Tonight, the nation chose its Top 8, farewelling Sash Seabourne and Harry Hayden in the search for the next Australian Idol.
The Top 10 opened the show with a thundering group performance of Believer by Imagine Dragons before taking their place on the stage to hear who would stay and who would go.
Hosts Ricki-Lee and Scott Tweedie delivered the bad news to Harry Hayden, Sash Seabourne, Anya Hynninen and Ben Sheehy; who found themselves in the bottom four with the least number of votes.
When asked by Ricki-Lee if Australia was getting the voting right, Harry confessed it was difficult to know:
“It’s hard to say, you know because when Ben ended up in the bottom four this week, I’m thinking to myself, like maybe it’s because you’re a rock and roller and that’s more polarising than maybe pop music or something. It is a niche category.”
“There’s no way for us to possibly know, just like there’s no way for anybody to know. It is fascinating to watch, and our heart goes out to y’all. We’ll see what happens,” he said.
Meghan Trainor was shocked to see Anya in the bottom four:
“If we’re looking at the last performance I’m surprised, Anya, that you’re there. You had your big comeback moment and you slayed, and I guessed some of these, but I didn’t guess you and that’s troubling. I love you all. I hate this part of the show.”
To show Australia they still belonged in the competition, the bottom four took to the stage for what would be two contestants’ final performance.
Anya Hynninen was applauded for her performance of Roberta Flack’s Killing Me Softly, while Sash Seabourne mastered Tom Petty’s Free Fallin’.
Ben Sheehy bought the house down with his performance of the Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter and Harry performed Bust Your Windows Jazmine Sullivan.
Before the result was revealed, iconic international superstar and former American Idol contestant Adam Lambert performed his new single, Holding Out for a Hero, and told the Idol contestants to “have fun” as they navigated their way through the competition.
Ultimately, Sash Seabourne and Harry Hayden were eliminated from the competition after securing the lowest number of viewer votes.
On leaving, Harry said he felt nothing but “gratitude” for his time on the show, having had “the best time of his life.” Sash was also grateful for the experience and all the connections he made.
Sunday night on Australian Idol: it’s make or break as the Top 8 give it everything they have to prove to the nation along with judges Harry Connick Jr, Meghan Trainor, Kyle Sandilands and Amy Shark why they deserve the title of Australia’s next Idol.
