news articles 14 january

[Inside Australian Idol]

Spot the Idol
From Sydney Confidential
January 14, 2004


HE'S recognised everywhere he goes back home in London, but apart from his appearance on World Idol recently, Australian audiences haven't seen too much of the original Idol,Will Young.

Which is probably why the singer was able to slip under the radar into Sydney this week.

The record-breaking artist has been in the Harbour City since the weekend and Confidential hears he has been shooting a video around town for an upcoming single.

And following on from the World Idol show, Australians are likely to get to know Young a whole lot better soon. His second album Friday's Child will be released here in April.

Young has been checking out a few nightspots while here, popping in to Establishment, where he caught up with a few members of the Lady Boys of Bangkok troupe and expressed a keen interest in catching one of their shows before heading back home.

Speaking of Idols and recording videos, Confidential hears Guy Sebastian is also shooting his next clip somewhere in Sydney this week.

The Daily Telegraph

entertainment.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4459,8387408%255E7484%255E%255Enbv,00.html

[Inside Australian Idol]

Album for Millsy
January 14, 2004


AUSTRALIAN Idol reject Rob Mills' 15 minutes of fame may have just turned into half an hour.
BMG, the same label behind series winner Guy Sebastian and runner-up Shannon Noll, yesterday announced Millsy had signed a recording agreement which would see him release an album later this year.

"I'm stoked. Really stoked," Millsy told Confidential after hearing the news.

"I thought they weren't going to ask me, but they did at the last minute. I'm seriously happy."

Since Millsy left the ser ies he has made sure he's remained in the spotlight - first for his public display of affection with Paris Hilton, then a television advertisement for Sanity music. He also auditioned for a part on Neighbours and made countless public appearances - all of which he hopes to continue.

"I'm happy to do anything - within reason. I mean I won't endorse stupid things," Millsy told Confidential.

In a statement issued by BMG, he said: "After the summer I had, I'm ready to get into the studio and make some music." Millsy contributed to the Australian Idol chart-topping single 'Rise Up'. His own track from the group album, 'Dirty Girl', was also popular nationally.

The Daily Telegraph

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[Inside Australian Idol]

Who does Idol worship?
From Sydney Confidential
January 14, 2004


WHO does the idol worship? Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian has made no secret of his beliefs. Now a Sydney church is using him as a pin-up boy to spread the word of God.

St Barnabas Anglican Church on the busy Broadway strip in the inner Sydney suburb of Glebe sports a billboard which reads "Who does the idol worship?" and a painted likeness of Sebastian.

"Obviously the word idol is a big deal as a Christian," St Barnabas senior minister the Reverend Ian Powell said.

"In the Old Testament it talks about idol in a physical sense and then Jesus picks it up as you can have all sorts of other things as idols, money being the most obvious."

Mr Powell said he had chosen Sebastian for the billboard as a modern play on the age-old theme.

Sebastian shot to stardom after winning the Australian Idol reality television series in November. He also represented Australia in the World Idol series, coming seventh.

The 21-year-old from Adelaide made no secret of his religious beliefs throughout the Idol competition and has even publicly declared his virginity.

Sebastian's debut single Angels Brought Me Here was Australia's highest-selling single of 2003 while his first album, Just As I Am, has gone platinum four times.

The Daily Telegraph

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