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Latest news- November |
Callea signs record deal | BACK
|
25 November 2004
Callea signs record deal
November 25, 2004
Australian Idol runner-up Anthony Callea has signed a
recording contract with Sony BMG.
The pint-sized popstar was pipped at the post by 16-year-old
Sydney schoolgirl Casey Donovan in Sunday night's Idol
final.
But the 21-year-old from Melbourne will release a debut
single next month, followed by his debut album, after
securing the contract.
"When I was told the news earlier [yesterday] I was
absolutely speechless," Callea said.
"This is an absolute dream come true and I can't
wait to get into the studio and start recording."
He thanked the company and "all my fans for their
loyal support".
His first single as a solo artist will be a version of
The Prayer, the song which became his trademark during
the reality talent quest.
It will hit the airwaves on December 6 and retail stores
on December 19.
Sony BMG Australia chief executive Denis Handlin said
he looked forward to working with Callea.
"His impressive performances on Australian Idol and
the fervour with which the Australian public have responded
to him demonstrate that this talented young man has an
incredible future," Mr Handlin said.
"Anthony has an assurance surrounding his performances
that is rare in someone so young and a clear vision for
his musical future."
AAP
Source: smh.com.au
Idol life has only just
begun | BACK
|
25 November 2004
Idol life has only just begun
By MATT FRILINGOS
November 23, 2004
AUSTRALIAN Idol winner Casey Donovan was exhausted yesterday
but well aware she has an extraordinary year ahead of
her.
"It's already changed my life dramatically,"
she said, adding the career she has embarked upon is
something most people her own age would find daunting.
"I'm not a normal 16-year-old teenager any more
that just goes to school and has parties every Friday
night. That's going to change now," she said.
It certainly is, with her life now being mapped out
by record company executives and sponsors hoping to
capitalise on the 3.35 million people who watched her
win on Sunday night.
She heads into the studio today to begin recording her
debut album, to be released on December 1, and new single
Listen With Your Heart, which will hit stores on Monday.
Both will undoubtedly debut on the charts at No1 and
Casey can look forward to album sales akin to the 480,000
copies that 2003 Idol winner Guy Sebastian's debut release
sold.
Her life prior to Idol fame is something Casey will
miss but she's comfortable with the change.
"This is what I want to do," she said.
The elation and emotion of Sunday night's Idol extravaganza
at the Opera House, during which it was announced she'd
won the competition ahead of fellow finalist Anthony
Callea led, understandably, to a sleepless night for
the Bass Hill singer.
"I was just lying in bed and couldn't sleep and
had to get up at 5.30," she said yesterday.
* AN opportunity for Telstra Bigpond to capitalise on
Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan's success became
an embarrassing fiasco yesterday when an advertisement
placed in newspapers directed fans to a gay porn website.
Bigpond spokesman Craig Middleton admitted yesterday
that "human error" had led to the ".au"
being dropped off Donovan's website address www.caseydonovan.com.au
Sourcee: news.com.au
Ten's record ratings
| BACK |
25 November 2004
Ten's record ratings
By Suzanne Carbone
November 23, 2004
It was a night to remember for Casey Donovan - and a
day to forget for Telstra after directing fans to a
similarly named gay porn site - but Channel Ten is celebrating
record ratings for Australian Idol's finale as the year's
top program with 3.35 million national viewers.
Sunday night's show was up 50,000 viewers on the 3.3
million last year. In Melbourne, the program averaged
979,437 viewers, and the earlier segment, Live at the
Opera House, attracted 2.85 million viewers nationally
and 814,257 in Melbourne.
The former underdog station, once criticised for airing
too much US trash, has scored four out of five of the
top programs with its big event programming: Australian
Idol - The Final Verdict Network (3.35 million), Big
Brother - The Winner Announced Network (2.86 million)
and Australian Idol - Live From the Opera House (2.85
million). Then Ten's AFL grand final (2.8 million).
The success of the Idol franchise is also evident in
higher 2004 ratings for the Sunday night live performances
and Monday night's final verdict.
Despite Ten's success, Channel Nine still leads the
pack with its regular programming and has won 36 out
of 39 ratings weeks. Seven has won two and Ten one.
The Idol pecking order may change given that the ratings
year ends this week with networks bringing out their
big guns. Channel Nine aired the final of Friends last
night, Pauline Hanson curtsies out in Dancing with the
Stars tonight on Seven and tonight and tomorrow Seven
premiers the Lindy Chamberlain mini-series Through my
Eyes, the ABC has Kylie Minogue in the Kath and Kim
finale on Thursday, and Don Burke leaves his backyard
on Friday.
Network Ten's general manager network programming, David
Mott, said he was not concerned about Idol falling from
top spot because he was elated with the ratings. "Whether
we get toppled, quite frankly, that's all based on ego,"
he said. "We are absolutely thrilled the numbers
have been justified again. We're doing Idol again. Whether
another show beats it, it doesn't matter."
Source: theage.com.au
Telstra directs Idol fans
to porn site | BACK
|
25 November 2004
Telstra directs Idol fans to porn site
Mon Nov 22 2004
Newspaper advertisements congratulating Australian Idol
winner Casey Donovan mistakenly directed fans to a gay
porn website.
The half-page ads, placed by Telstra's internet arm
BigPond on Monday in Melbourne's Herald Sun and Sydney's
Daily Telegraph newspapers, direct readers to caseydonovan.com.
But anyone calling up the website will be confronted
by a full frontal nude picture of American porn star,
Casey Donovan, and links to sales of his gay porn DVDs
and videotapes.
Australia's Donovan, a 16-year-old who won a lucrative
record deal with the BMG label when she won Australian
Idol on Sunday, has a personal website under construction
at www.caseydonovan.com.au and a website set up by fans
at www.caseydonovan.org.
BigPond corporate affairs manager Craig Middleton put
the gaffe down to "simple human error in the last-minute
preparation of the ad".
"Obviously everything was put together last night
after the winner was announced and unfortunately, the
'au' dropped off the address," he said.
Bigpond had alerted web filters to add the porn website
to its databases to prevent children unwittingly viewing
pornography.
"We have spoken to the Australian Broadcasting
Authority about having the other site taken down or
blocked but because it's rated R, not X, we have no
option there," Mr Middleton said.
Sydney web designer Jared Fusedale set up the fan website
at www.caseydonovan.org through his company, Fusedmedia
Australia Pty Ltd.
Mr Fusedale, a fan of Donovan's, set up the website
for fans to run as Donovan made her way through the
competition.
The website has already received more than 270,000 hits,
and features a picture gallery and a message board for
fans.
Mr Fusedale said the porn movie website was "dodgy"
but there was little he could do to avoid the problem
of fans mistakenly clicking through to the website.
"Once you have a domain name, you can do anything
you like with it, but we've had a lot of people (trying
to find caseydonovan.org) say they can't look at the
website because it's dirty," Mr Fusedale said.
"The thing is every name relating to Casey Donovan
or Casey has been taken up so there's not much we can
do about it... but it has been pretty well marketed
with the fans.
"Obviously this is a fan website we're providing
for Casey and it's worked pretty well because of the
result last night."
A spokesman for BMG, which manages Donovan and produces
her official website, could not be contacted.
The American porn star's website is connected with www.hisxpress.com,
the online arm of Massachusetts production company Falcon
Video, which offers for sale hundreds of movie titles
and full frontal nude pictures of dozens of male models.
-AAP
Source: ninemsn.com.au
After the high, Casey hits
a low | BACK
|
25 November 2004
After the high, Casey hits a low
November 22, 2004
She's Australia's newest superstar but Casey Donovan
said today she felt like a "big blob of crap".
A day after being crowned this year's Australian Idol,
the 16-year-old Sydney schoolgirl was working out how
to deal with her new-found fame.
The publicity machine had her conducting back to back
interviews at 15-minute intervals from 6am.
And on no sleep, Donovan said she was having a hard
time thinking straight, especially being asked the same
questions over and over.
The Idol finale, in which Donovan beat Melbourne's Anthony
Callea, 21, drew a record television audience of 3.35
million, peaking at 3.47 million when she was declared
the winner at about 10.20pm (AEDT) last night, according
to Network Ten.
Donovan won a recording contract and a car which she
is too young to drive but plans to keep in the driveway
just to annoy her brother and stepfather.
But today she was feeling far from being a star and
said the competition, which began with 50,000 hopefuls
in April, had been physically and mentally straining.
All she wanted to do was sleep.
"I just feel like a big blob of crap because I
really need some sleep and my eyes just want to shut
and I can't let them," she said. "It's put
a lot of physical and mental strain on me."
And there's no let-up. Donovan will be in the studios
from tomorrow recording her debut album so it can be
in stores by Christmas.
The teenager who used to get yelled at for singing too
loudly in the shower, has put school on hold and will
focus only on her singing career, at least while the
hype lasts.
That means that any plans to reconcile with her estranged
musician father, Merv Donovan, are also on hold.
"It does bother me a little bit but you know, I
just want to kind of focus on this now, this is like
my priority," she said.
"We'll just have to see what happens in the future."
Her aunty, Agnes Donovan, who once coached her, interrupted
her first press conference after being crowned to ask
about the teenager's family relationships.
Donovan said today she thought the outburst was inappropriate.
"I thought it was a bit out of line," she
said.
Donovan believes she will cope well with her stardom
despite her youth and she has already been assigned
a manager with a team of experts to try to ensure her
career will be a success.
Her first single, Listen With Your Hearts, went on sale
today.
When she belted out a version of it during the Idol
finale, she said she turned to her mother Tracy and
stepfather Norm Axford, who had supported her on her
way to stardom.
Now she has to deal with fame, and one strategy, she
said, involved a cap, glasses and long coat.
Despite receiving media training throughout the series,
Donovan said she was not too savvy with the press and
found it much easier just to sing on stage.
Sydney psychologist Amanda Gordon said just because
Donovan won the contest did not mean she had suddenly
grown up.
"There's that terrible paradox between being a
star and still being a kid, she still goes to school,"
Ms Gordon said.
"The paradox is how to remain a child and yet have
the wit about you not to be taken advantage of and how
can you ensure that the right people are looking after
her."
Meanwhile, newspaper advertisements congratulating Donovan
today mistakenly directed fans to a gay porn website.
The half-page ads, placed by Telstra's internet arm
BigPond in newspapers in Sydney and Melbourne, direct
readers to caseydonovan.com.
But anyone calling up the website is confronted by a
full frontal nude picture of an American porn star who
shares the same name.
The Idol winner has a personal website under construction
at http://www.caseydonovan.com.au and a website set
up by fans at http://www.caseydonovan.org.
AAP
Source: smh.com.au
Casey named Australia's
next Idol | BACK
|
21 November 2004
Sydney's Casey Donovan was named Australia's next Idol
in an extraordinary live television event. The 3-hour
final was broadcast live on Network Ten and began with
Top 30 finalist performing on the McDonald's unforgettable
concert on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. Adrian
Hood, Barry Southgate, Carlos Velazquez, Laurence Sorbello,
Liza Schulberg and Ngaiire Joseph performed in the special
outdoors concert and Joel Turner and the beat-boxer
alliance, together with Flynn were also among those
performing on the night. Judge Marcia Hines also performed,
singing the track "Ain't Nobody" from her
album. Close to 3000 members of the public attended
the outdoors concert, with another 2000 family, celebrities,
fans, music industry heavyweights and other VIPs seated
in the concert hall of the Sydney Opera House.
Finalists Anthony and Casey then arrived, complete with
police escort, in a white stretch Porsche limo to the
Sydney Opera House. A spectacular fireworks display
then lit the skies over the harbour especially for the
arrival of the final two.
In the second half of the telecast, the Top 12 Idol
contestants performed songs from the series individually
and then together with the other two finalists.
Casey then performed 'Symphony of Life' live on stage
individually and then Anthony sang 'The Prayer'. The
finalists did not perform any new songs on the night.
All the Idol finalists then joined in a medley of Australian
hits live during the television event accompanied by
Musical director John Foreman and a twenty-eight-piece
band, and a special appearance by last year's Australian
Idol Guy Sebastian.
Running 30 minutes overtime, Anthony and Casey finally
appeared together on the stage for the announcement
of the winner. Host James Mathison and Andrew G then
announced, in a nail-biting finale to the extraordinary
series, that Casey Donovan was Australia's next Australian
Idol. The clearly ecstatic winner thanked her fans,
family, the judges and supporters. Anthony commended
Casey for her talent and thanked everyone for their
support.
The newly crowned Australian Idol then took to the stage
performing "Listen to Your Heart'" the debut
single that is to be released next Monday, 29 November,
and is also available for instant download from the
BigPond Music website. After the performance Casey was
joined on stage by the other Idol contestants and runner-up
Anthony.
Both Anthony and Casey will have no time to celebrate
the conclusion of the series with press commitments
throughout this week. Casey will embark on a hectic
schedule beginning with recording her debut album due
for release in an unprecedented two weeks in early December
and preparations for a possible second World Idol special.
Although Anthony did not win, he will engage in talks
with BMG for an inevitable recording career.
All Idol contests, except Angie Narayan and Dan O'Connor,
will also be kept busy with a planned Australian Idol
tour of major capital cities around the country starting
in the new year.
The journey has only just begun for both Casey Donovan
and Anthony Callea.
Casey gets the numbers
| BACK |
21 November 2004
Casey gets the numbers
By Damien Murphy
November 22, 2004
In the end, the girl with the big heart triumphed over
the boy who wore his heart on his sleeve.
Casey Donovan, the 16-year-old with an untutored big
voice from Sydney's Bass Hill, won the second Australian
Idol last night.
She beat 21-year-old Anthony Callea, a professional
singer from Melbourne's western suburbs who was once
coached by Young Talent Time's Johnny Young.
A sobbing Donovan took several minutes to compose herself
before thanking her family, friends, mother and step-father
who were in the Opera House audience. "This is
a great guy," she said, embracing Callea. "I
love you, buddy."
Immediately after being declared the winner, she broke
into a song, Listen With Your Heart. The record company
BMG Australia has rushed copies of the CD of that song
into stores, ready for sale this morning. It should
go platinum by lunchtime.
After the show, Donovan said she had given herself
no chance of winning and had even forgotten to rehearse
the words of the song. "I can't quite believe this.
I know I'm going to be up all night in the hotel going
'oh God, oh God'."
She said she broken the mould of what a popular female
singer should be. "No one's perfect."
Last night's final attracted more than 4 million television
viewers. The contest, for which auditions began in April,
hauled in more than $25 million in television advertising.
Spots on last night's final cost $3000 a second. It
was even advertised as proof that big girls are better.
Idol was the latest in a series of globally franchised
TV programs, such as Big Brother and Who Wants to be
a Millionaire. They charged viewers fees, payable on
voting by SMS, or registering to be a contestant.
With Idol, Australians are believed to have spent almost
$4 million this week voting by phone for Donovan or
Callea. Little wonder then that Telstra, McDonald's,
Sony Australia and Nestle were prepared to pay a total
of $25 million in advertising during the second Australian
Idol series. BMG made $22 million in CD sales from the
first Idol series.
Denis Handlon, from Sony, said Donovan's win had proved
her wide demographic appeal.
Last night, parties were held across Australia to celebrate
the final at the Opera House, where thousands had begun
lining up soon after lunch yesterday. The biggest was
in Werribee, where Callea's fans, friends and family
congregated at his former high school, MacKillop College.
At Bankstown, large contingents of Donovan's friends
and fans, many of them Aboriginal, partied from early
in the afternoon. Her family celebrated at the South
Sydney Leagues Club in Redfern.
At the Opera House, the red carpet treatment was given
to an array of mainly Network Ten personalities, Idol
contestants past and present and last year's finalists,
who ran down the red carpet to the accompaniment of
fireworks over the harbour.
The final proved a very Australian story in a time
of high aspirations and low expectations: two kids from
the western suburbs of their respective cities with
big voices and bigger dreams. Over the weeks, Australia
watched as they rose above their limitations to beat
the other 10 contestants chosen after a massive national
audition where 50,000 hopefuls were culled back to the
final dozen.
Repeating hits they had performed earlier in the Idol
contest, for last night's closing performance Donovan
chose Tina Arena's Symphony of Life, while Callea sang
The Prayer, originally recorded by Andrea Bocelli and
Celine Dion. Immediately after being declared the winner,
Donovan broke into a song called Listen With Your Heart.
The record company, BMG Australia, has rushed copies
of the CD of that song into stores, ready for sale this
morning. It should go platinum by lunch time.
Both singers sang the song eight days ago to give the
voting public a chance to score them singing the same
tune. But wait, there's more ... Donovan will have an
album out in time for the Christmas rush and the rival
television stations are also dashing to cash in on the
Australian Idol phenomenon.
The Nine Network is looking at televising the talent
quest Shooting Stars, and Network Ten plans The X Factor
and a third series of Australia Idol.
Source: smh.com.au
Grand Final details
| BACK |
20 November 2004
The Australian Idol Grand Final is once again gearing
up to be the television event of the year. Channel Ten
will broadcast the 2-hour final live on November 21 starting
at 7:30pm.
The McDonald's unforgettable concert will kick off the
live telecast. Top 30 finalists Adrian Hood, Barry Southgate,
Carlos Velazquez, Laurence Sorbello, Liza Schulberg and
Ngaiire Joseph will perform in the special outdoors concert
and Joel Turner and the beat-boxer alliance, together
with Flynn will also be among those performing on the
night. Over 5000 members of the public, who entered a
sweepstakes on the official idol site, will be invited
to the exclusive outdoors concert on the steps of the
Sydney Opera House.
Finalists Anthony Callea and Casey Donovan will then arrive
in style by limo to the Sydney Opera House, complete with
police escort and will each sing only after phone and
SMS voting close at 8:45pm on Sunday night. It is believed
that Anthony and Casey will perform an outstanding song
from the series again on the night. Joining them will
be the other Top 12 Idol contestants who will perform
individually and together in a medley of Australian hits
live during the television event. John Foreman will be
conducting a twenty-eight-piece band, which will be located
at the back of the set, and there will be approximately
20 cameras covering the event and about 120 behind-the-scenes
crew working on the night.
Around 1500 tickets have been reserved for guest of the
remaining two contestants, celebrities, music industry
heavyweights and other VIPs for the inside section of
the telecast in the main concert hall. A fireworks display
over the harbour has also been organised for the Australian
Idol finale.
The Australian Idol grand final is sure to be a not-to-be-missed
live television event. Who will be our second Australian
Idol? With only a small margin separating the two finalists
and a million dollar recording contract up for grabs it
is set to be a nail biting finale to an extraordinary
series.
Australian Idol to Tour
| BACK |
20 November 2004
The votes have been counted Australia, and the results
are unanimous, Talentworks and Michael Chugg Entertainment
today announced... that... Australian Idol's Final 10...
and special guest John Foreman, will tour Australia early
next year!
Affordability and choice were top of mind when putting
the tour together and both Gold and Silver ticket price
categories will be made available as well as a Family
package, comprising four tickets in the Silver category.
We've followed their Idol journey over the past 17 weeks;
we've cried at the departures, laughed at the jokes and
revelled in the touchdowns.
Now it's time to see, from 50,000 hopefuls, ten of Australia's
hottest new stars when they reap the rewards of their
new found fame... live on stage at Entertainment Centres
around the country in 2005.
The result of Australia's biggest super-star search: Casey
Donovan, Anthony Callea, Courtney Murphy, Hayley Jensen,
Chanel Cole, Marty Worrall, Ricki-Lee Coulter, Daniel
Belle, Emilia Rusciano and Amali Ward, get together one
last time to bring the classic Idol sensation to the concert
stages of Australia.
"The scale of this show is at international concert
level," says Talentworks CEO Glenn Wheatley.
"We are going to have ten of Australia's favourite
new stars on stage performing the songs they did on the
show, as well big production style numbers and some really
fun segments too."
With the same winning formula as the ground-breaking series,
2005's Australian Idol Tour comes equipped with a few
tricks up its sleeve.
Primarily the presence of Mr Music John Foreman, joining
as special guest and Master of Ceremonies, as well as
a couple of surprise appearances added to the agenda.
"Last year's Idol tour was massive and sold out all
over the country," says co-promoter Michael Chugg,
"And we've taken it wider this year to include Cairns,
Townsville and the Gold Coast."
"We've had people enquiring about a tour for this
one since the show started back in August."
The tour marks an exciting induction into the ten finalists'
new careers.
"This is what it's all about for these performers,"
says Glenn Wheatley.
"To get out there on a stage in front of tens of
thousands of fans and show Australia why the weeks they
spent voting; counted."
Dishing up all the ringa, dinga, bingida, bangida, boom
action live on stage; Australian Idol tours in 2005. Va,
va Voom!
Tickets go on sale on November 26.
Dates are:
JAN 2005
Tuesday 18th - Newcastle Entertainment Centre
Thursday 20th - Wollongong WIN Entertainment Centre
Saturday 22nd - Sydney Entertainment Centre
Monday 24th - Canberra AIS Arena
Friday 28th - Perth Burswood Dome
Sunday 30th - Adelaide Entertainment Centre
FEB 2005
Tuesday 1st - Melbourne Vodafone Arena
Friday 4th - Hobart Derwent Entertainment Centre
Saturday 5th - Launceston Silverdome
Wednesday 9th - Cairns Convention Centre
Thursday 10th - Townsville Entertainment Centre
Saturday 12th - Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Sunday 13th - Gold Coast Convention Centre
http://www.chuggentertainment.com/
The Fro sparks plunge on Idol favourite Anthony
| BACK |
20 November 2004
Australian Idol punters copped the tip from Guy Sebastian
and backed Anthony Callea into hot favouritism before
Centrebet closed its book on the singing competition for
the last time today.
Anthony had been friendless in Centrebet's betting market
for several days but that changed when Guy forecast that
the Melbourne vocal coach would win Australian Idol's
second series.
Anthony was $1.20 to beat Casey Donovan ($4.00) when Centrebet
took its final Australian Idol bet. He was $41.00 and
she was $101.00 when the judging panel picked the Top
30 in August.
Anthony closed at even shorter odds than Guy did at the
same stage of last year's competition. The Fro was $1.25
to poll more votes Shannon Noll ($3.50) in the first championship
decider.
http://www.centrebet.com/
The real winner: Australia's youth
| BACK |
20 November 2004
The real winner: Australia's youth
By Richard Jinman and Paul McIntyre
November 20, 2004
They're pop's odd couple. The shy, Kurt Cobain-adoring
teenager and the slick twentysomething who digs Lionel
Richie.
"We're like a brother and sister that keep arguing,"
the Australian Idol finalist Anthony Callea said of his
rival Casey Donovan yesterday. "We annoy the crap
out of each other."
But Australia thinks they are both magnificent and it
does not really matter if Callea, 21, or Donovan, 16,
becomes the new idol tomorrow. Both are role models for
young people.
"I would pour scorn on anyone who tries to belittle
Australian Idol," a psychologist for adolescents,
Michael Carr-Gregg, said. "Both Anthony and Casey
are fantastic role models in the sense they've had a goal,
developed a strategy and gone for it."
Network Ten hopes more than 4 million Australians will
get the message by tuning in to tomorrow's Idol finale
at the Opera House. Callea, the pint-sized Melburnian
with the big voice, is the favourite, but Donovan, Sydney's
most famous rat-fancying Nirvana fan, believes she is
already a winner.
"If Anthony wins I'll be over the moon for him,"
she said. "But I've got into the top two, and that's
all anyone could ask for.
An Idol judge, Ian "Dicko" Dickson, likes to
praise Donovan's transformation from a teen with ratty
dreads and a "bugger off" attitude into today's
plus-size diva.
But Donovan does not feel she has changed that much, and
that is just one of the great things about her, says Neer
Korn, a director at the social research company Heartbeat
Trends. "Casey is an amazing example of someone who
is succeeding simply because she's so talented,"
he said.
"Young people [watching the show] are rejecting the
stereotypical model of beautiful people and looking beyond
it."
Carr-Gregg, an agony uncle for Girlfriend magazine, agrees
Donovan is a useful antidote to the thin-is-cool message
that bombards teenage girls.
"The thing about Casey is that she shows you can
be beautiful without being thin," he said. "It's
tremendously positive."
A mystery advertiser paid $3000 a second on Thursday for
the last ad spot in tomorrow's Australian Idol, making
it the dearest 30-second TV commercial outside of the
opening ceremony of the Athens Olympics.
Six 30-second spots were up for grabs, with four going
for $60,000. Demand for the last two had been so intense
that the price had been pushed up to $90,000. In contrast,
a 30-second ad in Law and Order, another top-rating show
on Ten, gets about $25,000.
Source: smh.com.au
Winner's debut single scandal
| BACK |
19 November 2004
After Inside Australian Idol's exclusive
revelations that the Australian Idol 2 winner's debut
single "Listen With Your Heart" written by Diane
Warren was previously recorded by CeCe Winans in 1998,
in has been revealed that a misunderstanding may have
eventuated between Idol producers and Warren's own publishing
label RealSongs.
After hosts Andrew G and James Mathison told Australian
Idol viewers that the single was written "especially"
for the winner and was a "world premiere" it
was revealed that "Listen With Your Heart" was
a cover recorded years ago and that Idol producers and
BMG may not have known of the little known tracks history,
assuming that it was new and did not ask if it had been
recorded before.
In a frank admission Julie Horton, Executive Vice President
of Realsongs, told David Knox from screenhub.com.au
via email that, "It would be so nice if this were
not an issue. Really, who cares. If they want to say that
we wrote it for them, who cares? We gave them the song
and it was never asked if the song had been recorded before.
Maybe it was an assumption from their side. We gave them
a hit song that no person in Australia has ever heard
I would think. That is the point here, not how to make
an issue of who lied and is this original. I really find
it odd that it is an issue at all. If I were them I would
say the same thing. If it makes a hit and if everyone
feels it is so important that it is original then, more
power to them."
Originally Horton mistook our fansite Inside Australian
Idol as the official site, thinking Australian Idol had
come clean. However, neither Channel Ten, Grundy's nor
SonyBMG have admitted that a misrepresentation had taken
place and the "brand new" "world premiere"
song, was is in fact a 6-years-old previously released
album track. It also seems that "Listen with Your
Heart" was written with US African American gospel
singer CeCe Winard in mind. While doing promotion for
her 1998 album "Everlasting Love," 104.1FM,
a radio station in Portland USA, reported:
"Warren penned "Listen With Your Heart"
with CeCe specifically in mind. Getting CeCe to cut the
song only took one phone call. "Diane knows who I
am and what I'm about and what I stand for," Winans
explains. "She played the song for me over the phone,
and I said, 'That's perfect! Just what I need!' She is
one of the best writers in the world."
While Diane Warren may be one of the best in the world,
fans have also been vocal about the quality of the song
with some opting not to vote for their favourite just
so they don't have to sing what some have called "boring",
"derivative, sentimental cr*p" "dodgy"
and "terrible". Bottlerocket wrote on the Inside
Australian Idol forum:
"Out of all the songwriters, songs and music talent
over the world...why, oh WHY, would they choose this song?
It's not like Idol wouldn't have a pretty reasonable pool
of songs to choose from! I thought the song was terrible.
It's boring, slow, boring, medicore and boring!!! If anybody
else, other than an Idol winner released this song it
wouldn't see the light of day let alone get a spin on
any commercial radio station!"
Australian songwriters are also disappointed that Idol
producers and BMG decided to choose a song that has been
previously released and what some think is second rate,
rather than on original track written by local songwriters
especially for the Idol contestants. With a significant
portion of the proceeds going to songwriters and the high
volume that the single is expected to sell, much of the
profits will eventually end up abroad rather than supporting
the Australian songwriters who would jump at the chance
to write the winners debut single.
Who will win?
| BACK |
19 November 2004
Going by the unofficial votes on our poll and messages
on the accompany message board, the general consensus
is that Anthony has a greater chance of winning the competition
but support for Casey has increased, especially in the
final days after she made it into the head-to-head showdown.
While Anthony generally has the younger female viewers
who hold a major slice of the viewing demographic, the
popularity of the programme has diversified the audience
and therefore presumably affecting the votes that are
cast, which may benefit the underdog, Casey.
The choice between the two is also interesting. On one
hand you have the polished, experienced, vocally flawless
pop singer with trademark Talent School training and expressions,
on the other you have a 16 year-old Indigenous punk/metal
music fan who has grown throughout the series emerging
into a talented young women. Casey's journey plays to
the Australian Idol "rags to riches" format
well, while Anthony, who has been singing and entering
talent competitions since he was six, has little room
to improve and develop which may hinder his chances to
a degree.
However, Inside Australian Idol thinks that Anthony will
win this series. He does have the voice, the looks and
presumably the votes to be crowned the next Australian
Idol, and achieve a debut #1 single and the opportunity
to record a full album in under two weeks. But the reality
and measure of true success can only be determined once
the cameras are turned off and the hype subsides as the
series draws to a close.
With Network Ten planning another talent quest show "The
X Factor" in early 2005, together the stigma that
comes attached with the Australian Idol title and sniggers
by the music industry, it is up to Anthony, Casey and
the other finalists to extract and run with the inevitable
publicity that they have already generated and hopefully
use the exposure to their advantage to build a lasting
career in the Australia music industry.
Bigpond Idol debut single deal
| BACK |
19 November 2004
BigPond Music to offer Idol debut single
By Online Staff
November 19, 2004 - 10:18AM
The debut single made by the winner of Australian Idol
will be available for download from BigPond Music soon
after the competition concludes on Sunday night.
In a media release, BigPond managing director Justin Milne
said the winner's recording of Listen With Your Heart,
sung by both the finalists Casey Donovan and Anthony Callea
during last Sunday's show, would be made available on
BigPond Music until 11.59 pm on Wednesday (November 24).
The single is expected to be sold in stores from November
29.
Milne said the single would cost $1.49 per download for
BigPond members and $1.89 for non-members.
"This is a major coup for BigPond and recognises
the breakthrough of legal music downloading as a major
attraction for music fans," he said.
"As a company focused on keeping Australians connected,
we are particularly pleased to make the Idol single instantly
and easily available to Idol fans across the country,
regardless of where they live, whether its Bondi, Broome
or anywhere in between."
Source: smh.com.au
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Forum
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They're the most in a host of talent
| BACK |
19 November 2004
They're the most in a host of talent
By:Amanda Meade
November 18, 2004
AUSTRALIAN Idol, which has its spectacular finale at the
Sydney Opera House on Sunday, is not just about the making
of a pop star. It's a breeding ground for a new generation
of Australian television stars, and we're not talking
about popular judges Ian "Dicko" Dickson, Marcia
Hines or Mark Holden.
The two hosts of Idol, Andrew G and James Mathison, are
young, hip, confident talking heads who epitomise the
polished new style of a 21st-century TV presenter. Steeped
in popular music culture and highly skilled on their feet
from hours and hours of experience as hosts on pay TV's
Channel V, the duo make live TV look easy.
Chances are, long after Guy Sebastian, Casey Donovan and
Anthony Callea cease to appear daily on the small screen,
AndrewG and Mathison will be still be around, wielding
microphones and chatting to us like old mates.
Gretel Killeen, who has hosted four series of Big Brother
for Ten, is another presenter with the right mix of humour,
pathos and authority to hold a live TV show together.
Ten's network head of production and development Tim Clucas
tells Media that Killeen is "fundamental to the personality
of Big Brother".
"You never know what's coming out of the house on
eviction night," he says. "It could be an awestruck
Sarah-Marie, Aphrodite who won't stop talking or Merlin
with tape over his mouth. You have a producer in your
ear, a live audience screaming at you and you have to
interview someone."
Clucas says Idol hosts Andrew G and Mathison keep the
show moving along and make the talent comfortable. "They
are extraordinary in understanding the emotions of the
contestants," Clucas says. "It's like they are
one of them."
If you think being a TV presenter is easy, just remember
Curtis Stone, host of My Restaurant Rules on Seven earlier
this year. Stone, a good-looking, accomplished, international
chef, had all the charisma and charm network executives
thought he needed to host the reality show. He even had
some TV experience, with a cooking show, Surfing the Menu,
on the ABC. But Stone was a disaster and put many people
off watching the series early on, and the ratings suffered.
His strange diction and clunky delivery gave the show
an amateur feel. (Seven is now looking at Dicko, who it
poached from Ten, for the new series of Restaurant. But
his awkward performance on Ten's Up Close with Shannon
Noll doesn't augur well for his hosting talents either.)
Both Andrew G and Mathison came to TV through their love
of music rather than any particular desire to be on the
box. But they do have role models: Andrew G names Bert
Newton as his TV idol and Mathison says Graham Kennedy
and his TV hit Blankety Blanks and the comic team Roy
and HG are his inspirations.
Andrew G was catapulted into radio hosting at the tender
age of 20 after an illustrious start as a roadie and a
stint in radio promotions. He tells Media he "made
zillions of mistakes on air in the middle of the night"
during his long hours on Brisbane radio - six days a week
for four years. He identifies his skill as "the ability
to be myself while still keeping to the format for what
is required on the show".
"I learned how to make it not sound forced,"
he says. He made a video tape and sent it off to Channel
V in January 1999 because he thought it would be easier
to "meet the Beastie Boys" if he was in TV.
Days later, Andrew G was on a plane to Sydney. He has
been a presenter for the music channel ever since, hosting
28 hours of TV each week - 20 hours of which is live -
at Bent Street at Fox Studios.
Mathison responded to a reporter search for Channel V
and entered the "cattle call" of wannabes armed
with no experience in broadcasting but a good knowledge
of music.
"I knew my subject matter and I always liked talking
to people," he tells Media. "The key is not
to take yourself too seriously. When the tears and the
screaming starts, you've got to keep reminding yourself
it's just a TV show."
When the double act auditioned for the inaugural Australian
Idol last year, they knew nothing much about the show
and had no idea it would propel them into mainstream TV
stardom. Andrew G says if Madonna is a 10/10 in the fame
stakes, he used to be a 3/10 and Idol has made him a 6/10.
The cockier of the two, he says he never gets nervous
- unless he is unprepared.
Mathison admits the prime-time exposure was harrowing
during the first series of Idol. "I used to get so
terrified last year - it was a whole new environment and
we were getting so much attention - but this year I am
a lot more relaxed. Although I will be nervous on the
Opera House steps."
Ten is building quite a stable of stars, signing Killeen
to the network this year and announcing this week that
actor Daniel MacPherson is to host its new talent search
show, The X Factor. (Auditions start next week in Perth
before moving to Brisbane on November 27 and other cities
next month.) Grundy, which is producing The X Factor and
Idol, is also the producer of Neighbours, the Ten soapie
on which MacPherson made his name.
Says Grundy chief executive Andrew Brooke: "We at
Grundy are looking forward to renewing our friendship
and working with Daniel again. He's an actor whose talent
and charisma epitomise that intangible 'X factor' - his
international success is a testament to that."
MacPherson, who just returned from Britain, where he starred
in The Bill, tells Media it was a risky career move to
accept the offer as the prevailing attitude in Australia
is that TV hosting damages an actor's standing as a professional.
"There is an unwritten rule here that presenting
might detract from an actor's credibility," he says.
"But that's not the case in Britain, where I had
some experience with live TVhosting."
MacPherson says live theatre - he appeared in Godspell
in Britain - has given him the skills required for live
TV, which are "appearing relaxed and thinking on
your feet".
At Seven, the network is also enjoying great success with
a live variety show. Dancing with the Stars, hosted by
Daryl Somers, has been a welcome ratings winner for Seven,
which failed to attract much interest with its talent
show Popstars earlier this year. Somers, who had a five-year
break from TV after the long-running Hey! Hey! It's Saturday
was axed by Nine, has a rather bumbling style that has
endeared him to generations of TV viewers. Seven's head
of program development Brad Lyons says Somers is a "master
of the genre" and has a wealth of experience in live
TV.
"It's a hell of a lot more difficult than it looks,"
he tells Media. "When you're doing a show as complex
as Dancing it's difficult to keep it smooth."
Unlike the Idol hosts, Somers has neither a script nor
an autocue, preferring just to rehearse, then just do
it live.
"It's very dangerous and exciting to do live television,"
Lyons says. "Because anything can happen."
The Idol format, on the other hand, requires a specific
style based on the original British Pop Idol and a scriptwriter
writes the hosts' words for every show.
The script is discussed first with Andrew G and Mathison,
put on an autocue, then rehearsed before going live. Yes,
it takes a lot of preparation to look spontaneous.
Source: The
Australian
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Forum
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Winners single "Listen With
Your Heart" a cover | EXCLUSIVE
| BACK |
15 November 2004
The Australian Idol winners single "Listen With Your
Heart" is not an original song written especially
for the Australian Idol 2 winner but rather a little known
track originally sung by US African American gospel singer
CeCe Winans.
Last night's "world premiere" debut of the winners
single "Listen With Your Heart" was not an original
but a cover of a previously released track. Rather than
obtaining a new specially written track for the Australian
Idol winner, Idol producers and record company BMG have
decided to release "Listen With Your Heart"
as the winner debut single. "Listen With Your Heart"
is a little known 6-year-old track written by Diane Warren
which appeared on CeCe's Winans' 1998 "Everlasting
Love" album. CeCe, a US African American gospel singer,
has won five Grammy Awards, 18 Gospel Music Association
Dove Awards and has had several gold and platinum-selling
albums.
The rehashed use of old album tracks for Idol related
releases in not isolated to "Listen With Your Heart".
Shannon Noll's recent hit single "Learn to Fly"
was originally written and performed by now defunct UK
boy band "A1", with the track appearing on A1's
2002 album "Make It Good". This years NZ Idol
winner Michael Murphy also ran into trouble with a covered
debut single when NZ producers claimed that an original
track titled "So Damn Beautiful" was written
especially for the NZ winner when in fact it was a cover
of a song originally written by a little known US group
Vallejo.
Lyrics:
CECE WINANS - Listen With Your Heart
Album : Everlasting Love (1998)
When you can't find your way through the night
When you've lost touch and nothing's feeling right
You can't find that path that leads you home
You don't know which road, which road to choose
That's when you've got to
Listen with your heart
Listen to your soul
Inside you'll find the answer
To take you to the place you need to go
Listen with your heart
Listen and your heart will let you know
No matter where you are
The truth is never far
Just listen and your heart will lead you home
And when this world has got your mind confused
Feels like your faith has just run out on you
You can find that faith inside your soul
The strength you need lies deep, lies deep in you
That's why you've got to
[CHORUS]
We all lose our way sometimes
We all lose our faith sometimes
But if you just believe and just be strong
Trust your heart
Your heart won't do you wrong
Your heart won't do you wrong
[CHORUS]
More info:
http://www.cecewinans.com/
http://launch.yahoo.com/song/default.asp?songID=1120528
http://www.musichristian.com/sys/product.php?PRODUCT=3013
Heart-throb or heartfelt?
| BACK |
15 November 2004
Heart-throb or heartfelt?
By Sacha Vukic
November 15, 2004
The Australian Idol final performance show was a battle
of the sexes as well as styles, with Anthony Callea and
Casey Donovan demonstrating just how different they are.
The duo's personal song choice spotlighted the massive
style gap between the grand finalists, a gap that will
polarise voters but hone in the type of Australian Idol
the nation aspires to.
Stepping up to the stage for the last time before the
Opera House grand finale next Sunday, the finalists performed
two songs of their choice as well as the specially crafted
debut single written by Dianne Warren, an American songwriter
who has penned lyrics for superstars like Celine Dion,
Aerosmith and Bette Midler.
After opening the show with Warren's soul-searching serenade
"Listen With Your Heart", Anthony appeared confident
and self-assured despite the fact that the bellowing ballad
sounded like a cathartic moment from a Disney movie and
slightly obscured with male vocals.
Anthony revealed earlier in the week that hearing the
song initially made him doubtful about how it would go
down. "When I first heard it, I was wondering if
it was the right thing," he said in a press interview.
"The guide we got had female vocals to it."
While Casey stumbled over the words in the song's beginning,
her feminine touch did effectually bring the ballad to
its intended dizzying heights.
Warren's song will be released by BMG as the winning Idol's
debut single the day after the grand finale.
The show's progression demonstrated the clearly defined
differences between the two finalists. Anthony cemented
his image as the next pin-up boy for pop by singing straight
to his female fans with two sappy love ballads.
Sitting on a stool for a casual effect, Anthony imitated
the cool, calm and collected RnB crooner Craig David with
his hit song "I'm Walking Away" and then brought
back the Peter Cetera classic "Glory of Love"
made famous in Karate Kid II. Both were propelled with
his trademark precision and self-confidence.
Casey, on the other hand, demonstrated her individuality
and versatility by singing two unique songs that showed
a depth of character and range in vocal ability.
First up, her powerful rendition of Vanessa Amorosi's
"Take Me As I Am" presented a youthful exuberance
as she roared lyrics like "what you see is what you
get" and "gonna be exactly as I am". It
was Casey morphing into a symbol of female power.
But her second song choice painted a picture of her emotional
expanse with the melancholic melody of Evanescence's "Hello".
The Australian public has sifted through twelve finalists
and Anthony has been the most popular contestant by far,
having never been voted into the bottom votes category.
But, stunningly, he almost never made it into the final
dozen. Initially eliminated, he was brought back into
the competition via the 'Wildcard show'. The Melbourne-born
vocal coach now finds himself vying for the grand prize
itself.
Casey, however, has been the underdog during the final
stages of the competition, shocking the judges and most
viewers when she bypassed Courtney Murphy to make the
final two last week.
After four months of vocal training and live television
verdicts, the two finalists are heading straight for the
Opera House and in a week's time Australia will elect
their idol.
Heart-throb or heartfelt? It won't be long until we find
out.
Source: smh.com.au
For more news articles go to our Inside Australian Idol
Forum
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Final head-to-head performance show
| BACK |
14 November 2004
Anthony and Casey have performed live in the final round
of live theme shows in Australian Idol. The remaining
two performed three songs each by artists of their choice
including Evanescence, Peter Cetera, Vanessa Amorosi and
Craig David for the head-to-head show tonight. The other
Top 12 finalists were also in the audience to support
the remaining two contestants.
Here is a list of what Anthony and Casey sang on the final
live performance show before the grand final, 14 November
2003 and their respective voting lines-
Anthony- 1902 55 55 61
:: 'The Glory Of Love' by Peter Cetera
:: 'Walking Away' by Craig David
:: 'Listen With Your Heart' written by Diane Warren
Casey- 1902 55 55 62
:: 'Take Me As I Am' by Vanessa Amorosi
:: 'Hello' by Evanescence
:: 'Listen With Your Heart' written by Diane Warren
SMS First Name to 19 10 10
Phone and SMS lines will remain open for seven days until
8.30 pm AEDST, Sunday 21 November. Phone voting and SMS
voting will be charged at 55 cents. Calls from mobile
extra.
Which contestants will have the least votes? Who will
be named the Australian Idol at the Grand Final at the
Sydney Opera House on 21 November? Vote for your favourite
contestant. You decide who will be the Australian Idol.
Listen with your heart ...
| BACK |
14 November 2004
Listen with your heart ...
By Bernard Zuel
November 15, 2004
Pretentious musicians like to tell you "it's all
about the music, man" but in the penultimate stages
of Australian Idol the truth is it is all about The Story.
By this stage of the golden karaoke competition no one
is making judgements based on the singing, or at least
not the singing alone. (If singing ability was the most
important factor, Courtney wouldn't have been voted off
last week.) Attitudes have set, favourites were picked
long ago and song choices are but distractions. If you
don't know who you want to win this, you haven't really
been watching, have you?
As the final two "sang off" last night with
three songs each, both clearly were nervous and admitted
they were keen to get the first song away. Barring meltdowns
of the Cosima "I'm losing my voice, sorry gotta run"
scale, it boiled down to a simple question of which Story
held sway.
Was it Anthony Callea, the hard-working but cocky little
Italian kid with the family and the support and the desire
to "make my dream come true"? Or maybe it was
Casey Donovan, the angry, stocky girl with the battered
self-confidence, the fractured family and the drive that
comes from admitting "music is my life" and
having it sound like the truth?
Both will go to the Opera House next week but only one
will be a winner after a week of voting by viewers. Only
one will be leaving with a certain No. 1 single in the
offing as the second Australian Idol.
Last night each sang two songs of their own choice, which
showed their strengths and weaknesses haven't changed.
The direct competition came with a third song, Listen
With Your Heart, which both had to sing and which will
be released as the winner's first single.
The song, written by the queen of the corporate songwriters,
Dianne Warren, has all her hallmarks of predictable patterns,
a call to plastic emotion and a nagging hook. It suited
Callea's over-emoting style, and he sang it with trembling
lip and typically intense delivery. Donovan was less sure,
especially in the early stages when delicacy was needed.
But she brought it home with a bit more growl and the
suggestion of a tear in the eye.
Who was better? Well, if it came down to performance,
there was one clear winner but we all know it depends
on which Story you've been reading.
Source: smh.com.au
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Forum
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Ticket to Ryde
| BACK |
14 November 2004
The nine-year-olds are on board, but just watch cynical
adults fall for Idol pleasures, writes Ruth Ritchie.
The set of Australian Idol (Ten, Sunday, Monday) is much
smaller in real life than it looks on TV. It's intimate.
The studio isn't big either. Think school hall, not real
theatre. And if the set and the auditorium are surprisingly
diminutive, it's nearly impossible to describe Anthony.
Jokes aside, I recommend that everybody see Australian
Idol live at least once. File this advice away for next
year. Idol will be back because the audience genuinely
loves it.
Becoming part of a TV show should destroy some of the
magic. We've all watched enough episodes of Larry Sanders
to know that the syrupy gloss of a chat show in no way
represents the skulduggery behind the scenes.
And even our cheerful audience, in the penultimate studio
show of series two, knows that Idol isn't just one big
love fest. But something unusual happens in that pokey
shed in Ryde on Sunday afternoons. Sure, the hype came
originally from above, from imported prototypes. But once
the ball of passionate partisan pop gets rolling, the
momentum is phenomenal. The contestants, the judges, the
crew and the audience are caught in it.
The audience generates joyous anticipation. This is the
kind of fervour we associate with a sporting event. Such
excitement just doesn't surface before the curtain goes
up on a Sydney Theatre Company production.
It helps to go in the company of a nine-year-old girl
who can't stop herself from standing on a chair and screaming
"Go Anthony!" But I defy even the most cynical
adult to resist the Idol force.
The atmosphere before James and Andrew come out is part
Baptist revival meeting, part Anthony Robbins seminar.
(All right, I've never been to either, but I love to mock
the audiences of both.)
Like the staff at Disneyland, everybody in the studio
is on board. And it is easy to forget that this is an
enormous money-making franchise that wildly increases
SMS usage for those who can least afford it and unrealistically
raises the expectations of our youth about the nature
of celebrity and the music industry.
Sitting in the back row of Global Studios on Sunday evening,
it is easier to believe that my applause and goodwill
is about to make all the difference to one of these young
stars, on the brink of his/her first appearance at the
Sydney Opera House. And really, as the music is cued and
the Idol graphic starts throbbing around the darkened
studio, we simply can't scream loud enough. And 400 begin
to sound, look and feel like 3000, effortlessly.
The show begins and more than a few surrealistic strokes
are brushed. John Foreman and all those musicians pack
the joint. They cover the stage. The ad breaks are filled
with dance competitions, juggling and energetic antics
that never allow the hysteria to slump. Andrew G has an
infectiously pretty smile, like Farrah Fawcett in her
heyday. James's energy level is more constant and radiant
than his sidekick's smile.
Even sitting behind the judges, those familiar gestures
are comically large. I felt rather honoured to turn up
on the night of not one, but three of Mark Holden's "touchdowns".
And what about the performances? It's impossible to judge,
with any objectivity, how those young people really performed,
and if they would make it beyond the first audition for
the chorus for a Broadway musical. Anyway, chorus boys
rarely make idols, so scratch that criteria. Casey has
some powerful lungs and uses the stage for therapy most
effectively. And Anthony can build a song as well as any
polished Vegas lounge singer.
When the show comes to an end and the house lights come
up, the crowd is satisfied. We know the exact duration;
there are no encores. It's a race to the car park past
the limos awaiting the "idols".
Back on the couch, on Monday night, the hysterical extravaganza
is a TV show once again. It's not much of a show. Plenty
of padding as the final three learn from some expert how
to be "media savvy", overnight. The only big
revelation, the moment of drama, is when 16-year-old Casey
Donovan makes it through to the Opera House Final. In
a few short weeks we won't remember most of the faces,
names or voices.
An hour later, on the ABC, John Lennon's Jukebox, a most
unusual documentary, shed some light on a perennial idol's
musical influences. Lennon's jukebox from the mid-1960s
held gems (and more than a few famous Beatles licks) from
the Isley Brothers, the Lovin' Spoonful and a host of
names that probably mean nothing to our "idols"
and their even less musically informed audience.
The probable winner of this song contest actually chooses
to sing Toto tunes. Next year's batch can't roll around
soon enough.
Source: smh.com.au
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Big bet on Idol Callea
| BACK |
14 November 2004
Casey Donovan is the underdog to win Australian Idol after
a punter bet $10,000 on her rival Anthony Callea.
Centrebet was forced to cut Callea's odds from $1.22 to
$1.20 after the monster wager.
The biggest bet on Casey is just $200, bringing the total
pot for her to just $4000.
"History is not on her side," Gerard Daffy of
Centrebet said.
"Girls just don't seem to win these shows so it would
be a shock if she won.
"But she seems to have a lot of support in NSW."
Source: The
Daily Telegraph
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Fine tuning Idol choices
| BACK |
14 November 2004
Australian Idol finalists Casey Donovan and Anthony Callea
have made what will be the most important decision of
the competition - what to sing on Sunday.
Anthony has gone for something old, something new, while
Casey has looked to fellow songbirds for inspiration.
The 16-year-old student from Bass Hill will belt out Hello
by Evanescence and Take Me As I Am by local chanteuse
Vanessa Amorosi.
Her Melbourne rival has gone for Craig David's Walking
Away and the '80s power ballad Glory of Love by Peter
Cetera.
And then, of course, there's the mystery tune that the
winner will release as their first single.
Both Idol hopefuls will perform the song, written by American
hitmaker Diane Warren, which is being kept under wraps
until Sunday night.
But Confidential expects to hear an inspirational ballad,
with plenty of power notes, and a title along the lines
of The Wings Of Love Lift Me Higher. Or words to that
effect.
Both have recorded the single so that it can hit the airwaves
the day after the final on Monday.
Callea has revealed he had doubts about the track when
he first heard it.
"At the start when I first heard it, I was wondering
if it was the right thing," he said.
"The guide we got had female vocals to it. But when
we went into the studio and laid it down in our key, I
thought, this is good."
Source: The
Daily Telegraph
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Courtney eliminated, final two remain
| BACK |
8 November 2004
The final 2 contestants of Australian Idol 2004 were revealed
tonight after Courtney Murphy was eliminated from the
series in the ninth live result show. After the phone
and SMS lines closed at 7:40pm, the remaining Top 3 sang
together for the last time with a performance of 'Oh What
A Night' by the Four Seasons.
After the performance, hosts Andrew G and James Mathison
named the contestant who had the least amount of votes
after last nights 70's performance show. After a tense
moment, the final three were firstly told that Casey Donovan
was safe and had made it to the Sydney Opera House grand
final on November 21. It was then out of Courtney Murphy
and Anthony Callea to contend for the final position to
join Casey. Of the two, it was time for Courtney, the
24 year-old musician, to be eliminated. The live audience
were able to show their appreciation while Courtney performed
one of his songs from last night's 70's themed show- "My
Love", with the remaining Top 2 Idol contestants
clearly emotional.
Tune in on Thursday for "Inside Idol" at 7.30pm
for all the latest behind the scenes action including
all the reaction from tonight's elimination. Also tune
in next Sunday to see the final round of live performances
before the grand final when Anthony and Casey will sing
the debut winners single written by acclaimed American
songwriter Diane Warren. And on November 21 for the Australian
Idol Grand Final to be held at the Sydney Opera House.
Which contestant will be eliminated next week and who
will be the Australian Idol?
Casey makes Idol history
| BACK |
8 November 2004
Casey makes Idol history
By Toby Forage
November 08, 2004
AUSTRALIAN Idol served up a major surprise tonight when
Casey Donovan was voted through to the grand final at
the Sydney Opera House.
First ... Casey could be the first female Australian Idol.
The 16-year-old sensation was physically stunned at being
named to compete alongside Anthony Callea for this year's
title.
"Wait. Did that just happen?" she said, wobbling
on unsteady feet as the adrenalin rushed through her.
Ousted from the final three was podgy Perth performer
Courtney Murphy, who has suffered in recent weeks from
what male judges Mark Holden and Ian "Dicko"
Dickson pinpointed as complacency.
But unlike most eviction nights, this one was all about
one of the survivors, namely Casey.
The Sydney music student said she was shocked to be in
the final three, a position from which Guy Sebastian,
Shannon Noll and Cosima De Vito all fashioned successful
careers in the music industry.
Now she's in the final two with Melbourne's 21-year-old
Anthony, and staring at a chance to be named Australia's
first female Idol.
"I didn't think I'd make the final 12, let alone
the final three," she said during tonight's verdict
show on Channel 10.
With a grungy style and indifferent personality, many
pundits thought Casey wouldn't last the distance.
But week after week she has produced vocal performances
of such stunning quality that viewers couldn't help but
vote to keep her in the competition.
Her performances during Sunday night's 70s show were among
the highlights of the entire season, with an outstanding
interpretation of Carly Simon's You're So Vain heralding
a trademark "touchdown" from judge Holden.
For Courtney - who also scored a "touchdown"
for his version of the Queen classic Somebody To Love
- the pill of defeat must have been particularly bitter
to swallow.
However, it's unlikely we've heard the last of his smooth
vocal talents given the plaudits he has received from
both inside and outside Idol HQ.
The 24-year-old has been a brilliant performer throughout
every stage of the competition, his only fault was finding
it difficult to take the judges' criticism on board as
the final stages tu | | |
