Australian Idol 2026 Golden Ticket Winners: Full List of Audition Standouts & Top 30 Contestants

Australian Idol 2026 Golden Ticket winners – The eleventh season of Australian Idol kicked off on February 2, 2026, on Channel 7 and 7plus, delivering emotional, powerful, and unforgettable auditions.

Judges Kyle Sandilands, Marcia Hines, and Amy Shark have been handing out Golden Tickets — the fast-pass to the Top 30 — to the most talented hopefuls.

As of mid-February 2026 (after Auditions Pt. 1–6), dozens have earned their Golden Ticket to Australian Idol 2026, with more expected in upcoming episodes.

Why Golden Tickets Matter in Australian Idol 2026

A Golden Ticket means automatic advancement to the Top 30 — no holding room drama or callbacks required. Judges award them for standout vocals, unique stories, stage presence, and star potential. Performances often get released as singles on Spotify/Apple Music (via 19 Recordings), boosting visibility.

Confirmed Australian Idol 2026 Golden Ticket Winners (Aired Auditions)

Contestant Name	Age	Location / Background	Audition Song(s) / Highlight	Episode / Air Date (AEST)	Why They Got the Golden Ticket	Notes / Source Highlights
Kalani Artis	23	Central Coast / Bensville, NSW (landscaper/tradie)	“Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia – raw post-breakup emotion	Premiere (Feb 2)	Amy Shark: “Exactly what we hope to see”; Nan’s guitar inspiration	Early fan favourite; Central Coast news buzz
Eva Ilov	20	Brisbane, QLD (juice bar worker)	Mash-up: “Saving All My Love for You” (Whitney), “Tennessee Whiskey” (Stapleton), “Down Under” (Men at Work)	Premiere (Feb 2)	“No-song” audition – left choice to judges; seamless genre blend	Viral confidence; SuperStar vibe
Lily-Grace Grant	17	Northern Rivers / Lennox Head, NSW (country-pop)	“What You Get Is What You See” by Tina Turner	Premiere (Feb 2)	Young talent with industry/family ties; Dylan Wright inspiration	Blue Shamrock Music artist
John Standley	16	Bunbury, WA	“Shout” by The Isley Brothers	Premiere (Feb 2)	Nicknamed “Johnny Jukebox”; retro ’50s energy & maturity	High-energy swagger
Mat Rigby	17	Melbourne, VIC (singer-songwriter)	“Viva la Vida” by Coldplay (at Marvel Stadium)	Premiere (Feb 2)	“Biggest audition in Idol history”; classical + indie-pop	Family emotional story (grandpa with dementia)
Charlie Moon (Charlie-Moon Meader)	31	Perth, WA (bartender/soul singer)	“Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish	Early (Feb 3–5)	Emotional tribute to late mum (cancer); moved Kyle to tears	Heart-wrenching WA standout
Harriet Kenworthy	19	Perth, WA	Vocal power & smile highlighted	Early batch	WA double-threat; survived holding room	Strong presence
Nicholas Storm	19	Gawler River, SA	Stripped-back style	Recent (Feb 15–16)	Family proud; group batch winner	Social congrats posts
Wanwue Tarpeh	21	Melbourne, VIC	Not detailed	Recent (Feb 15–16)	Advanced in group reveal	Official batch announcement
Olivia Giaourtas	–	Camden, NSW (cheerleader background)	“Hold On” by Wilson Phillips (stripped-back)	Recent (Feb 15–16)	All judges yes; local hero story	Camden news celebration
Riley Zischke	23	Longreach, QLD (cattle farmer/singer-songwriter)	Rural/outback vibe	Recent (Feb 15–16)	Outback representation	Group with Olivia et al.
Cody James	20	Karratha, WA (“Kid from Karratha”)	Not specified	Recent (Feb 15–16)	Remote WA talent; “golden nugget” small-town superstar	Official Instagram reel
Sophie Poidevin	19	Melbourne, VIC (art-pop model)	“Tainted Love” (second-chance performance)	Mid-Feb	Returned to prove herself; sultry/edgy delivery	Second audition success
Alita Santhosh	22	Adelaide, SA (vocal coach)	Y2K R&B style	Feb 16 episode	Glossy early-2000s runs & confident presence	“Y2K R&B princess” promo

Here’s the growing list from premiere and recent episodes:

Kalani Artis (23, Central Coast/Bensville, NSW – landscaper/tradie)
Audition Song: “Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia
Why He Got the Golden Ticket: Raw emotional delivery post-breakup; inspired by late Nan’s guitar. Amy Shark: “Exactly what we hope to see.” Premiere standout and early fan favourite.
Eva Ilov (20, Brisbane, QLD – juice bar worker/singer-songwriter/guitarist/DJ)
Audition Songs: Mash-up of “Saving All My Love for You” (Whitney Houston), “Tennessee Whiskey” (Chris Stapleton), “Down Under” (Men at Work)
Why She Got the Golden Ticket: Iconic “no-song” audition — left song choice to judges, nailed it with seamless genre blend. Viral confidence and SuperStar vibe.
Lily-Grace Grant (17, Northern Rivers/Lennox Head, NSW – country-pop)
Audition Song: “What You Get Is What You See” by Tina Turner
Why She Got the Golden Ticket: Young country talent with family ties; inspired by 2025 winner Dylan Wright.
John Standley (16, Bunbury, WA)
Audition Song: “Shout” by The Isley Brothers
Why He Got the Golden Ticket: Nicknamed “Johnny Jukebox” for retro ’50s energy and mature vocals at just 16. High-energy swagger wowed judges.
Mat Rigby (17, Melbourne, VIC – singer-songwriter)
Audition Song: “Viva la Vida” by Coldplay (performed at Marvel Stadium)
Why He Got the Golden Ticket: Epic stadium audition called “the biggest in Idol history.” Classical training + indie-pop; emotional family story (grandpa with dementia).
Charlie Moon (Charlie-Moon Meader, 31, Perth, WA – bartender/soul singer)
Audition Song: “Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish
Why He Got the Golden Ticket: Heart-wrenching tribute to late mum (cancer); moved Kyle to tears. WA emotional powerhouse.
Harriet Kenworthy (19, Perth, WA)
Audition Song: Not specified (vocal power highlighted)
Why She Got the Golden Ticket: WA double-threat with Charlie; strong smile and vocals survived holding room.
Nicholas Storm (19, Gawler River, SA)
Audition Song: Stripped-back style (details emerging)
Why He Got the Golden Ticket: Recent batch winner; family celebrations on socials.
Wanwue Tarpeh (21, Melbourne, VIC)
Audition Song: Not detailed
Why He Got the Golden Ticket: Advanced in group reveal with Nicholas/Olivia.
Olivia Giaourtas (Camden, NSW – cheerleader background)
Audition Song: “Hold On” by Wilson Phillips (stripped-back)
Why She Got the Golden Ticket: All judges said yes; local hero story in Camden news.
Riley Zischke (23, Longreach, QLD – cattle farmer/singer-songwriter)
Audition Song: Rural/outback vibe
Why He Got the Golden Ticket: Outback representation in recent batch.
Cody James (20, Karratha, WA – “Kid from Karratha”)
Audition Song: Not specified
Why He Got the Golden Ticket: Remote WA talent in latest group.
Sophie Poidevin (19, Melbourne, VIC – art-pop model)
Audition Song: “Tainted Love” (second-chance performance)
Why She Got the Golden Ticket: Returned to prove herself; sultry, edgy delivery.
Alita Santhosh (22, Adelaide, SA – vocal coach/Y2K R&B princess)
Audition Song: Y2K R&B style (Feb 16 episode)
Why She Got the Golden Ticket: Glossy early-2000s runs and confident presence.

Additional recent mentions include Sophie, Trè (likely Tre Samuels), Kesha, and Harry in batch announcements.

Where to Watch Australian Idol 2026 Auditions & Golden Ticket Moments

Airtime: Sundays & Mondays 7:00/7:30 PM AEST on Channel 7
Stream: 7plus (catch-up episodes, full auditions playlist)
Updates: Follow @australianidol on Instagram/Facebook for Golden Ticket reveals, clips, and Spotify audition tracks.

The Australian Idol 2026 Golden Ticket race is heating up — with only ~30 spots total, these early winners are setting the bar high. More Golden Ticket auditions drop weekly. Who’s your pick for the next Australian Idol winner? Search “Australian Idol 2026 Golden Ticket” for the latest! 🎤✨

Author Info

Drew Medas , 10+ Years Experience as Reality TV Casting Analyst

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