The third season of Australian Idol debuted on 26 July 2005. The first of three semi-finals was held on 16 August 2005 with three of the Top 12 contenders announced the following night on 17 August 2005. 2Day FM radio host Kyle Sandilands replaced former judge Ian Dickson.
Overview
For the first time in Australian Idol history, thirteen contestants instead of twelve, made it to the weekly finals rounds. As in past years, the Wildcard show would give a further three contestants a spot in the Top Twelve – two chosen by the judges and one by the Australian public. Following the "second-chance" wildcard performance show the previous night, on 5 September 2005, the judges choices were James Kannis and Emily Williams. The public choice was then revealed to be Daniel Spillane. However, it was also revealed a very marginal difference of less than 1% between the next highest voted contestant, Roxane LeBrasse, and the judges deciding that Roxane was too good to be left out of the Top 12, made it a Top 13. Unfortunately this would mean, the elimination of two people with the lowest votes, the following week.
The Grand Finale was held on 21 November 2005, with the winner being revealed as Kate DeAraugo. Kate had been outside chance to win through the duration of the season, but after the show ended, released a No. 1 single, "Maybe Tonight", a platinum selling album and a further Top 10 hit single through Sony BMG.
Runner up Emily Williams lost by 1% in the closest percentage ever in an Idol finale. She was originally signed to Sony BMG as a solo artist, but the agreement fell through and she ended up joining the girl band the Young Divas.
Lee Harding finished in third position and was signed to Sony BMG and released a # 1 single and a platinum selling album. His second single from his debut album proved to be less successful and in mid-2006 Harding was released from his contract with the label. He is currently touring and performing with his band Bedrock.
Dan England came 4th and didn't score a recording contract with a major label but recorded several independent releases and has toured with Season 2 winner Casey Donovan and Season 1 Runner-up Shannon Noll.
Anne Robertson who finished in sixth position was negotiating a deal with Sony BMG, but it was rumoured that Sony BMG was reluctant in signing her as they believed she was too similar to Season 1 contestant Paulini Curuenavuli who had been signed to the label for several years.
Other contestants from Season 3 have released numerous independent material and have toured and performed with several bands and music groups.
Although averaging around the 1.5million viewer mark, ratings were down by up to 40% on average during the third season compared to the first two seasons, which regularly drew more than 2.5million viewers during the latter half of the competition. This created a serious situation for Ten, which was airing three Australian Idol shows every week at the time, and forced them to give away free commercial airtime to program sponsors expecting higher ratings. Commentators has theorised over the reasons why this has occurred, ranging from the viewing public being tired of the format due to Sandilands replacing the popular Dickson. This would later bring about a major Idol revamp for Season 4 which led Season 4 being one of the highest rating seasons yet.
Advancing to the Top 12: Anne Robertson, Chris Luder and Tarni Stephens Wild Card Contenders: Daniel Spillane, Lindsay West, Chloe Zuel, Josh Williams, Irene Bosmans
Anna Katherine "Kate" Jenna DeAraugo (born 5 November 1985), is an Australian singer, and was the winner of the third season of Australian Idol in 2005. Kate never scored a touchdown from judge Mark Holden, but was the only contestant from this series who was never actually in the bottom three or two. Kate released a platinum selling album and a number one single. She is also a member of the multi platinum selling group, Young Divas with Emily Williams, Paulini and Jessica Mauboy.
Emily Williams (born 8 October 1984 in New Zealand), a former factory worker, was the runner-up and is a member of the band Young Divas. Emily was in the bottom three only once (the Top 7) and scored three touchdowns over the course of the season, from judge, Mark Holden.
Lee Harding (born 8 June 1983), was placed third in the competition. From Frankston, Victoria, prior to Idol, he worked at the local AMC cinema multiplex.
Dan England (born 22 August 1983), is a former service station employee from Brisbane, noted for his dreadlock hairstyle. Before Idol, Dan was singer for the Brisbane covers band 'Bejesus' and in earlier years, attended St. Joseph's Nudgee College in Brisbane. Captivating the hearts of the Australian public with his soulful and angelic voice, dreadlock hairstyle and warm charisma, he was voted off on 7 November 2005, with a difference of 27 votes separating him from Lee Harding. It was suggested his elimination was attributed in part to the fact that his home state, Queensland, did not participate in daylight saving, and that Queensland voters therefore had one hour less to make their votes. This viewpoint was expounded further in the national parliament by the State Premier, Peter Beattie.
After his highly successful run on Idol, Dan has continued his dream of doing what he loves best, by honing his songs and playing to tens of thousands of people in towns and cities across Australia. In 2006 he toured as a support act to Shannon Noll. Early 2007 saw him tour with Chris Murphy (fourth place getter in season 4) locally in SE Queensland. Later that year, 2008 and through to February 2009, Dan's national tour "A year on the Road tour," saw him play a record number of live shows, ironically lasting 15 months because of its success.
Dan released a self-titled, independent debut single, which was used as a part of the 2007 RAAF promotions campaign. Hitting number five on the iTunes charts, the self-titled mini-album was in stores in the third quarter of 2006. Its first single released to radio was "Reason to Fly".
Daniel Spillane
Daniel Spillane (born 29 February 1980) was eliminated on 31 October 2005, placed fifth. After previously auditioning unsuccessfully in earlier seasons, he heeded the advice of judge Mark Holden and dedicated the next year to honing his skills as a performer. He left his employment with his family's real estate business to move to Brisbane to find inspiration. Noted for his rendition of "Gimme Some Lovin'" by the Spencer Davis Group impressed the judges and he was unanimously invited to the next round.
Anne Robertson, (born 7 March 1983), is of Samoan descent, but has grown up largely in Sydney's South-West. She is mostly known as a contestant on the 2005 season of Australian Idol. She had never been into the bottom 2 or 3 until her elimination, in which she made it to the final 6.
Anne has performed all over Australia, New Zealand, Samoa and Singapore. She has written and recorded with some of Australia's finest songwriters/producers and occasionally performs and hits the live music circuit in Sydney and around Australia. In 2008 Anne was a member of Australia's girl group, Sultry Sally. The girls' first single is a cover of the 2001 Crystal Waters floor filler, "Gypsy Woman"
In 2010, Anne released a version of Jerome Grey famous track "We are Samoa" available for purchase on iTunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, Emusic and Napster with all online proceeds going towards a charity supporting the 2009 tsunami. The most recognizable song in Samoan History and known to be the Samoa's second National Anthem. A song which was even performed by the original composer Jerome before President Carter and the United States Congress in 1980.
Roxane LeBrasse (born 26 August 1983 in Mauritius) was placed ninth in the competition, after being voted off on 3 October 2005. Initially missing out on a place in the final twelve, she became a part of the season's final thirteen. Following the announcement of the third choice, Daniel Spillane in the Wildcard show, it was revealed there was less than 1% difference in the votes separating Roxane and Daniel, therefore the judges felt Roxane was too good to not be included in the final rounds. This would mean however, the elimination of two contestants in the following week.
Roxane is one of three contestants from series 3, apart from the two who were eliminated in the first week of the finals, who was eliminated on her first time in the bottom 3. The others were Natalie Zarah (11th) and Anne Robertson (6th).
Before auditioning, LeBrasse was a back-up singer to Australian singer Jade MacRae. She appeared on a single with the popular 1990s Australian band The Rockmelons, titled "I Ain't Playin", released in mid-2002 and peaked at No. 79 in the ARIA Charts. She was also featured singing "I Got News for You", "Game Tight" and "Three's a Crowd" on their Rockies 3 album.
Since Idol, she has been signed by Shock Records and released a single named "Ti Amo" on 31 July 2006.
Natalie Zahra
Natalie Zahra (born 24 April 1988), was placed eleventh in the competition, being eliminated on 19 September 2005. A country girl from Innisfail, Northern Queensland, prior to Idol, she was a singing teacher and taught students of all ages.
Chris Luder (born 18 May) was eliminated on 12 September 2005, placed twelfth in the competition. Chris made it into the Top 13, along with good friend (prior to Idol), Roxane LeBrasse, but was voted off in the first live eviction show, along with Tarni Stephens.
Audition: 'Tip of My Tongue' by Diesel
Theatre Week (Round 1): 'More than Anyone' by Gavin DeGraw
Theatre Week (Round 3): 'Sign your name' by Terence Trent D'arby
Tarni Stephens (born 3 April 1978) was the first of the top thirteen to be eliminated, on 12 September 2005, along with fellow contestant Chris Luder. Auditioning in Brisbane, she was the lead singer in her band Tarni and became known to the Australian public for her rock style of music.
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