IT does not matter where they came from, they all had one thing in common to be Australia's next Idol.
Australian Idol organisers said more than 200 entrants passed through the Shangri‑La hotel’s doors for auditions within an hour yesterday, including one hopeful lad who thought dressing as Marilyn Monroe might help his chances.
See Idol auditions photo gallery
"I had to do my perm, my makeup – it must have taken me like half an hour," Zach Foresight said, playing up to the crowd outside the audition room.
"I know I’m going to get selected."
The judges did not agree.
But they did go for Weipa hopeful, 23-year-old Adam Blocksidge who was the first contestant to pass through to the next round of the competition.
"It’s just crazy," he toldT he Cairns Post only minutes after impressing judges with his rendition of The Choirboys' Run To Paradise. "I really hope it’s the beginning of something."
Mr Blocksidge travelled down from Weipa on Friday night and spent the weekend gearing up for his big day.
But is was not all song and laughter for Cairns yesterday. Of the hopefuls auditioning 27 received call backs and several of these people are expected to make it through to the Brisbane auditions on May 27.
In Brisbane, judges will again whittle down the number of performers.
But they might not consider themselves so lucky when they are forced to perform in front of acid-tongued judges including Ian "Dicko" Dickson next month.
Mark Holden will be absent from the judging panel for the first time since the series began after being dumped last month. Australian Idol will begin airing around August.
Australian Idol organisers said more than 200 entrants passed through the Shangri‑La hotel’s doors for auditions within an hour yesterday, including one hopeful lad who thought dressing as Marilyn Monroe might help his chances.
