Spark but no touchdown for Adelaide’s Idol electrician

Adelaide electrician James Vawser wowed the audience in Australian Idol’s Top 24 competition but the judges weren’t similarly impressed.

Australian Idol Channel 7 Top 24 James Vawser. Picture: Channel 7

Elation quickly turned to disappointment for Adelaide’s singing sparky James Vawser on Sunday when Australian Idol judges refused audience calls to give the Top 24 contestant a “touchdown”.

The 28-year-old electrician sang 20 Good Reasons by Australian band Thirsty Merc, but it wasn’t a good enough reason for judges Harry Connick Jr, Meghan Trainor, Amy Shark and Kyle Sandilands to put Vawser through to the next round.

Australian Idol Channel 7 Top 24 James Vawser faces the judges. Picture: Channel 7

“It’s Aussie homegrown, just a classic, and it’s a special song to me … good times and good friends,” he said.

“I feel like I really gave it everything I could and didn’t leave any stone unturned.”

The most important thing for Vawser was that it “felt like the crowd loved it”.

“The crowd were yelling ‘Touchdown! Touchdown! Touchdown!’ I was a bit upset when I got the feedback from the judges.

“They told me I’m not on the elite level as the rest of the competition, and sort of said ‘Don’t expect to be back next week’, which I was a bit upset about – but I held my cool.

“When the crowd was thinking one way, the judges just really turned it on its head.”

However, Vawser says he will continue to focus on his music career.

“I think I’m going to put the tools down for a little while and maybe try and pick up the microphone a bit more often.

“If there’s someone who wants to get me performing somewhere, or get me in a band, I’d love to have a chat,” Vawser said.

Interested musicians can contact him on Instagram @james_vawser.