Jessica Mauboy - Australian Idol Runner-up (2006) Set for Career Surge

Who is Jessica Mauboy?
Jessica Mauboy is an indigenous entertainer from Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. She entered Australian Idol in 2006 and became the darling of the show because of her youth and talent.

Starting out as a country singer, Jessica has blossomed into a polished performer and chart topper. Last week she cleaned up in the music category of the15th annual Deadly Awards in Sydney, winning Female Artist of the Year, Single of the Year for her hit Burn, and Album of the Year for her debut Been Waiting. The Deadly Awards, which honor excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music, sport, entertainment, the arts and community achievement, were held at Sydney's Opera House on Thursday night - 15 October.

Following her success on Australian Idol, Jessica has worked hard to build a very creditable career and is getting the attention and fame she deserves. Now 20, Jessica has been nominated for 7 ARIAs (Australian Recording Industry Association Awards). The ARIAs will be held this coming Thursday, 26 November at Acer Arena in Sydney.

Jessica spent a period of time as part of The Young Divas - a group formed to showcase the talents of 2005 winner Kate DeAraugo and runner-up Emily Williams along with Idol songstresses Ricki-Lee Coulter (now an Australian Idol judge) and Paulini Curuenavuli. When Ricki-Lee left the group to pursue her solo career, Jessica filled the spot. But she was destined for better things and moved on to solo success.

This amazing, young performer has had a #3 on the ARIA singles charts with platinum sales in Australia for her first single Running Back. Her second single Burn made it to #1 in January this year. Down to earth Jessica celebrated the news by going barramundi fishing with her father!

In 2009, Jessica was also voted 'Best Aussie' at the MTV Australia Awards in March where she performed a sizzling medley of Running Back and her third hit single Been Waiting to a worldwide audience of millions across 162 countries. Jessica has also made her acting debut in the Australian film Bran Nue Dae. The film premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival in August. Jessica acted alongside Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush, Aussie TV host Ernie Dingo and recording artist Missy Higgins.

Australian Idol - a launching pad to fame - for some
Historically, runners-up of Australian Idol have done better than some of the winners. 2003 runner-up Shannon Noll (the boy from the bush - Condobolin, NSW) captured the hearts of Australians when he belted out the Moving Pictures song What About Me. It catapulted him into the finals. There is no doubt Shannon had a lot of sex appeal and clinched a big proportion of the female vote. He was up against Guy Sebastian, a devout Christian with very fixed ideas about "sex before marriage". Guy became the teenie-bopper idol, and his popularity at the time was immense. This was ratings heaven for Australia's free-to-air Channel 10. Sebastian went on to win the 2003 series, but Noll immediately became a rock/pop phenomenon and his career blasted into overdrive. A few years down the track, Shannon Noll is doing the club circuit, but continues to write and record music. Guy Sebastian is currently enjoying success with his latest album Like it Like That - also the title of his #1 single.

In 2004, another talented indigenous performer, Casey Donovan, pipped favorite Anthony Callea at the post. Casey's career never really got off the ground and Callea has had moderate success.

Jessica Mauboy looks like overtaking many of the former winners and runners-up. She's cute, savvy and sings beautifully. There is something totally likable about her. Only time will tell how far Jessica goes.

Sources:
http://www.jessicamauboy.com.au/biography/home.do
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/people/mauboy-nabs-three-deadlys-20091015-gz48.html
http://www.australianidol.com.au/past-idols.htm