5Q4 > An "Australian Idol" Veteran

For 20-something Estelle Poots from Ayr (Qld), a top 48 position in last year’s series of “Australian Idol” was an intense learning experience.

1 What prompted you to audition for “Australian Idol”? > A combination of things got me thinking. Music is such a difficult industry and “Idol” seemed a viable option after seeing the successes of past finalists. I had read an article in The Edge about a football player who managed to play at the elite level, while staying true to himself and his beliefs— which really inspired me—and I had also read about Rickey Smith, an Adventist musician who was a finalist on “American Idol” in 2004. I talked to my friends and family and they were really supportive. Plus, I had spent the previous three seasons watching “Idol” while doing the ironing. So I thought, It’s either ironing or “Idol”!

2 Give us the brief version of your “Idol” story: > I auditioned in Townsville, where I made it through four auditions before being one of three people chosen from northern Queensland to meet the judges in Sydney. It received so much media attention here, because “Idol” coming to town was quite an event. And living in a small town, everyone was pretty excited—especially the students at school where I teach art. I made two trips to Sydney in the following weeks for the next few rounds and eventually made it through to the last 48 but was cut when they selected the final 24 contestants.

3 Were you happy with how far you progressed? > It was the perfect time for me to leave. I had learnt a lot about becoming a better performer, and made some great friends and contacts in the industry. When I think that I was one of 24 girls picked out of something like 25,000 people, it is incredible. I did feel like a bit of a failure at first, because everyone at home had such high hopes for me—but of course they were proud anyway, so that was nice.

4 What did you learn from the “Idol” experience? > Because I had previously sung mainly in churches, I struggled to regard myself as a singer and performer in other contexts. It’s given me the confidence to have bigger dreams than I had before. But I also learnt that the things we think are significant are fleeting in the end. It’s great to have an experience like this but it puts life in perspective. You have to realise you are significant because of who you are in God’s eyes, not for what you can do or for what you might achieve.

5 Is this something you would recommend to other Christian musicians? > The show is run extremely well and everyone is kind and professional. They look after you well and you can definitely learn heaps from the experience. It is a risk though—I saw the majority of amazingly talented people leave broken-hearted. You also have to be prepared to handle instant— albeit brief—fame and extreme pressure. In the end, it is a TV show created for entertainment, so it is not necessarily a true reflection of your potential or ability. But it was a great experience and I found it worthwhile being challenged in so many ways. You just have to know your own heart and let your relationship with God and the advice of really wise people guide you.