news articles 18 june

[Inside Australian Idol]

Pop queen can reflect on life as nation's idol
By PATRICK McDONALD
18jun04

AUSTRALIAN Idol's favourite judge is back on the other side of the microphone for this year's Adelaide Cabaret Festival.



Having been voted the nation's Queen of Pop in 1976, '77 and '78, Hines says she knows what it's like for aspiring young pop stars.

"I truly do feel what the kids are feeling," she said yesterday. "And I'm glad I'm there."

Hines, 50, said she tried to pass on her experiences to the show's contestants.

"I always just tell them to try to stay centred and take their time – because that's why we're there," she said.

"I've always known that being a singer is an interesting thing to do and a difficult thing to do, but I have a newfound respect for it.

"I actually had to audition (as a judge) for Australian Idol.

"I had auditioned for Hair (her first role on arrival from Boston as a 16-year-old in 1969), I auditioned for Jesus Christ Superstar (as Mary Magdelene in 1973).

"It's a terrible process and you don't see people in their best light. Sometimes, nerves are your worst enemy."

Hines says she "knows" she has more empathy for the contestants than her fellow judges, Mark Holden and Ian Dickson.

They have just finished preliminary auditions in each state for the second series of Australian Idol, which is due to start on Channel 10 next month.

"It was very interesting – some good singers came out," she said.

Adelaide singer Guy Sebastian's win in the first series had helped inspire other local contestants, she said.

"Guy just did a performance for 28 million people – he was on stage on American Idol, " she said. "It really doesn't get much bigger than that."

Hines also finished recording her own new album, Hinesight, two days ago.

On it, she covers songs which have inspired her own musical journey, from Sam Cooke's You Send Me and the Bee Gees' How Deep is Your Love to Bob Dylan's Forever Young and Chaka Khan's Ain't Nobody.

The album was produced by John Foreman, who is musical director for Australian Idol.

Hines will perform with her band at the Dunstan Playhouse tonight. Bookings are available through BASS.

www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,9876242%255E16422,00.html

[Inside Australian Idol]

Students get to meet an Idol

June 18 2004
Shepparton News


The musical talents of a man who has guided Australian idols and Bert Newton to success delighted some record-breaking children at Kyabram last night.


Sensations: Donald Campbell, Glen Ferguson and Clarissa De Palma with John Foreman at Kyabram last night.Picture: Ray Sizer

John Foreman performed for about 250 Dillmac Entertainment students, who doubled the former national record for the amount of money raised during a `Music-a-thon' for the Malcolm Sargeant Cancer Fund for Children.

The students raised $7300 during the event, which raises money for children and families affected by cancer.

Ten-year-old Clarissa De Palma contributed a massive $1500 to the group's success.

Dillmac Entertainment part-owner Liz Dillon said it was good to see the children rewarded for their efforts, and a visit by such a well-known musician was a great way for the organisation to say thanks.

"We encourage all students to take part in the fundraiser . . . and those that do have done a magnificent thing," Ms Dillon said.

Mr Foreman, the fund patron and Australian Idol and Good Morning Australia music director, performed for about 40 minutes before students delighted him with their own musical talents.


news.mcmedia.com.au/story.asp?TakeNo=200406183719122

[Inside Australian Idol]

Do you think they're sexy?
By Ben Davey
June 18, 2004

Brad Pitt made it (again) but Jean Claude Van Damme can forget about it. Paris Hilton got a guernsey but Britney Spears is now too trashy. So who else made Who Magazine's annual list of the world's sexiest people?

Mr Pitt's convincing turn as the Homeric uber-thug Achilles in Troy earned him a spot in the list. Hardly surprising though as Brad has only been excluded once (2003), since the list's inception in 1999.

"He is almost an automatic entrant," says Who Magazine executive editor Helen Martin.

"He would have to live in solitude in Malta not to qualify and even then ...

Apparently, Pitt's "devotion to his wife and the way he endears himself to the audience" as well as his pecs, abs, roman chin and biceps were all big ticks in the sex-bomb column.

Other shoe-ins included Beyonce Knowles, Hugh Jackman, Keira (Pirates of the Caribbean) Knightley, Halle Berry and Justin Timberlake who, while "largely forgettable" as a member of the boy-band NSync "has grown up since being with Cameron Diaz."

"He can dance too."

The less obvious sexy choice field was filled by The Block's Matt Martino ("the way he treats his wife is heartwarming"), designer Gwendolynne Burkin, Australian Chamber Orchestra's Richard Tognetti and everyone's favourite she-male Miriam.

"There's something compelling and fascinating about Miriam. She's sultry.

"She may however be a flash in the pan."

If the banality of Miriam's recent guest spot on Big Brother is anything to go by, she may fall short of Who's most intriguing list.

Speaking of Big Brother, does Martin think any of the current housemates cut the sex mustard?

"No I don't see any of them making the list."

Never fear housemates, the lucrative nightclub appearance circuit awaits.

Some who have lost their sass include fallen songbird Mariah Carey, British pop-star Billie Piper (who is cast to play the new Dr.Who sidekick), actress Carmen Electra and the 'muscles from Brussels' Jean Claude Van Damme (soooo 1993 ... Dolph Lundgren, watch out).

Britney's transformation from sex kitten (cue Hit Me Baby ...) to harlot/vixen (anything since) did not bode well with the judges. On the other hand, New York socialite/dirty stop-out Paris Hilton got the nod. Huh?

"Whatever Paris does is quite effortless and fun, she knows what she is and we like her for that."

It is also apparent that tantrums are not sexy. Well, at least tantrums thrown by mullet sporting, Beatle-wannabe rock stars.

"(Oasis frontman) Liam Gallagher will never make the list."

So can regular list-makers, such as Mr Pitt now be elevated to the status of 'sexy perennials'?

"Yes, Pat Rafter is a good bloke and a hottie. He stepped down gracefully from tennis into jeans and a singlet.

Kill Bill ninja-ette Uma Thurman is another perennial candidate. "She's devastatingly sexy with a sword."

So what about Quentin Tarantino? "Maybe, he'd make the interesting list ..."

Having lost Australian Idol to R&B vocal acrobat Guy Sebastian, Shannon Noll can rest assured that his talents have not gone unnoticed at the office of Who.

"Shannon is nice and he's a rugged farm boy. He has somewhat crystallised Australiana in his image. He also brought back Aussie pub rock, is very cute and not at all contrived."

So is there a definitive common element shared by these sexy people? Something that the mere mortal could aspire to?

"If you could define 'it', it wouldn't be labelled 'it'," says Martin.

"Let's say a mix of charisma, sparkle, hot looks, abs, legs, a cheeky grin and a spirit of fun."




www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/17/1087245026273.html

[MaybeNext]

Courier Mail

Idol also–ran tackles big time

She was adored by Australian Idol viewers who fiercely defended her during the “gold dress” saga, but there was a time when Paulini thought she would never make it. The phones of the Fijian born starlet were disappointingly quiet after she was voted off the reality TV talent quest late last year and Paulini feared the worst.

“I was like am I ever going to get anything out of this,” she said. “When I got out of Idol, when I actually left the house I didn’t get any calls from anyone. No calls from managers, no record companies.”<br>
But once the Australian Idol tour was on the road and the official record company BMG was busy with its winners Guy Sebastian and Shannon Noll, Sony Music came knocking for the 20 year old while she was in Brisbane.

Since then Paulini has made a habit of returning to the Sunshine State to perform at Broncos matches and most recently, at Wednesday night’s state of Origin clash at Suncorp Stadium. She has also put together her debut album, One Determined Heart, which on July 2 6 will be the first release form a female Australian Idol contestant, side for “gender illusionist” Courtney Act.

“The album’s a covers album and it’s got two originals on it,” she said.

“I look up to a lotd of people whose songs I’m covering.”<br>
Paulini will be at HMV, Westfield Carindale on Thursday, July 8, at 6:30 pm.

Her single Angel Eyes is out on July 5.