Australian Idol judges may have influenced voters by singling out talented teens for their age

One of Australian Idol’s teen stars has hit out after being eliminated and insists she’s ready for a pop career.

Australian Idol judges relentlessly commenting on the tender ages of this year’s talented teens has resulted in age discrimination which put the three youngest singers in the bottom four this week.

While Phoebe Stewart, 15 and Amali Dimont, 16, survived to make the Top 6, Angelina Curtis who is the youngest contestant ever to compete in Idol was cut this week.

Curtis said she was appreciative of the judges reinforcing the professionalism and maturity of the three young women despite their youth.

But putting so much focus on their age made it “tricky” to convince voters they were ready to be the next Australian Idol when the judges kept saying they had years to make it. Or were wanting to protect them from the harsh realities of being a teen pop idol.

The judges harping on about Angelina Curtis’ age didn’t do her any favours. Picture: Supplied / Seven

“I think it’s incredible I have made it this far at 15. Personally I don’t think it’s too young to start a pop career, I feel like I’m 15 going on 50,” Curtis said.

“I’ve been doing this for so long, much longer than most of the contestants in the top 12, I’ve written so many songs, and I am more than ready.”

“I don’t want my age to get in the way. And I think it ended up getting in the way, which is completely fine. I guess age is definitely a part of (the voting) but it’s tricky because you just don’t know how Australia is going to vote.”

Idol finalist Noora H plans to head into the studio soon. Picture: Supplied / Seven

The other contestant to be eliminated this week was Noora H, who was one of the oldest contestants in the rebooted television talent quest.

The first hijabi Muslim to compete in Idol said she didn’t need to win to fulfil her mission for going on the show which was to broaden her fanbase and represent her community.

Her statistics prove her point.

Noora H has more TikTok followers – an audience of 354,000 – than Idol judges Amy Shark and Harry Connick Jr combined, and her Instagram is crammed with photos of her with fans.

The western Sydney travel agent said the conventional path to pop stardom – get discovered, sign to a record label and have your image and branding controlled by industry executives – was not for her.

Curtis hopes Sony will consider signing her. Picture: Supplied / Seven

“I don’t think you need to win a particular show like Australian Idol to put yourself out there, I feel like making it as far as I have is good enough,” she said.

“It can open so many doors for you, that the right people will want you.

“But TikTok has always been a solid home for me and that’s why I said you don’t need to win a TV show because I’ve still got a platform where I can grow. I feel like I’ve got the world in my hands.”

While Curtis is keen to pursue a record deal with Sony where her personal idol Delta Goodrem was signed when she was only 15, Noora H is setting her sights on getting into a studio with producers to record a new single.

Both singers pointed to the success of previous Idol contestants who didn’t win including show host Ricki-Lee Coulter, Lisa Mitchell, Matt Corby and Jessica Mauboy as evidence you didn't need to finish first to pursue a credible musical career.

Originally published as Australian Idol judges may have influenced voters by singling out talented teens for their age