Idol star returns to country music roots

By Crystal Ja
December 19, 2006 03:01pm

THIS year's Australian Idol runner-up, Jessica Mauboy, will guest star at a talent quest in the Tamworth Country Music Festival next month, in a tribute to the genre that got her started in the business.

The 17-year-old will perform at the 2007 Telstra Road to Tamworth finals series, a country music talent quest she won in its inaugural year in 2004 before her more high-profile stint in Australian Idol.

The Northern Territory schoolgirl narrowly lost to Sydney-based Irishman Damien Leith in the Idol finale at the Sydney Opera House last month.

Mauboy, a country crooner turned pop diva, said she was excited about returning to the competition that kick-started her career.

"It's been a while ... I'm really excited to get back in there and remember it all,'' Mauboy said.

Auditioning in the heats when she was just 13, Mauboy said the competition had taught her a lot about the industry, as well as honing in on her preferred singing style.

"Back then, I had no idea what I wanted to do, whether it was country or pop or RnB,'' she said.

''(Telstra Road to Tamworth) helped me get the crowd going, that was scary too, but it really did help me get on the stage,'' she said.

But Mauboy was diplomatic about comparisons and said coming second on Idol and winning its country music equivalent were of equal value to her.

"Both are important,'' she said.

"Just to go that far is something that's incredible ... it's hard to get people to listen and watch you, especially in the music industry.''

The 2007 Telstra Road to Tamworth final will be held on January 23.

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