Reality Ravings

With this years Australian Idol to start on the 24 August, it is time to look at what happened to last years contestants.

TV Week has kindly done the leg work for me:

Natalie Gauci - She won in 2007, however her The Winner's Journey was the first Idol debut not to make the top 10, and her single "Here I Am" was the first not to go to number one. Natalie has been writing songs and recording demo in LA and Europe, and is now back home preparing to record her next album. She remains signed with Sony BMG.

Matt Corby - Last years runner up did not sign on with a record label. Apparently he regrets his decision to even participate in the show, telling a Christian music website that doing Idol was "definitely not" worth the cost. " If you're really good enough.... you get there, " Matt said. His is still keen to chase his music career dreams, playing gigs around Sydney, headlining Christian music festivals, and writing and recording an indie EP.

I suspect he will fade into obscurity once the new heart throb teen comes along. Also really is he as talented as Bobbie Flynn - I think not.

Carl Riseley - He has landed a record deal with Universal Music Australia, his debut album The Rise peaked at number three on the charts, and he embarked on a tour of Australia with his big band. Carl is now living in Melbourne with his girlfriend Rachel, and recently filmed a guest appearance in the Disney Channel's As The Bell Rings.

Marty Simpson - The fourth place getter has been playing gigs and surf festivals along the east coast. Marty also wrote a song with Australian Crawl lead singer James Reyne, and has an album called Roots, Rock, Reggae due for release this summer. Expect to see him play on an elimination night.

Tarisai Vushe - After giving some great reality tv diva performances the Zimbabwean-born singer has returned to her African roots. She toured with the South African band Malaika and now fronts her own band, which was originally called Tarisai And The Tractors, but thankfully has now been renamed The Method.

Daniel Mifsud - He signed with Workstation Records, toured with Ricki-Lee Coulter and is working on an album and a TV pilot, which he's hoping to sell in America. "I actually started thinking about [the show] during Idol last year" he says. "It's reality-based , but not musical."

Mark Da Costa - The Christian rocker says he fell into old hapbits like drinking and partying after Idol. "My life became a bit of a mess, " he admits, "so I went back to church and met the woman of my dreams." Mark has decided to swap music for a career in real estate.

Ben McKenzie - My personal favourite. Ben says "[He] has made a huge transition from the 16 year old who auditioned to an 18 year old doing everything I possibly can,". He has a band called Baudelaire, made a film called Submerged and is now an in-demand photographer, but Ben denies he is a renaissance man. " There are only a few things I can do, everything else I am hopeless at."

Lana Krost - She has not done much since exiting from the show, she has posted her Idol performances on her my space site, and plans to add some original material as well.

Brianna Carpenter - She is back at Uni and has recorded an album called Harlequin, and recently filmed a clip for the single "Jacqueline", which she performed at her first audition.

Holly Weinart - The first to go, Holly sold the car she won on Idol to fund an EP by her band The Sellouts. They've since split up, but Holly has written material for her first solo album, set for release in March.

Jacob Butler - He has quit his job at JB Hi-Fi to sing fulltime. "I've been playing solo acoustic shows in Melbourne, " He also hopes to release an album with his band Betamax, next year.

As can be seen above you don't have to win Idol to further your muscial career. Lets hope this year is a cracker.