Last night Australia crowned a new Australian Idol. In case you missed it (and given the ratings for the season, you probably did), Royston Sagigi-Baira took home the $100,000 cash prize and Sony Music contract over Phoebe Stewart. But of course, television isn’t just about ratings, or it shouldn’t be. While many media outlets will call the season a failure as it trailed behind reality juggernauts Married at First Sight and Survivor, I think Channel Seven has done a pretty good job revamping the original singing show.
Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, it showcased talent. Like, properly showcased talent. We saw these contestants sing at their auditions, the Sydney boot camp (several times), on live shows, and eliminations if they were in the bottom three. That’s a lot of exposure, and what I’ve always thought gave Idol contestants careers beyond the show. It’s not that the people who sing on The Voice are lacking, but consider just how often they sing in front of Australia. I really hope that exposure serves all these contestants well, because there were some real diamonds. I personally wish we could go back to the old days of eliminating just one contestant each show, but this is Idol for a different time, and the ratings probably don’t justify anything other than this shorter, snappier season. I think Seven got the balance right here.
Speaking of balance, I was pleasantly surprised by the judges. Yes, it was incredibly white-bread, but there was a good balance of intelligent critique and showmanship. Kylie Sandilands even played nice, for the most part. Even though there was reportedly some tension behind the scenes, they never let it overshadow the contestants or make the show feel awkward (anyone else remember that year of American Idol with Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj?). Professionals, every single one of them.
Only time will tell what happens with Royston, Phoebe, third-place getter Josh, and the rest of this year’s finalist, but I hope there’s been enough eyeballs on them for some doors to open. It’s a little unfair to compare ratings for the current incarnation to the original run, because it’s a vastly different television landscape. Those were the days before streaming, multi-channels, and the easy recording of PVRs. They were the days before sensational reality TV with its water-cooler moments. Some might say that means there’s no place for Idol any more, but I really hope we see it back on our screens next year. Congratulations to Royston and all this year’s Idol finalists. May they have every success. Here’s a throwback to Royston’s audition so you can see how his “Idol journey” began:
