Denvah Baker-Moller, Trent Richardson, Chenai Boucher feature in Australian Idol

Three Central Queensland singers have received ‘golden tickets’ to the top 30 for this year’s Australian Idol auditions.

Denvah Baker-Moller and Trent Richardson will feature in the 2024 season of Australian Idol.

Three musical talents from Central Queensland have reached the top 30 in this year’s Australian Idol competition after wowing the judges at their auditions.

Denvah Baker-Moller, Trent Richardson and former Rockhampton singer Chenai Boucher all received golden tickets to the next stage of the competition.

Denvah Baker-Moller received the support of all three judges at her audition this week.

She was also given a “golden ticket”, which means she has made the top 30 of the competition.

Denvah is already a well-known and loved performer around the Rockhampton region, having performed at many local concerts.

In 2021 she was awarded the Young Citizen of the Year Award at Rockhampton’s Australia Day Awards for her contribution to the arts and her volunteer work.

She was also featured in The Morning Bulletin’s list of most influential people under the age of 30.

In 2023 Denvah’s musical talents were recognised at one of Queensland’s biggest country music events, winning the 2023 Gympie Muster Talent Search.

She also recently performed at the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

Standing before judges Amy Shark, Marcia Hines and Kyle Sandilands, Denvah performed her rendition of Pony by Australian country music star Kasey Chambers.

Before her audition, Denvah said Kasey Chambers was the reason she wanted to be a singer.

“I have a dancing background; ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, musical theatre,” she said.

“Everyone thought I was going to be a ballerina … kind of pulled a fast one on them all and was like, country music.

“I actually was watching a Kasey Chambers concert and I just remember sitting there and being like ‘I want to do what she’s doing right now, that would be very cool’.”

After finishing her performance, judge Kyle Sandilands said Denvah’s voice was “just magic” and reminiscent of early Dolly Parton.

“It’s cool as hell, never heard a voice like yours recently, that’s sort of the archives of country music … however your throat works, it’s just magic,” he said.

“I’m going to give you the first ‘yes’ because we must, must have someone like you in the contest.”

Also auditioning for the competition this week was former Rockhampton singer Chenai Boucher.

But it’s not her first time auditioning for a competition such as Australian Idol, with the now Melbourne-based singer previously trying her luck on the X Factor.

After not making it through when auditioning last year, Chenai returned for a second go at the competition and it paid off.

Chenai Boucher.

With the goal of becoming a “household name”, Chenai reminded the judges of her audition from last year.

She performed her rendition of River by Bishop Briggs.

After her audition, Chenai pleaded with the judges to give her a chance, with Kyle Sandilands making the comment about her being “almost aggressively passionate”.

She won over two judges, and at final judging it was Chenai who received one of the last three remaining golden tickets for the top 30.

Denvah and Chenai will both go on to join 22-year-old Trent Richardson, son of well-known camel farmer John Richardson, who also made it through to the next round during his audition.

After performing Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts, the judges commented on his “beautiful voice” but were concerned he did not have enough experience performing, describing him as “green”.

Despite their concerns he made it through to the next round and was granted a golden ticket to the top 30.

Australian Idol has catapulted many singers to success including some of Australia’s most loved homegrown artists, such as Guy Sebastian, Shannon Noll, Matt Corby and Jessica Mauboy.

Originally published as Denvah Baker-Moller, Trent Richardson, Chenai Boucher feature in Australian Idol