This year instead of raw audition acts proceeding directly to the next round, they will have to front judges Kyle Sandilands, Marcia Hines and Amy Shark a second time to learn who gets the Golden Ticket.
Some may have to sing again.
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OG Queen resumes Idol reign
Marcia Hines returns to Australian Idol 2024
Australian musical treasure Marcia Hines shines brighter than ever when she joins fellow judges Kyle Sandilands and Amy Shark to uncover the next Australian Idol, beginning Monday, 29 January on Channel 7 and 7plus.
Marcia, a judge on the original Australian Idol panel from 2003-2009, returned as a guest judge last year. This year, she makes her seat on the panel official.
“What’s really important to me is that we unearth talent from different parts of the country.
“I hope that Australia is happy to have me back. I’m happy to be here. It’s a beautiful thing,” Marcia said.
Marcia brings her signature honesty and empathy to the judging process, noting: “Those two attributes were shown to me as I was coming up in the industry and the least I can do is give some back.”
Marcia – the first Australian female artist to have a platinum-selling album and to have seven consecutive Top 20 album releases – doesn’t suffer fools, as Amy notes: “Marcia can be such a sweetie, but if that person is not what she is looking for she doesn’t even need to speak.”
A global success since 2001, the Idol franchise has launched the celebrated careers of Aussie hitmakers including Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Matt Corby, Ricki-Lee, Anthony Callea, Stan Walker, Casey Donovan and Courtney Act.
International music icons Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and Adam Lambert also launched their brilliant careers on the Idol stage.
Australian Idol is hosted by multiplatinum-selling, ARIA Award nominated singer-songwriter Ricki-Lee – who was discovered on Australian Idol in 2004 – and internationally renowned entertainment presenter and former E! host Scott Tweedie.
TV Tonight have now corrected it but seems Seven pushed out Simon Cowell’s name in the press release when of course he has no control over the Idol franchise.
Maybe they got confused because their “world first” is basically what Cowell does in all his shows - have people get the yes/no at the auditions then cut them down to a pre-determined number afterwards.
If Seven were really concerned about viewers seeing the same “characters” show after show they’d expand the live shows to get the full 10-12 weeks rather than just have a few of them sing a second time during the auditions.
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I won’t be watching this year as I was disappointed with last year’s season ,first one on Seven.
Promotional posters appearing on most Brisbane buses now
To be honest I’m not expecting it to rate well, the format is quite outdated, as Ten realised when the axe fell on their iteration in January 2010. Think Seven jumped the gun when they announced a second season of their iteration this time last year.
They had also jumped the gun on what would turn out to be their final season of The X Factor in 2015, announcing audition dates for the following year. Needless to say, the ratings power they had enjoyed early in their iteration of that show (remembering the 2005 season tanked badly on Channel Ten) had quickly declined.
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I know most people are done with the show, but it is a distinct improvement over last year. Marcia is just perfect in this role, using kindness and heart in her explanations which are usually quite technical too (compared to Harry’s over the top ridiculous advice). Amy is talking a lot more and Kyle is the funny one but he isn’t being too much of a knob.
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I agree. I am very much enjoying the show tonight. I really like that they they aren’t just putting everyone through and are being a lot more critical. It also doesn’t feel like endless auditions and each episode ending with a battle or decision I think is a great addition. The judges have been great too. It’s the right panel now and Marcia has been fantastic! She’s a lot more feisty than she was back in the day. I’m so glad to have her back.
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I’m enjoying watching the reactions of the successful contestants watching subsequent auditions. This is a good addition.
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“That was beautiful”
Young dad brings Kyle to tears on night one of Australian Idol
It’s finally here: season two of the iconic star-making series Australian Idol kicked off with a show-stealing audition tonight on Channel 7 and 7plus.
Thirty-year-old NSW father of two Dylan Wright delivered a stirring performance of an Aussie classic, claiming one of the night’s four Golden Tickets and setting an impressive benchmark for the competition.
Dylan wowed judges Kyle Sandilands, Marcia Hines and Amy Shark with his acoustic version of Crowded House’s Better Be Home Soon, lovingly dedicated to his late mother.
“That was so beautiful. I don’t usually cry in the presence of other men, but what a sweetheart you are. I loved it,” Kyle said of Dylan’s performance.
Amy agreed, saying: “I think you are a freaking superstar! That was such a great performance. You’ve got everything: a kind heart, a great performer, and you’ve got a look.”
The three remaining coveted Golden Tickets of the night went to twenty-year-old Ivana Illic from Victoria, who took on Alicia Keys’ I Got You; nineteen-year-old Queensland pub singer Ripley Welsh, who left the judges swooning with his performance of Abba’s Mamma Mia ; and Marcia’s wildcard entrant, twenty-year-old Billy Menhennet from Victoria, who performed Zach Bryan’s Something in the Orange to seal his place in the competition.
Australian Idol leaves no stone unturned in the nationwide search for the country’s next megastar. For the first time in Idol history, there are only 30 Golden Tickets through to the next round, meaning the stakes have never been higher.
Tomorrow night**:** a younger singer from Broome fulfils a promise made a decade ago to sing for Marcia, and Amy travels to Perth to assess whether a TikTok sensation can translate their online success into an equally impressive live performance.
Watch performance highlights:
I thought the contestants watching on as a good thing too. As it shows that the auditions are “in order”, instead of being out of order and placed in random appearance on the show. But then again, the two country guys that Marcia went to see audition appeared at the end of the show, and were not there watching along with the other contestants.
I also wonder if the times they put on the screen were the actual times… I doubt they only auditioned 15 people the whole day… (8 yes (approx?), 6 nos…
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Great first ep. Ripley is a star. So good to have Marcia back. The new dynamic of the judging panel works well.
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I still think it’s unlikely that’s the case. It looks like the judges are wearing the same outfits in the promo for future auditions so there would be a reason for that.
I wondered if it’s possible that they have filmed different groups (that were later put together) watching snippets of the other performances before going in to find out their fate. It could easily be another day.
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Good points there too. It’s quite possible they are doing that too.
At least they’re making it look “more realistic”.
Were Scott Tweedie and Ricki-Lee together at anytime today?
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Maybe I’ll watch it after all
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I love so much that Marcia is back she is an icon
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I’m sure it was planned this way but the very first singer had me in tears!
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Obviously the real auditions would be much quicker but 15 is probably about right for a session of the judges auditions. I think that’s about as many as you get to see if you go to see a Got Talent audition show. They can probably get through room auditions a little quicker but they’ve still got to do the pre/post audition interviews which is probably what takes the time. I suspect the judges themselves spend more time in the room waiting for the next auditionee than they do with the auditionees.
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Such a shame that a few crappy acts have made it through tonight when some good ones missed out last night.