie Gauci Natalie Gauci Natalie Gauci is an Australian singer of Italian and Maltese descent. Gauci undertook music tuition at the Victorian College of the Arts, formed her own band that played gigs in Melbourne, while also working as a music teacher...	Winner
Matt Corby Matt Corby Matthew John "Matt" Corby is an Australian singer-songwriter, who was the runner-up to Natalie Gauci on the fifth season of Australian Idol in 2007.-2007:...	25 November
Carl Riseley Carl Riseley Carl Riseley is an Australian singer and recording artist.-Early life and career origins:Born on the Gold Coast in 1982, Riseley started out playing the cornet, and progressed to the trumpet when he was sixteen. Riseley joined The Royal Australian Navy band in April 2003, as a trumpeter...	12 November
Marty Simpson Marty Simpson Marty Simpson could refer to*Marty Simpson , 19th-century baseball player*Marty Simpson , Contest on season 5 of Australian Idol....	5 November
Tarisai Vushe	29 October
Daniel Mifsud	22 October
Ben McKenzie	15 October
Jacob Butler	8 October
Mark Da Costa	1 October
Lana Krost	24 September
Brianna Carpenter	17 September
Holly Weinert	10 September

The fifth season of Australian Idol

Australian Idol

Australian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...

 premiered on 5 August 2007 on Network Ten

Network Ten

Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...

. It concluded on 25 November.

Format Changes

The series was again hosted by Andrew G

Andrew G

Andrew Günsberg , commonly known as Andrew G, is a British-born Australian television and radio presenter who is best known as the host of the reality series Australian Idol. He was also the compere of Network Ten's game show The Con Test, and for three years co-hosted the Sydney New Year's Eve...

 and James Mathison

James Mathison

James Mathison is an Australian television presenter.-Early life:Mathison was born in Sydney, New South Wales He grew up in Frenchs Forest and attended St...

 with Ian "Dicko" Dickson returning to the show as one of the judges, along with Mark Holden

Mark Holden

Mark Holden is an Australian singer, television personality and barrister. He was one of a panel of three judges on the television series Australian Idol.-Acting career:...

, Marcia Hines

Marcia Hines

Marcia Elaine Hines, AM is a vocalist, actress and TV personality who achieved success in her adopted homeland of Australia. Hines made her debut, at the age of sixteen, in the Australian version of the stage musical Hair and followed with the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar...

 and Kyle Sandilands

Kyle Sandilands

Kyle Dalton Sandilands is an Australian radio and TV personality. He is currently the host with Jacqueline Henderson, better known as Jackie O, on the weekday morning radio program The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Sydney radio station 2Day FM, The Kyle and Jackie O Hour of Power which airs on...

.
The show continued with the new format from Season 4, where contestants were permitted to perform original material for their audition and throughout the season, play instruments as part of their performances.

Ratings

The premiere episode of the 2007 series had 1.65 million viewers, making it the show's second highest rating series opener and 270,000 ahead of last year. The show was in the top ten most viewed shows for the early part of the series and eventually dropped to around number eighteen and nineteen for quite some time due to hot competition from Channel 7's "Kath and Kim". The season was on a low compared to Season 4. The Top 5 performance show marked the re-commencement of higher ratings for the program and it reached number nine.

Auditions

The auditions for Australian Idol (season 5) were run from March to May 2007. They were held in:

• Kalgoorlie
  Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
  Kalgoorlie, known as Kalgoorlie-Boulder, is a town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, and is located east-northeast of state capital Perth at the end of the Great Eastern Highway...
  
   on 3 March
• Bunbury
  Bunbury, Western Australia
  The port city of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia after the State Capital Perth and Mandurah. It is situated south of Perth's central business district...
  
   on 6 March
• Coffs Harbour
  Coffs Harbour, New South Wales
  -History:By the early 1900s, the Coffs Harbour area had become an important timber production centre. Before the opening of the North Coast Railway Line, the only way to transport large items of heavy but low value, such as timber, was by coastal shipping. This meant sawmillers on the North Coast...
  
   on 10 March
• Dubbo on 14 March
• Canberra
  Canberra
  Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
  
   on 18 March
• Wollongong
  Wollongong, New South Wales
  Wollongong is a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 82 kilometres south of Sydney...
  
   on 20 March
• Newcastle
  Newcastle, New South Wales
  The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
  
   on 25 March
• Launceston
  Launceston, Tasmania
  Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
  
   on 31 March
• Hobart
  Hobart
  Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
  
   on 1 April

• Wagga Wagga
  Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
  Wagga Wagga is a city in New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Murrumbidgee River, and with an urban population of 46,735 people, Wagga Wagga is the state's largest inland city, as well as an important agricultural, military, and transport hub of Australia...
  
   on 3 April
• Darwin
  Darwin, Northern Territory
  Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
  
   on 14 April
• Rockhampton
  Rockhampton, Queensland
  Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane....
  
   on 19 April
• Brisbane
  Brisbane
  Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
  
   on 21 April and 22
• Perth
  Perth, Western Australia
  Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
  
   on 29 April
• Mildura
  Mildura, Victoria
  Mildura is a regional city in northwestern Victoria, Australia and seat of the Rural City of Mildura local government area. It is located in the Sunraysia region, and is on the banks of the Murray River. The current population is estimated at just over 30,000.Mildura is a major agricultural centre...
  
   on 4 May
• Adelaide
  Adelaide
  Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
  
   on 6 May
• Melbourne
  Melbourne
  Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
  
   on 12 May 13 and 14
• Sydney
  Sydney
  Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
  
   on 19 May 20 and 21

Theatre Week (Seymour Centre)

As in previous years, the theatre week, held at Sydney's Seymour Centre

The Seymour Centre

The Seymour Centre is a multi-purpose performing arts centre within the University of Sydney, NSW in the Australian city of Sydney. It is located on the corner of City Rd and Cleveland St in Chippendale, an inner-circle suburb, just south-west of the city centre.The building was designed by...

, consisted of three gruelling elimination rounds. For the first round, each contestant singing a cappella

A cappella

A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...

 one song of their choice in front of the judges, before being told, based on that performance, whether they would be moving onto the next round.

The second round, (for the first time in Australian Idol history), the group rounds consisted of two boys and two girls, instead of a same gender group, as in previous seasons. Contestants were once again told whether they would be moving onto the next round based on these performances.

In the third and final round, each contestant was then to perform a song choice of their own choosing, in a solo performance in front of the judges and every other contestant. Based on these performances, each contestant was told, one at a time, whether they would become a part of the Top 24, or if their journey would end.

Semi-Finals

The Semi Finals were run to the same format as the fourth season, with four groups of six performing solo in a live studio on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night. On the Thursday night, the first eight finalists through to the Top 12 were announced, along with another eight of the remaining 24 chosen for the Wildcard show. These eight would be given a second chance to prove themselves worthy of one of the four remaining spots in the Top 12. The following Sunday night the wildcards would perform again with the results revealed on the Monday night.

The semi finalists for 2007 were...

Females	Males
Brianna Carpenter	Lyall Adonis
Jesse Curran	David Andrews
Cheray Doughty	Jacob Butler*
Natalie Gauci Natalie Gauci Natalie Gauci is an Australian singer of Italian and Maltese descent. Gauci undertook music tuition at the Victorian College of the Arts, formed her own band that played gigs in Melbourne, while also working as a music teacher...	Jack Byrnes
Morgan Hosking	Matt Corby Matt Corby Matthew John "Matt" Corby is an Australian singer-songwriter, who was the runner-up to Natalie Gauci on the fifth season of Australian Idol in 2007.-2007:...
Lana Krost	Mark Da Costa
Sarah Lloyde	Ben McKenzie
Madison Pritchett	Daniel Mifsud
Rosie Ribbons Rosie Ribbons Rosemary "Rosie" Ribbons is an Australian-born, UK-raised singer. In the early 1980s, her English father , Ronald, visited Australia...	Carl Riseley Carl Riseley Carl Riseley is an Australian singer and recording artist.-Early life and career origins:Born on the Gold Coast in 1982, Riseley started out playing the cornet, and progressed to the trumpet when he was sixteen. Riseley joined The Royal Australian Navy band in April 2003, as a trumpeter...
Sally Van Der Zwart	Marty Simpson Marty Simpson Marty Simpson could refer to*Marty Simpson , 19th-century baseball player*Marty Simpson , Contest on season 5 of Australian Idol....
Tarisai Vushe	Husny Thalib
Holly Weinert	Junior To'o

• Butler was a former contestant on the first series of The X Factor Australia. The 10 network allowed him to audition for Australian Idol.

Carl Riseley

Carl Riseley (born 21 December 1982 is a 25-year-old from Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

, New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

. He was advanced by the four judges to the Final 12 through the Wildcard show. He has been awarded one "touchdown" from Mark Holden. Before Idol, Carl was a member of the Royal Australian Navy

Royal Australian Navy

The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...

, where he plays the trumpet

Trumpet

The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...

 in the Navy Band. Carl was the final eliminee on 12 November 2007 when Natalie Gauci and Matt Corby proceeded into the Grand Final. He has a younger brother called Anthony. He is currently signed to Universal Records and will release his debut album The Rise in April 2008. Carl Riseley vocally supported axed judge Mark Holden on his departure in March 2008. Carl is referred to as the "swing king" and has been marketed in a Tom Jones type way.

Audition:

Theatre Week (Round 1):

Theatre Week (Round 3):

Top 24: "Home

Michael Bublé

Michael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was...

" by Michael Bublé

Michael Bublé

Michael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was...

Wildcard Show: "Bye Bye Love" by The Everly Brothers

The Everly Brothers

The Everly Brothers are country-influenced rock and roll performers, known for steel-string guitar playing and close harmony singing...

Top 12 (Contestant's Choice): "Waltzing Matilda

Waltzing Matilda

"Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known bush ballad. A country folk song, the song has been referred to as "the unofficial national anthem of Australia"....

" by Banjo Paterson

Banjo Paterson

Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson, OBE was an Australian bush poet, journalist and author. He wrote many ballads and poems about Australian life, focusing particularly on the rural and outback areas, including the district around Binalong, New South Wales where he spent much of his childhood...

Top 11 (Rock): "Clocks

Clocks (song)

"Clocks" is a song by English alternative rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. Built around a piano riff, the song features cryptic lyrics of contrast and urgency themes. Several remixes of the track exist and its riff...

" by Coldplay

Coldplay

Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...

Top 10 (Disco): "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire

Earth, Wind & Fire

Earth, Wind & Fire is an American soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Also known as EWF, the band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of...

Top 9 (Acoustic): "It's Alright with Me

We Are in Love

We Are in Love is an album by American artist Harry Connick, Jr., released in 1990. The multi-platinum album features Connick on piano & vocal, Russell Malone on guitar, Shannon Powell on drums, Benjamin Jonah Wolfe on double bass, and Branford Marsalis on saxophone. Joining the quartet, is...

" by Harry Connick, Jr.

Harry Connick, Jr.

Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. is an American singer, big-band leader/conductor, pianist, actor, and composer. He has sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top 60 best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with...

Top 8 (Brit Pop): "Can't Buy Me Love

Can't Buy Me Love

"Can't Buy Me Love" is a song composed by Paul McCartney and released by The Beatles on the A-side of their sixth British single, "Can't Buy Me Love"/"You Can't Do That".-Interpretation:...

" by The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

 ~ Bottom 2

Top 7 (The Year You Were Born): "Turn Your Love Around

Turn Your Love Around

"Turn Your Love Around" is one of many major R&B, jazz and pop hit singles for George Benson. The song was written to help fill out Benson's 1981 greatest hits album, The George Benson Collection. It reached number one on the soul singles charts and number five on the Billboard Hot 100 singles...

" by George Benson

George Benson

George Benson is a ten Grammy Award winning American musician, whose production career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist....

Top 6 (Judge's Choice):: "It's Not Unusual

It's Not Unusual

"It's Not Unusual" is a song written by Les Reed and Gordon Mills, first recorded by a then-unknown Tom Jones after having first been offered to Sandie Shaw. Jones recorded what was intended to be a demo for Shaw, but when she heard it she was so impressed with Jones' delivery that she declined the...

" by Tom Jones

Tom Jones (singer)

Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...

 - (Ian "Dicko" Dickson) ~ TOUCHDOWN!

Top 6 (Contestant's Choice): "Jealous Guy

Jealous Guy

"Jealous Guy" is a song written and performed by John Lennon which first appeared on his 1971 album Imagine. It is one of the most commonly covered Lennon songs, with at least ninety-two recorded cover versions, the most notable being Roxy Music's version, which reached number one in several...

" by John Lennon

John Lennon

John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...

Top 5 (Australian Made): "Reminiscing

Reminiscing

"Reminiscing" is a 1978 song written by Graeham Goble, and performed by Australian rock music group Little River Band. It remains their greatest success in the United States, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that same year. The song is about a couple reminiscing about the past, with...

" by Little River Band

Little River Band

Little River Band is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in early 1975.The group chose the name after passing a road sign leading to the Victorian township of Little River, near Geelong, on the way to a performance. Little River Band enjoyed sustained commercial success in not only...

Top 4 (Big Band): "Just Kiss Me" by Harry Connick, Jr.

Harry Connick, Jr.

Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. is an American singer, big-band leader/conductor, pianist, actor, and composer. He has sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top 60 best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with...

Top 4 (Big Band): "Me and Mrs Jones" by Billy Paul

Billy Paul

Billy Paul is a Grammy Award winning American soul singer, most known for his 1972 number-one single, "Me and Mrs. Jones" as well as the 1973 album and single "War of the Gods" which blends his more conventional pop, soul and funk styles with electronic and psychedelic influences...

 ~ Bottom 2

Top 3 (Audience Choice): "You Give Me Something

You Give Me Something

"You Give Me Something" is the first single by English singer James Morrison, which was released on 16 July 2006. The song is featured on his debut album, Undiscovered, which was released on 31 July 2006. The song has been nominated for a BRIT Award in the category Best British Single Shortlist in...

" by James Morrison

James Morrison (singer)

James Morrison is a BRIT Award-winning English singer-songwriter and guitarist from Rugby, Warwickshire. In 2006, his debut single "You Give Me Something" became a hit in Europe, Australia, and Japan, peaking in the top five in the UK and New Zealand. His debut album, Undiscovered, debuted at the...

Top 3 (Contestant's Choice): "For Once in My Life

For Once in My Life

"For Once in My Life" is a pop song written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden for Motown Records' Jobete publishing company in 1967 . The composition was originally recorded by Jean DuShon, while other artists, such as Tony Bennett and The Temptations, recorded slow ballad versions of the song...

" by Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder

Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...

Marty Simpson

Marty Simpson is a 21-year-old from the Central Coast, New South Wales

Central Coast, New South Wales

The Central Coast is an urban region in the Australian state of New South Wales, located on the coast north of Sydney and south of Lake Macquarie....

. He plays guitar, writes his own songs and has been described as a "bloke's bloke" by Mark Holden. Before Idol, he worked with his father as a bricklayer. He was eliminated on 5 November 2007. Marty was described by judges as lazy, something which he himself acknowledged. He finished in 4th place, and was in the bottom appearance four times before being eliminated. Although not initially named by Today Tonight as vote-rigging, he was later named and subsequently became the 4th in a row named that was eliminated. On leaving, Marty Simpson stated that he had been approached by Sony BMG in relation to a recording contract.

Audition:

Theatre Week (Round 1):

Theatre Week (Round 3):

Top 24: "Over My Head (Cable Car)

Over My Head (Cable Car)

"Over My Head " is a song by American rock band The Fray. It is included on their on their debut album How to Save a Life and was the debut single from the album and hit the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart...

" by The Fray

The Fray

-Literature:*Fray, a phenomenon in Terry Pratchett's The Carpet People*Fray , a comic book series by Joss Whedon**Melaka Fray, titular character of the comic book series-Music:*"Fray", a song from the album 14 Shades of Grey by Staind...

Top 12 (Contestant's Choice): "Can't Stand Losing You

Can't Stand Losing You

"Can't Stand Losing You" is a song by rock band The Police, first released as a single and on their album Outlandos d'Amour, both in 1978. The original single was banned by the BBC because of the controversial cover...

" by The Police

The Police

The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...

Top 11 (Rock): "Jenny Don't Be Hasty

Jenny Don't Be Hasty

"Jenny Don't Be Hasty" is a song by Scottish singer/songwriter Paolo Nutini, written with Jimmy Hogarth and produced by Hogarth, which was his second single released on 25 September 2006. It was taken from his debut album These Streets, and was the follow-up to Nutini's debut single "Last Request"...

" by Paolo Nutini

Paolo Nutini

Paolo Giovanni Nutini is a Scottish singer, songwriter and musician from Paisley. His father is of Italian descent, from Barga, Tuscany, although both his parents are Scottish, his family having been in Scotland for three generations....

 - Bottom 2

Top 10 (Disco): "You Sexy Thing

You Sexy Thing

"You Sexy Thing" is a song recorded by the British group, Hot Chocolate. It was written by Hot Chocolate's lead singer Errol Brown, and produced by Mickie Most. It reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart in 1975, and number 3 in the US Pop charts a year later...

" by Hot Chocolate

Top 9 (Acoustic): "Open Your Eyes

Open Your Eyes (Snow Patrol song)

"Open Your Eyes" is a song by the alternative rock band Snow Patrol It has been released as the fifth single in total from the 2006 album Eyes Open . The song was released on 12 February 2007.-Music video:...

" by Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...

Top 8 (Brit Pop): "Naïve" by The Kooks

The Kooks

The Kooks are an English indie rock band formed in Brighton, East Sussex, in 2001. Formed by Luke Pritchard , Hugh Harris , Paul Garred , and Max Rafferty , the lineup of the band remained constant until 2008 and the departure of Rafferty...

Top 7 (The Year You Were Born): "Now We're Getting Somewhere

Now We're Getting Somewhere

"Now We're Getting Somewhere" is a 1986 song by rock group Crowded House. It was the third single from the group's debut album Crowded House. It is the only single from the band's debut release, Crowded House, to not appear on the band's greatest hits album Recurring Dream...

" by Crowded House

Crowded House

Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Australia and led by New Zealand singer-songwriter Neil Finn. Finn is the primary songwriter and creative director of the band, having led it through several incarnations, drawing members from New Zealand , Australia and the United States...

 ~ Bottom 3

Top 6 (Judge's Choice):: "No Woman, No Cry

No Woman, No Cry

"No Woman, No Cry" is a reggae song by Bob Marley & The Wailers. The song first became known in 1974 through the studio album Natty Dread. The live version from the 1975 album Live! is perhaps best known — it was this version which was released on the greatest hits compilation Legend. The original...

" by Bob Marley

Bob Marley

Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...

 - (Marcia Hines

Marcia Hines

Marcia Elaine Hines, AM is a vocalist, actress and TV personality who achieved success in her adopted homeland of Australia. Hines made her debut, at the age of sixteen, in the Australian version of the stage musical Hair and followed with the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar...

)

Top 6 (Contestant's Choice): "Last Kiss

Last Kiss

"Last Kiss" is a song that was released by Wayne Cochran in 1961 on the Gala label. It was unsuccessful chartwise. Cochran subsequently re-recorded his song for the King label in 1963. The song was later revived by J...

" by Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...

 ~ Bottom 3

Top 5 (Australian Made): "These Days

These Days (Powderfinger song)

"These Days" is an alternative rock song from Powderfinger's fourth studio album, Odyssey Number Five, which was released in 2000. The song was also released on Powderfinger's 2004 compilation album Fingerprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 1994-2000....

" by Powderfinger

Powderfinger

Powderfinger was an Australian rock band that formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bassist John Collins, and drummer Jon Coghill....

 ~

Top 4 (Big Band): "Light My Fire

Light My Fire

"Light My Fire" is a song by The Doors which was recorded in August 1966 and released the first week of January 1967 on the Doors' debut album. Released as a single in April, it spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and one week on the Cash Box Top 100, nearly a year after...

" by The Doors

The Doors

The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...

Top 4 (Big Band): "American Baby

American Baby

"American Baby" is the first radio single from Dave Matthews Band from their 2005 studio album, Stand Up. The song is also featured on the band's greatest hits album, The Best of What's Around Vol. 1...

" by Dave Matthews Band

Dave Matthews Band

Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...

Tarisai Vushe

Tarisai Vushe (born 23 March 1987) is a Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...

 born, 23-year-old who auditioned in Sydney, New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

. Before Idol, she worked in her family store and studied psychology at university, whilst attending Hillsong Church affiliate Shirelive Church

Shirelive Church

Shirelive Church is a Pentecostal Christian church affiliated with Australian Christian Churches, the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God denomination. The church's main campus is located in the commercial district of Sutherland, a Southern suburb of Sydney, Australia, in the local...

 . She was eliminated on 29 October 2007. She was known for her powerful vocals, which were described by the judges at audition and throughout the series as "sending shivers down the spine" when she sang. She was awarded one touchdown by Mark Holden. She was criticised by judges for not improving and not really listening to the judges when she said "thank you" in response to criticism. She was briefly the favourite to win the competition, the only person other than Matt Corby to be favourite in the whole series. She was evicted amidst claims that she was "fake", which led to great controversy. She sang at the Sydney New Year's Eve concert, performed an original song at a Sydney Martial Arts contest in January 2008 and in March 2008 she went on tour with South African band
Malaika

Malaika (Group)

Malaika is a South African Afro-pop music group, which has been described as post-kwaito, post-mbaqanga and neo-soul, consisting of three young musicians: Bongani Nchanga and the late Jadu Ndaba from the previous band the Stouters and Matshediso Mholo , a former school teacher.Malaika toured...

 and toured in Macao (China) in September 2008. The debut single "Head Over Heels" was released in March 2010 which got nominated at the AFRO-AUSTRALIAN MUSIC AND MOVIE AWARDS for the Best single of the year and the best vocalist 2010 where she won both awards. In 2011 she starred on an american tv show Killer instinct as Muggy.

Audition: "I Have Nothing

I Have Nothing

"I Have Nothing" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston and released as the third single from The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album on February 20, 1993 by Arista Records. The song was written by David Foster and Linda Thompson, and produced by Foster...

" by Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...

Theatre Week (Round 1):

Theatre Week (Round 3):

Top 24: "River Deep - Mountain High

River Deep - Mountain High

"River Deep – Mountain High" is a 1966 single by Ike & Tina Turner. Considered by producer Phil Spector to be his best work, the single was successful in Europe, peaking at #3 in the United Kingdom, though it flopped on its original release in the United States...

" by Ike & Tina Turner

Ike & Tina Turner

Ike & Tina Turner were an American rock & roll and soul duo, made of the husband-and-wife team of Ike Turner and Tina Turner in the 1960s and 1970s. Spanning sixteen years together as a recording group, the duo's repertoire included rock & roll, soul, blues and funk...

Top 12 (Contestant's Choice): "If I Was Your Woman

Alicia Keys

Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...

" by Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys

Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...

Top 11 (Rock): "Hard to Handle

The Black Crowes

The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the...

" by The Black Crowes

The Black Crowes

The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the...

Top 10 (Disco): "Hot Stuff

Hot Stuff (Donna Summer song)

"Hot Stuff" is a hit single released by American singer Donna Summer in 1979 as the first single release from her Bad Girls album through Casablanca Records...

" by Donna Summer

Donna Summer

LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...

 ~ Bottom 2

Top 9 (Acoustic): "Kissing You

Kissing You (Des'ree song)

"Kissing You" is a song by British singer Des'ree. It was written by the singer with Timothy Atack for Baz Luhrmann's 1996 film Romeo + Juliet. The song was included on the film's soundtrack album and Des'ree's third studio album, Supernatural...

" by Des'ree

Des'ree

Des'ree is an English pop/soul singer who was popular during the 1990s. She is well known for her hits: "Feel So High", "You Gotta Be", "Life", and "Kissing You"...

Top 8 (Brit Pop): "Somebody to Love

Somebody to Love (Queen song)

"Somebody to Love" is a song by British rock band Queen. Written by lead vocalist and pianist Freddie Mercury, the track featured on their 1976 album A Day at the Races, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits...

" by Queen

Queen (band)

Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...

 ~ TOUCHDOWN!

Top 7 (The Year You Were Born): "I Knew You Were Waiting (for Me)

I Knew You Were Waiting (for Me)

"I Knew You Were Waiting " is a song performed by Aretha Franklin and George Michael as a duet in 1987. It was written by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan.-Music video:...

" by Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...

 and George Michael

George Michael

George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...

Top 6 (Judge's Choice):: "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love

Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe

"Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" is a song written, recorded and produced by Barry White. Released as the first single from White's album Can't Get Enough in 1974, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 and U.S. R&B chart and has since become one of White's signature tunes. It was his second...

" by Taylor Dayne

Taylor Dayne

Taylor Dayne was born Leslie Wunderman on March 7, 1962 before later adopting her current stage name. She is an American pop vocalist, songwriter, and dance artist. Overall, she has had eighteen individual hit songs reach the top ten in Billboard magazine...

 - (Marcia Hines

Marcia Hines

Marcia Elaine Hines, AM is a vocalist, actress and TV personality who achieved success in her adopted homeland of Australia. Hines made her debut, at the age of sixteen, in the Australian version of the stage musical Hair and followed with the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar...

) ~ Bottom 2

Top 6 (Contestant's Choice): "I Believe in You and Me

I Believe in You and Me

"I Believe in You and Me" is a ballad written by Sandy Linzer and David Wolfert. The song was first recorded and released by the R&B group The Four Tops in 1983. The song was written by Linzer and Wolfert in 1982, and the Four Tops released it as a single in 1983...

" by Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...

 ~ Bottom 2

Top 5 (Australian Made): "When It All Falls Apart

When It All Falls Apart

"When It All Falls Apart" is the third single released from The Veronicas' debut album The Secret Life of... on 21 March 2006. It has been certified Gold for sales over 35,000 units in Australia. "When It All Falls Apart" charted within the ARIA Top 20 for 14 weeks. It was to be released in the UK...

" by The Veronicas

The Veronicas

The Veronicas are an Australian electrorock, pop-punk and rock band. Twin sisters Jessica and Lisa Origliasso formed the band in 1999 in Brisbane. They have their own line of clothing which was released in 2007....

Daniel Mifsud

Daniel Mifsud is a 23-year-old from Sydney, New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

. He was advanced by the public to the Final 12 through the Wildcard Show. He has been awarded one "touchdown" from Mark Holden. Before Idol, Daniel was a music teacher in a primary school. Daniel was eliminated on 22 October 2007.

Audition:

Theatre Week (Round 1):

Theatre Week (Round 3):

Top 24: "Tip of My Tongue

Johnny Diesel

Johnny Diesel is an Australian musician, who has released material as leader of Johnny Diesel & the Injectors, under his birth name, or by the epithet Diesel...

" by Diesel

Johnny Diesel

Johnny Diesel is an Australian musician, who has released material as leader of Johnny Diesel & the Injectors, under his birth name, or by the epithet Diesel...

Wildcard Show: "Lay Your Love on Me" by Roachford

Top 12 (Contestant's Choice): "Cry Me a River

Cry Me a River (Justin Timberlake song)

"Cry Me a River" is the second single from Justin Timberlake's solo debut album Justified. Released on December 17, 2002, the single, which features guest vocals and production by Timbaland & Scott Storch, won Timberlake a Grammy Award for "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance" in 2004.-Background...

" by Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake

Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...

Top 11 (Rock): "Fire" by Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix

James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...

Top 10 (Disco): "Miss You" by The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...

 ~ Bottom 3

Top 9 (Acoustic): "I Was Made for Lovin' You

I Was Made For Lovin' You

I Was Made for Lovin' You" is a song by American hard rock band Kiss, originally released on their 1979 album Dynasty. It was released as the A-side of their first single from the album. It was the band's second Gold single, selling over 1 million copies. The single was certified Platinum in the...

" by Kiss

KISS (band)

Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...

 ~ TOUCHDOWN!, Bottom 3

Top 8 (Brit Pop): "Message in a Bottle

Message in a Bottle (song)

"Message in a Bottle" is a 1979 song by The Police, from their second album, Reggatta de Blanc.The song is ostensibly about a story of a castaway on an island, who sends out a message in a bottle to seek love. A year later, he has not received any sort of response, and despairs, thinking he is...

" by The Police

The Police

The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...

 ~ Bottom 3

Top 7 (The Year You Were Born): "Billie Jean

Billie Jean

"Billie Jean" is a dance-pop/R&B song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was written, composed, and co-produced by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones from the singer's sixth album, Thriller . Originally disliked by Jones, the track was almost removed from the album after he and...

" by Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...

Top 6 (Judge's Choice): "Fragile" by Sting (musician) - (Mark Holden

Mark Holden

Mark Holden is an Australian singer, television personality and barrister. He was one of a panel of three judges on the television series Australian Idol.-Acting career:...

)

Top 6 (Contestant's Choice): "From the Sea

From the Sea

"From the Sea" is the first single by Australian rock band Eskimo Joe, taken from their second studio album, A Song Is a City. It was their most successful single at that time, reaching number 33 on the ARIA Charts...

" by Eskimo Joe

Eskimo Joe

Eskimo Joe is an Australian alternative rock band formed by Stuart MacLeod on guitars, Joel Quartermain on drums and guitar and Kavyen Temperley on bass guitar and vocals, in East Fremantle, Western Australia in 1997....

Ben McKenzie

Ben McKenzie (born 24 July 1990) is a 20-year-old from Gosford

Gosford, New South Wales

Gosford is a city located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 76 km north of the Sydney central business district...

, on the Central Coast

Central Coast, New South Wales

The Central Coast is an urban region in the Australian state of New South Wales, located on the coast north of Sydney and south of Lake Macquarie....

 of New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

. Ben was a favourite to win the competition until he was eliminated on 15 October 2007 which led to judge Marcia Hines threatening to quit the show in relation to his eviction and the treatment of him by the other 3 judges. Ben was falsely named by Today Tonight as being involved in "vote-rigging" and was the first of 4 in a row who were eliminated. He had never been in the bottom 3 until his elimination night. Ben performed at Sydney's New Year's Eve concert to end 2007. Ben has composed many original songs which he has been performing at small shows around Sydney & the Central Coast of NSW. He has also traveled to perform in Melbourne. Ben's film production company Dreams Unleashed Productions has completed filming and editing his first feature-length film, 'Submerged: The Movie (2011)'. The film is a unique combination of horror and supernatural thriller, drawing influences from The Ring

The Ring (2002 film)

The Ring is a 2002 American psychological horror film directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Naomi Watts and Martin Henderson. It is a remake of the 1998 Japanese horror film Ring....

 and Silent Hill

Silent Hill (film)

Silent Hill is a 2006 horror film directed by Christophe Gans and written by Roger Avary. The story is an adaptation of the Silent Hill series of survival horror video games created by Konami. The film, particularly its emotional, religious and aesthetic content as well as its creature design,...

 and will be released April 2011. The soundtrack for the film was written by Ben.

Audition:

Theatre Week (Round 1):

Theatre Week (Round 3):

Top 24: Mad World

Mad World

"Mad World" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was the band's third single release and first chart hit, reaching #3 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1982. Both "Mad World" and its B-side, "Ideas As Opiates", would turn up...

" by Tears for Fears

Tears for Fears

Tears for Fears are an English new wave band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, they were initially associated with the New Wave synthesiser bands of the early 1980s but later branched out into...

Top 12 (Contestant's Choice): "Sunday Morning

Sunday Morning (Maroon 5 song)

"Sunday Morning" is the fourth single from Maroon 5's debut album, Songs About Jane. Released in 2004, the single peaked at #31 in the USA becoming Maroon 5's fourth Top 40 single; it also peaked at #27 in the UK and Australia....

" by Maroon 5

Maroon 5

Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album...

Top 11 (Rock): "Bodies

Bodies (Little Birdy song)

"Bodies" is a song by Little Birdy from their second album, Hollywood. The song was the second single released from the album, and the fifth in the bands history. The single was released on January 23, 2007...

" by Little Birdy

Little Birdy

Little Birdy are an Australian indie rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia in 2002 by singer and guitarist Katy Steele, drummer Matt Chequer, guitarist and keyboardist Simon Leach, and bass guitarist Scott O'Donoghue...

Top 10 (Disco): "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" is a single by American recording artist Michael Jackson. Released under Epic Records on July 28, 1979, the song is the first single from Jackson's fifth studio album, entitled Off the Wall. Written by Jackson, it is in the key of B major and in common time...

" by Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...

Top 9 (Acoustic): "Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek (Imogen Heap song)

"Hide and Seek" is the first single by Imogen Heap from her album Speak for Yourself. The song is performed with the sole accompaniment being a keyboard synth transformed by a vocoder, creating an altered a cappella sound.-Television:...

" by Imogen Heap

Imogen Heap

Imogen Jennifer Jane Heap is a Grammy Award-winning English singer, composer and songwriter from Havering, Essex. She is known for her work as part of the musical duo Frou Frou and her solo albums, which she writes, produces, and mixes...

Top 8 (Brit Pop): "Wonderwall

Wonderwall (song)

"Wonderwall" is a song by English rock band Oasis, written by the band's guitarist and main songwriter Noel Gallagher. The song was produced by Owen Morris and Gallagher for their second album, Morning Glory?...

" by Oasis

Oasis (band)

Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...

Top 7 (The Year You Were Born): "Higher Ground" by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...

Jacob Butler

Jacob Butler first auditioned for Australian Idol in 2005. He failed to made it past the Top 100 Group Performances. Jacob reached sixth place in the 2005 Australian version of The X Factor TV series in the same year. Jacob tried out for Idol again at the 2007 auditions, singing "Don't Look Back In Anger" by Oasis. The Judges were impressed by his improvement in both his songwriting and musicianship. He was soon placed into the Top 24. Australia made him their second top 12 finalist after his rendition of Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars". Jacob was eliminated on 8 October 2007. His last performance on Idol was on Brit Pop night. He performed The Beatles "Let It Be". Post-Idol Jacob performed at the Sydney News Years Eve Concert along side fellow Idol contests Ben McKenzie and Tarisai Vushe. Jacob states his musical idols as Noel Gallagher, John Lennon. His favorite song is "Run" by Snow Patrol. Jacob has dated Paula Lucarelli since 2006. The pair met after meeting on the set of The X-factor in 2005. Paula, 29 works as a national publicist at Network Ten In Melbourne.

Audition: "Don't Look Back In Anger" by Oasis

Theatre Week (Round 1): Chocolate

Chocolate

Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...

 by Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...

Theatre Week (Round 3): Across The Universe

Across the Universe

"Across the Universe" is a song by the English group The Beatles. It was written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song first appeared on the various artists charity compilation album No One's Gonna Change Our World in December 1969, and later, in different form, on Let It Be,...

 by The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

Top 24: Chasing Cars

Chasing Cars

"Chasing Cars" is the second single from Snow Patrol's fourth album, Eyes Open. It was recorded in 2005 and released on 6 June 2006 in the US and 24 July 2006 in the UK as the album's second single....

 by Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...

Top 12 (Contestant's Choice): When You Were Young

When You Were Young

"When You Were Young" is a song written and performed by The Killers, and is the third track on their second album Sam's Town, released in October 2006. The song was released as the lead single from that album in September 2006. It has proven to be one of their most successful singles, peaking at...

 by The Killers

Top 11 (Rock): "Morning Glory" by Oasis

Oasis (band)

Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...

Top 10 (Disco): "Canned Heat

Canned Heat

Canned Heat is a blues-rock/boogie rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965. The group has been noted for its own interpretations of blues material as well as for efforts to promote the interest in this type of music and its original artists...

" by Jamiroquai

Jamiroquai

Jamiroquai is a British jazz funk and acid jazz band formed in 1992. Jamiroquai were initially the most prominent component in the early-1990s London-based acid jazz movement, alongside groups such as Incognito, the James Taylor Quartet, and the Brand New Heavies. Other Acid Jazz artists such as...

Top 9 (Acoustic): "Somewhere Only We Know

Somewhere Only We Know

"Somewhere Only We Know" is a song performed and composed by English alternative rock band Keane, officially released as their third commercial single, and appearing as the opening track of their debut album, Hopes and Fears as the first single...

" by Keane ~ Bottom 2

Top 8 (Brit Pop): "Let It Be" by The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

Mark Da Costa

Mark Da Costa is a 28-year-old from Sydney, New South Wales, thus was the oldest finalist. He was advanced by the public to the Final 12 through the Wildcard show. He was eliminated on 1 October 2007, finishing in 9th place. Although already eliminated, Mark was named by Today Tonight as being involved in vote-rigging. Since leaving Idol, Mark da Costa has gone back to performing regularly, and has been on tour with his band for most of 2008.

Audition:

Theatre Week (Round 1):

Theatre Week (Round 3):

Top 24: "Whole Lotta Love

Whole Lotta Love

"Whole Lotta Love" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin. It is featured as the opening track on the band's second album, Led Zeppelin II, and was released in the United States and Japan as a single. The US release became their first hit single, it was certified Gold on 13 April 1970, when it...

" by Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...

Wildcard Show: "Evie (Part 1)

Evie (song)

Evie is an Australian rock song released as a single in 1974 by Australian music legend and former frontman of The Easybeats, Stevie Wright.It was written by Harry Vanda and George Young...

" by Stevie Wright

Top 12 (Contestant's Choice): "Vertigo" by U2

U2

U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...

Top 11 (Rock): "High Voltage

High Voltage (song)

Not to be confused with Danger! High Voltage"High Voltage" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It was first released in Australia as a single in July 1975, and it is the eighth track of their second Australian album T.N.T. The song was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott....

" by AC/DC

AC/DC

AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...

Top 10 (Disco): "Nutbush City Limits

Nutbush City Limits

"Nutbush City Limits" is a semi-autobiographical rock and roll song written and originally performed by Tina Turner in which she commemorates her rural hometown of Nutbush, Tennessee. Released June 1973, shortly before her separation from then-husband and musical partner Ike Turner, "Nutbush City...

" by Ike & Tina Turner

Ike & Tina Turner

Ike & Tina Turner were an American rock & roll and soul duo, made of the husband-and-wife team of Ike Turner and Tina Turner in the 1960s and 1970s. Spanning sixteen years together as a recording group, the duo's repertoire included rock & roll, soul, blues and funk...

Top 9 (Acoustic): "Yellow

Yellow (song)

"Yellow" is a song by English alternative rock band Coldplay. The band wrote the song and co-produced it with British record producer Ken Nelson for their debut album, Parachutes...

" by Coldplay

Coldplay

Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...

Lana Krost

Lana Krost is a 17-year-old student from Western Australia. She auditioned in Perth

Perth, Western Australia

Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....

. She is adopted and her birth mother was a Vietnam

Vietnam

Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

ese opera singer who travelled around China singing with her grandparents. She was eliminated on 24 September 2007. Since leaving Idol, Lana graduated from her high school St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls

St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls

Established in Claremont in 1896, the school currently caters for approximately 1,052 students from the Early Learning Centre to Year 12, including 150 boarders in Years 7 to 12...

 and is currently attending WAAPA

Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts

The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts , Edith Cowan University was established in 1980 to provide performing arts tuition comparable to the highest calibre of national and international training benchmarks to be able to meet industry needs around the globe.The school is located in the...

 doing a contemporary music course. On April 2010, it was announced that Lana will be one of the new members of the Young Divas

Young Divas

Young Divas was an Australian girl group that had consisted of previous Australian Idol contestants. The original line up consisted of season one finalist Paulini Curuenavuli, season two finalist Ricki-Lee Coulter, season three winner Kate DeAraugo and runner-up Emily Williams...

 seeming as all past members resumed their solo careers. She will be replacing former member, Kate DeAraugo

Kate DeAraugo

Katherine Jenna "Kate" DeAraugo, pronounced de roosh , is an Australian singer-songwriter who was the third winner of Australian Idol in 2005. After idol, DeAraugo signed to Sony BMG and released her debut single, "Maybe Tonight", in November 2005. The single debuted and peaked at Number 1 on the...

.

Audition:

Theatre Week (Round 1):

Theatre Week (Round 3):

Top 24: "Big Girls Don't Cry

Big Girls Don't Cry (Fergie song)

"Big Girls Don't Cry" is a song written by Fergie and Toby Gad for pop singer Fergie's debut solo album The Dutchess . The song was released as the album's fourth single in 2007 and topped the charts in several countries, most notably in Australia , and in...

" by Fergie

Top 12 (Contestant's Choice): "Shiver

Shiver (Natalie Imbruglia song)

"Shiver" is Natalie Imbruglia's first single from her third album release Counting Down the Days and it is her 8th single overall. The song and the music video received a lot of airplay on radio stations and music channels. It is considered a turntable hit worldwide, charting in some countries and...

" by Natalie Imbruglia

Natalie Imbruglia

Natalie Jane Imbruglia is an Australian singer-songwriter, model and actress. In the early 1990s, Imbruglia was known to audiences as Beth Brennan in the popular Australian soap Neighbours. Three years after leaving the programme, Imbruglia launched a singing career with the international hit,...

 ~ Bottom 2

Top 11 (Rock): "Come On, Come On" by Little Birdy

Little Birdy

Little Birdy are an Australian indie rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia in 2002 by singer and guitarist Katy Steele, drummer Matt Chequer, guitarist and keyboardist Simon Leach, and bass guitarist Scott O'Donoghue...

Top 10 (Disco): "Sing It Back

Sing It Back

"Sing It Back" is a song written and performed by Moloko . It first appeared in its original version on Moloko's second album, I Am Not a Doctor...

" by Moloko

Moloko

Moloko were an Anglo-Irish electronic/pop duo consisting of Róisín Murphy from Wicklow, Ireland and Mark Brydon, from Sunderland, England.- Origin of band name :...

Brianna Carpenter

Brianna Carpenter is a 21-year-old from Brisbane

Brisbane

Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...

, Queensland. Before Idol, Brianna was studying music production at the Conservatorium. She was eliminated on 17 September 2007.

Audition: Jacqueline (Brianna Carpenter original)

Theatre Week (Round 1):

Theatre Week (Round 3):

Top 24: "Fidelity

Fidelity (song)

"Fidelity" is an Anti-folk song from singer-songwriter Regina Spektor released in 2006 in the album Begin to Hope. The song marked Spektor's first Billboard 100 entry and is her most successful track to date. Despite a release date of September 25 , the song did not hit the charts until December...

" by Regina Spektor

Regina Spektor

Regina Ilyinichna Spektor is a Russian American singer-songwriter and pianist. Her music is associated with the anti-folk scene centered in New York City's East Village.-Early life:...

Top 12 (Contestant's Choice): "God Only Knows

God Only Knows

"God Only Knows" is a song by American rock band The Beach Boys. It is the eighth track on the group's 11th studio album, Pet Sounds , and one of their most widely recognized songs. "God Only Knows" was composed and produced by Brian Wilson with lyrics by Tony Asher and lead vocal by Carl...

" by The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...

 ~ Bottom 3

Top 11 (Rock): "The Logical Song

The Logical Song

"The Logical Song" is a hit single on Supertramp's 1979 album Breakfast in America, sung by band member Roger Hodgson. It is the band's biggest chart hit in both the United States and their native United Kingdom, and is among their most widely recognized radio hits.-Composition and Lyrics:"The...

" by Supertramp

Supertramp

Supertramp are a British rock band formed in 1969 under the name Daddy before renaming to Supertramp in early 1970. Though their music was initially categorised as progressive rock, they have since incorporated a combination of traditional rock and art rock into their music...

Holly Weinert

Holly Weinert (born 23 April 1987) is a 20-year-old from Mildura, Victoria

Mildura, Victoria

Mildura is a regional city in northwestern Victoria, Australia and seat of the Rural City of Mildura local government area. It is located in the Sunraysia region, and is on the banks of the Murray River. The current population is estimated at just over 30,000.Mildura is a major agricultural centre...

. Before Idol, Holly worked in a bar in Mildura. She was eliminated on 10 September 2007, finishing in 12th place.

Audition: "Sunday Morning

Sunday Morning (No Doubt song)

"Sunday Morning" is a song written by Tony Kanal, Gwen Stefani, and Eric Stefani for No Doubt's third album Tragic Kingdom . It was released as the album's sixth single in 1997.-Song information:...

" by No Doubt

No Doubt

No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...

Theatre Week (Round 1):

Theatre Week (Round 3): "Blackbird

Blackbird (song)

"Blackbird" is a Beatles song from the double-disc album The Beatles . Blackbird was written by Paul McCartney, but credited to Lennon–McCartney.-Origins:...

" by The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

Top 24: "Easy" by Commodores

Commodores

The Commodores are an American funk/soul band of the 1970s and 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute in 1968, and signed with Motown in November 1972, having first caught the public eye opening for The Jackson 5 while on tour...

Top 12 (Contestant's Choice): "Standing in the Way of Control

Standing in the Way of Control (song)

"Standing in the Way of Control" is a single by the American indie rock band The Gossip from the album of the same name. The remix by Le Tigre was released in 2005, the original was then released as a single in 2006, and was re-released again on February 26, 2007...

" by Gossip

Gossip (band)

Gossip is a three-piece American indie rock band formed in 1999. The band consists of singer Beth Ditto, guitarist Brace Paine and drummer Hannah Blilie. After releasing several recordings, the band broke through with their 2006 studio album, Standing in the Way of Control . A follow-up, Music for...

Elimination chart

Date	Theme
10 September	Contestant's Choice
17 September	Rock
24 September	Disco
1 October	Acoustic
8 October	Brit Pop
15 October	The Year You Were Born
22 October	Judges'/ Contestant's Choice
29 October	Australian Made
5 November	Big Band
12 November	Audience / Contestant's Choice
25 November	The Grand Finale

Stage:		Finals
Week:		9/10	9/17	9/24	10/1	10/8	10/15	10/22	10/29	11/5	11/12	11/25
Place	Contestant	Result
1	Natalie Gauci											Winner
2	Matt Corby											Runner-Up
3	Carl Riseley										Elim
4	Marty Simpson									Elim
5	Tarisai Vushe								Elim
6	Daniel Mifsud							Elim
7	Ben McKenzie						Elim
8	Jacob Butler					Elim
9	Mark DaCosta				Elim
10	Lana Krost			Elim
11	Brianna Carpenter		Elim
12	Holly Weinert	Elim

Doing It For The Kids

On 19 October 2007 there was a special Australian Idol telecast, "Doing It For The Kids", to raise money for Ronald McDonald House and Telstra Child Flight. Based on the American Idol

American Idol

American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...

 special "Idol Gives Back

Idol Gives Back

Idol Gives Back is the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of American Idol during its sixth season. A second Idol Gives Back concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the seventh season of the show. Idol Gives Back was not held in 2009 due to the ongoing...

", the Top 6 performed, as well as other artists.

Top 6:

• Carl Riseley - "Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
  Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
  Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a 1971 musical film adaptation of the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, directed by Mel Stuart, and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. The film tells the story of Charlie Bucket as he receives a golden ticket and visits Willy...
  
  
• Daniel Mifsud - "Waiting on the World to Change
  Waiting on the World to Change
  "Waiting on the World to Change" is the first single released from John Mayer's 2006 studio album, Continuum. The song enjoyed commercial success as a single and won the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 49th Grammy Awards...
  
  " by John Mayer
  John Mayer
  John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
  
  
• Marty Simpson - "I Won't Back Down
  I Won't Back Down
  "I Won't Back Down" is the first single from Tom Petty's first solo album, Full Moon Fever released in 1989. The song was written by Petty and his writing partner for the album, Jeff Lynne...
  
  " by Tom Petty
  Tom Petty
  Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
  
  
• Matt Corby - "Bedouin Song" by Lior
  Lior
  Lior is a male, independent Australian singer-songwriter based in Melbourne.-Career:In early 2005, Lior independently self-released his debut album Autumn Flow, certified gold by ARIA...
  
  
• Natalie Gauci - "Crazy
  Crazy (Gnarls Barkley song)
  "Crazy" is the debut single from Gnarls Barkley, a musical collaboration between Danger Mouse and Cee Lo Green, and is taken from their 2006 debut album St. Elsewhere...
  
  " by Gnarls Barkley
  Gnarls Barkley
  Gnarls Barkley is an American soul duo comprising Danger Mouse and Cee Lo Green. Their first studio album St. Elsewhere was released in 2006; along with its first single "Crazy". Both single and album were a major commercial success and have been noted for their large sales by download...
  
  
• Tarisai Vushe - "Ooh Child" by Five Stairsteps
• Top 6 Group Performance - "Kids" by Robbie Williams
  Robbie Williams
  Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
  
   & Kylie Minogue
  Kylie Minogue
  Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
  
  

Special Guests:

• Damien Leith
  Damien Leith
  Damien Leo Leith is an Irish Australian singer–songwriter. He was the winner of the Network Ten music contest Australian Idol 2006Damien has also guest co-hosted 'The Morning Show' on Network Ten on 18 July 2011.He was born in Ireland and now lives in Australia with his Australian wife, Eileen...
  
   - "Songbird
  Rumours
  Rumours is the eleventh studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac. Largely recorded in California during 1976, it was produced by the band with Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut and was released on 4 February 1977 by Warner Bros. Records. The record peaked at the top of both the...
  
  " originally by Fleetwood Mac
  Fleetwood Mac
  Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
  
  
• Shannon Noll
  Shannon Noll
  Shannon Noll first came to prominence as runner-up of the first series of Australian Idol which led to him being signed to Sony BMG. Since then he has released five Top 10 albums and ten Top 10 singles. His first two albums That's What I'm Talking About in 2004 and Lift in 2005 debuted at No...
  
   - "In Pieces
  In Pieces (song)
  "In Pieces" was the second single to be taken from Shannon Noll's third album Turn It Up. The track was confirmed as a single on September 21, 2007, and was released to radio on Monday, October 23, 2007. The track was Noll's favourite from the album....
  
  "
• Young Divas
  Young Divas
  Young Divas was an Australian girl group that had consisted of previous Australian Idol contestants. The original line up consisted of season one finalist Paulini Curuenavuli, season two finalist Ricki-Lee Coulter, season three winner Kate DeAraugo and runner-up Emily Williams...
  
   - "If I Can't Have You
  If I Can't Have You
  "If I Can't Have You" is a song written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees. It was most famously recorded by Yvonne Elliman for the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.-Background:...
  
  " originally by Yvonne Elliman
  Yvonne Elliman
  Yvonne Marianne Elliman is an American singer who performed for four years in the first cast of Jesus Christ Superstar...
  
  
• Darren Hayes
  Darren Hayes
  Darren Stanley Hayes is a UK-based Australian singer-songwriter. Hayes was the front man and singer of the pop duo Savage Garden, whose 1997 album Savage Garden peaked at No. 1 in Australia, No. 2 in United Kingdom and No. 3 in United States...
  
   - "Me, Myself and (I)
  Me, Myself and (I)
  "Me, Myself and " is a song written by Australian singer-songwriter Darren Hayes and Justin Shave for Hayes' third solo album This Delicate Thing We've Made. The song was confirmed on Hayes' official MySpace page in July 2007 as the second single to be released off the album...
  
  "
• Vanessa Amorosi
  Vanessa Amorosi
  Vanessa Amorosi is an Australian singer-songwriter and recording artist. Her combined album and single sales have reached over 2 million worldwide.-Early life:...
  
   - "Kiss Your Mama!
  Kiss Your Mama!
  "Kiss Your Mama!" is the first single from Vanessa Amorosi's album Somewhere in the Real World. The single was serviced to radio on Friday, 3 August 2007, with a commercial 2-track single released 8 September 2007...
  
  "
• Rogue Traders
  Rogue Traders
  Rogue Traders are an Australian electronic pop rock band fronted by Melinda "Mindi" Jackson with James Ash on keyboards, Tim Henwood on guitars and Peter Marin on drums. The group's original members met in London in 1989. Before forming Rogue Traders, Ash and Davis worked together on many...
  
   - "Don't You Wanna Feel
  Don't You Wanna Feel
  "Don't You Wanna Feel" is a dance-pop-rock song written by James Ash and Natalie Bassingthwaighte for the Rogue Traders' third studio album Better in the Dark. It was released on schedule as the album's first single on 29 September 2007...
  
  "
• Katie Noonan
  Katie Noonan
  Katie Anne Noonan is an Australian singer-songwriter. In addition to a successful solo career encompassing opera, jazz, pop, rock and dance, she sings in the groups george and Elixir, duets with her mother, Maggie Noonan and is currently playing with support from the group The...
  
   - "Send Out A Little Love"

Results show performances

1. Special Performance - "22 Steps
   22 Steps
   "22 Steps" is a song covered by Australian singer-songwriter Damien Leith and was the first single from his first studio album Where We Land. The song was released on Australian radios on 22 June 2006, with a physical release on 21 July. The Australian release includes two B-Sides, "Song for...
   
   " by Damien Leith
   Damien Leith
   Damien Leo Leith is an Irish Australian singer–songwriter. He was the winner of the Network Ten music contest Australian Idol 2006Damien has also guest co-hosted 'The Morning Show' on Network Ten on 18 July 2011.He was born in Ireland and now lives in Australia with his Australian wife, Eileen...
   
   
2. Top 12 - "Kids" by Robbie Williams
   Robbie Williams
   Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
   
    and Kylie Minogue
   Kylie Minogue
   Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
   
    - (Contestant's Choice)
3. Top 11 - "Smoke on the Water
   Smoke on the Water
   "Smoke on the Water" is a song by the British hard rock band Deep Purple. It was first released on their 1972 album Machine Head. In 2004, the song was ranked number 426 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time, and in March 2005, Q magazine placed "Smoke on the Water"...
   
   " by Deep Purple
   Deep Purple
   Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
   
    - (Rock)
4. Special Performance - "Undiscovered
   Undiscovered (song)
   "Undiscovered" is a song written by British singer James Morrison, Martin Brammer, Steve Robson and performed by Morrison. The song appears on Morrison's debut album Undiscovered and was released as his fourth single on 12 March 2007. "Undiscovered" was featured in the soundtrack for She's Out of...
   
   " by Anthony Callea
   Anthony Callea
   Anthony Cosmo Callea is an Australian singer-songwriter who rose to prominence in the 2004 season of Australian Idol when he became runner up. He was signed to Sony Music Australia until 2009 and is now an independent artist...
   
   , originally by James Morrison
   James Morrison (singer)
   James Morrison is a BRIT Award-winning English singer-songwriter and guitarist from Rugby, Warwickshire. In 2006, his debut single "You Give Me Something" became a hit in Europe, Australia, and Japan, peaking in the top five in the UK and New Zealand. His debut album, Undiscovered, debuted at the...
   
   
5. Top 10 - "Can You Feel It
   Can You Feel It
   "Can You Feel It" is a recording by funk and soul group The Jacksons, recorded in March 1980 and released on September 22, 1980 as the first track on their album Triumph....
   
   " by The Jacksons - (Disco)
6. Top 9 with Ian Moss
   Ian Moss
   Ian Moss is an Australian rock musician, best known as the guitarist and occasional singer of Cold Chisel. In that group's initial ten year career, Moss recorded eight albums, three of which were No. 1 national hits. His solo career began with a No. 1 album and single and five ARIA Awards...
   
    - "Choir Girl" by Cold Chisel
   Cold Chisel
   Cold Chisel is a rock band that originated in Adelaide, Australia. It is one of the most acclaimed Australian rock bands of all time, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s and huge sales that continue to this day, although its success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to...
   
    - (Acoustic)
7. Special Performance - "Never Again
   Never Again (Kelly Clarkson song)
   "Never Again" is a song written by American pop rock singer Kelly Clarkson and Jimmy Messer, and is the first single from her third studio album, My December ....
   
   " by Kelly Clarkson
   Kelly Clarkson
   Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
   
   
8. Special Performance - "All I Want Is You
   All I Want Is You (Damien Leith song)
   "All I Want Is You" is a song written by Damien Leith for his debut studio album Where We Land, and is the second single from the album.-Song information:...
   
   " by Damien Leith
   Damien Leith
   Damien Leo Leith is an Irish Australian singer–songwriter. He was the winner of the Network Ten music contest Australian Idol 2006Damien has also guest co-hosted 'The Morning Show' on Network Ten on 18 July 2011.He was born in Ireland and now lives in Australia with his Australian wife, Eileen...
   
   
9. Top 8 - "You Really Got Me
   You Really Got Me
   "You Really Got Me" is a rock song written by Ray Davies and performed by his band, The Kinks. It was released on 4th August 1964 as the group's third single, and reached Number 1 on the UK singles chart the next month, remaining for two weeks...
   
   " by The Kinks
   The Kinks
   The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
   
    - (Brit pop)
10. Top 7 - Medley "I Shot The Sheriff
    I Shot the Sheriff
    "I Shot the Sheriff" is a song written by Bob Marley, told from the point of view of a man who admits to having killed the local sheriff, but claims to be falsely accused of having killed the deputy sheriff. He also claims to have acted in self defense when the sheriff tried to shoot him. The...
    
    " by Eric Clapton
    Eric Clapton
    Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
    
     and "Psycho Killer
    Psycho Killer
    "Psycho Killer" is a song by American New Wave band Talking Heads from their 1977 album Talking Heads: 77, written by David Byrne, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth. The band's "signature debut hit" features lyrics which seem to represent the thoughts of a serial killer. Allmusic calls it a...
    
    " by Talking Heads
    Talking Heads
    Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
    
     - (Year of birth)
11. Special Performance - "What's Next to the Moon" by Chris Murphy
    Chris Murphy (Australian singer)
    Christopher Bryce Murphy , is an Australian male singer-songwriter who rose to fame when he placed fourth in Australian Idol 2006....
    
    , originally by AC/DC
    AC/DC
    AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
    
    
12. Top 6 - "Kiss
    Kiss (song)
    In 1988 Art of Noise released a cover of the song, featuring Tom Jones on vocals. The song became the band's biggest hit to that point, reaching number eighteen on the U.S. dance charts and number five on the UK Singles Chart, higher than the original in that country...
    
    " by Prince
    Prince (musician)
    Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
    
     - (Judge's Choice)
13. Special Performance - "Turn Me Loose" by Young Divas
    Young Divas
    Young Divas was an Australian girl group that had consisted of previous Australian Idol contestants. The original line up consisted of season one finalist Paulini Curuenavuli, season two finalist Ricki-Lee Coulter, season three winner Kate DeAraugo and runner-up Emily Williams...
    
    , originally by Loverboy
    Loverboy
    Loverboy is a Canadian rock group formed in 1980 in Calgary, Alberta. Throughout the 1980s, the band accumulated numerous hit songs in Canada and the United States, earning four multi-platinum albums and selling millions of records...
    
    
14. Special Performance - "Love Is All Around
    Love Is All Around (Agnes Carlsson song)
    "Love Is All Around" is a song by Agnes Carlsson, who was the winner of Swedish Idol 2005. The song was composed by Fredrik Thomander and Anders Wikstrom. It has been covered in at least 3 other continents.- Ricki-Lee version :...
    
    " by Ricki-Lee Coulter
    Ricki-Lee Coulter
    Ricki-Lee Coulter is an Australian recording artist and television and radio presenter. In 2004, Coulter was placed seventh place on the second season of Australian Idol...
    
    , originally by Agnes Carlsson
    Agnes Carlsson
    Agnes Emilia Carlsson, also known mononymously as Agnes , is a Swedish recording artist. She rose to fame as the winner of Idol 2005, the second season of the Swedish Idol series...
    
    
15. Top 5 - "April Sun in Cuba" by Dragon
    Dragon (band)
    Dragon is a popular New Zealand rock band, they were formed in Auckland, New Zealand in January 1972 and relocated to Sydney, Australia in May 1975. They were previously led by singer Marc Hunter and are currently led by his brother bass player Todd Hunter...
    
     - (Australian Hits!)
16. Special Performance - Guy Sebastian
    Guy Sebastian
    Guy Theodore Sebastian is an Australian pop, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter who was the first winner of Australian Idol in 2003. He is currently a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor. Sebastian has released six top ten platinum/multi platinum albums, including a number-one and...
    
     originally by Various Artists
17. Top 4 - "I Saw Her Standing There
    I Saw Her Standing There
    "I Saw Her Standing There" is a song written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, and is the opening track on The Beatles' debut album, Please Please Me, released in the United Kingdom by Parlophone on 22 March 1963....
    
    " by The Beatles
    The Beatles
    The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
    
     - (Big Band)
18. Special Performance - "Believe Again
    Believe Again
    "Believe Again" is a New Age-influenced pop song written by Delta Goodrem, Brian McFadden, Stuart Crichton, Nigel Hove and Tommy Lee James, produced by Stuart Crichton and Marius de Vries for Goodrem's third studio album Delta . The single, released in Australia on 8 December 2007, features...
    
    " by Delta Goodrem
    Delta Goodrem
    Delta Lea Goodrem is an Australian singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress. Signed to Sony at the age of 15, Goodrem rose to prominence in 2002, starring in the Australian soap opera Neighbours as Nina Tucker. Goodrem has achieved eight number-one singles and three number-one albums in her home...
    
    
19. Special Performance - "Everybody Hurts
    Everybody Hurts
    "Everybody Hurts" is a song by R.E.M., originally released on the band's 1992 album Automatic for the People and was also released as a single in 1993. It peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100, #7 on the UK Singles Chart and #3 on the French Singles Chart.-History:Much of the song was written by...
    
    " by Marcia Hines
    Marcia Hines
    Marcia Elaine Hines, AM is a vocalist, actress and TV personality who achieved success in her adopted homeland of Australia. Hines made her debut, at the age of sixteen, in the Australian version of the stage musical Hair and followed with the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar...
    
    , originally by R.E.M.

Grand Finale performances

1. Special Performance - "Turn Me Loose" by Young Divas
   Young Divas
   Young Divas was an Australian girl group that had consisted of previous Australian Idol contestants. The original line up consisted of season one finalist Paulini Curuenavuli, season two finalist Ricki-Lee Coulter, season three winner Kate DeAraugo and runner-up Emily Williams...
   
   , originally by Loverboy
   Loverboy
   Loverboy is a Canadian rock group formed in 1980 in Calgary, Alberta. Throughout the 1980s, the band accumulated numerous hit songs in Canada and the United States, earning four multi-platinum albums and selling millions of records...
   
   
2. Special Performance - "All I Want Is You" by Damien Leith
   Damien Leith
   Damien Leo Leith is an Irish Australian singer–songwriter. He was the winner of the Network Ten music contest Australian Idol 2006Damien has also guest co-hosted 'The Morning Show' on Network Ten on 18 July 2011.He was born in Ireland and now lives in Australia with his Australian wife, Eileen...
   
   
3. Special Performance - "In Pieces" by Shannon Noll
   Shannon Noll
   Shannon Noll first came to prominence as runner-up of the first series of Australian Idol which led to him being signed to Sony BMG. Since then he has released five Top 10 albums and ten Top 10 singles. His first two albums That's What I'm Talking About in 2004 and Lift in 2005 debuted at No...
   
   
4. Special Performance - "Boys in Town" by Divinyls
   Divinyls
   Divinyls were an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1980 and featuring vocalist Christina Amphlett and guitarist Mark McEntee. As the focal point, Amphlett performed on stage wearing a school uniform and fishnet stockings, often using an illuminated neon tube as a prop and displaying...
   
   
5. Special Performance - Winner of Pascall My Mum Rocks Competition
6. Special Performance - "I Never Liked You
   I Never Liked You (song)
   "I Never Liked You" is a dance-pop song performed by Australian band Rogue Traders. The song was written by James Ash, Melinda Appleby, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Timothy Henwood, and produced by Ash for the band's third studio album Better in the Dark...
   
   " by Rogue Traders
   Rogue Traders
   Rogue Traders are an Australian electronic pop rock band fronted by Melinda "Mindi" Jackson with James Ash on keyboards, Tim Henwood on guitars and Peter Marin on drums. The group's original members met in London in 1989. Before forming Rogue Traders, Ash and Davis worked together on many...
   
   
7. Special Performance - "All Night Long (All Night)
   All Night Long (All Night)
   "All Night Long " is a hit single for Lionel Richie from 1983. Taken from his second solo album, Can't Slow Down, it combined Richie's soulful Commodores style with Caribbean influences. This new, more dance approach proved popular, as the single reached number one on three Billboard charts...
   
   " by Lionel Richie
   Lionel Richie
   Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
   
    with Top 12 and State Schools Singers Choir
8. Top 12 - A medley of songs and "Hands Open
   Hands Open
   "Hands Open" is the second American single from Snow Patrol's fourth album, Eyes Open. It was released June 2006.It received substantial radio play on modern rock radio, peaking at #21 on the U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart...
   
   ", originally by Snow Patrol
   Snow Patrol
   Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
   
   
9. Matt Corby - "Bitter Sweet Symphony
   Bitter Sweet Symphony
   "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is a song by English alternative rock band The Verve, the lead track on their third album, Urban Hymns. It is based on music from an Andrew Loog Oldham adaptation of a Rolling Stones song, "The Last Time". It was released on 16 June 1997 by Hut Recordings as the first single...
   
   ", originally by The Verve
   The Verve
   The Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space...
   
   
10. Natalie Gauci - "Here I Am
    Here I Am (Natalie Gauci song)
    "Here I Am" is the debut single for 2007 Australian Idol winner Natalie Gauci, written by Lindy Robbins and Tom Leonard. This single was performed by the final two contestants – Gauci and Matt Corby – during the penultimate episode of Australian Idol 2007.After Gauci won the competition on 25...
    
    " and "Man in the Mirror
    Man in the Mirror
    "Man in the Mirror" is a song recorded by Michael Jackson and written and composed by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett. It peaked at number one in the United States when released as a single in January 1988 off his seventh solo album, Bad. It is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed songs and...
    
    ", originally by Michael Jackson
    Michael Jackson
    Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
    
    

Commercial Releases

The day following the Grand Finale, Australian Idol Season 5 Winner Natalie Gauci

Natalie Gauci

Natalie Gauci is an Australian singer of Italian and Maltese descent. Gauci undertook music tuition at the Victorian College of the Arts, formed her own band that played gigs in Melbourne, while also working as a music teacher...

 released the winner's single "Here I Am

Here I Am (Natalie Gauci song)

"Here I Am" is the debut single for 2007 Australian Idol winner Natalie Gauci, written by Lindy Robbins and Tom Leonard. This single was performed by the final two contestants – Gauci and Matt Corby – during the penultimate episode of Australian Idol 2007.After Gauci won the competition on 25...

". The single debuted at #2 on the ARIA Charts behind hugely popular international act Timbaland

Timbaland

Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....

. The single was considered to have sold not as well as expected with only 8,000 copies sold in its first week. Its second week it stayed put at #2 and sales proved better with close to 11,000 copies sold making a total of 19,000 copies sold. Also in its second week the single was certified with Gold status. In its third week it dropped to #7 and its fourth week dropped down to #18. It fell into even greater obscurity in its fifth week dropping down to #29. Its sixth week fared better with #27.

Natalie's debut album, The Winner's Journey

The Winner's Journey (Natalie Gauci album)

The Winner's Journey is an album based on Australian Idol 2007 winner Natalie Gauci's performances on the show. For the first time, the album will consist of longer recorded studio versions of Natalie's performances on Australian Idol, along with the studio version of her debut single "Here I...

, was released on 8 December 2007. In its first week it debuted on the charts at #12 and sold just over 11,000 copies. It was also certified with Platinum status meaning 70,000 units were shipped off, but going by sales figures the album did not meet these expected sales. In its second week it moved up to #11 and total sales figures bumped up to just over 18,000. In its third week Natalie's album stayed at #11 and sales reached just under 20,000 copies. Its fourth week was a disappointing week with the album dropping down to #18. In its fifth week it reached #19.

External links

• Official Australian Idol website