Culcairn schoolgirl and Australian Idol runner-up Iilysh Retallick will perform with Shannon Noll on Saturday 26 April as part of the Murray River Golf and Music Festival at Barooga. Photo: Supplied.
Two Aussie rock stars from the Riverina who share the honour of being runners-up on reality televisions series Australian Idol are set to share the stage at a music festival on the Murray this Anzac Day long weekend.
Culcairn schoolgirl Iilysh Retallick will perform with Shannon Noll on Saturday 26 April as part of the two-day Murray River Golf and Music Festival at Barooga.
“It’s going to be super iconic because it means the most recent runner-up of Australian Idol will be able to perform with the first ever runner-up of Australian Idol,” a delighted Iilysh announced to her Instagram followers.
“Nollsie”, who hails from the small town of Condobolin, has enjoyed a hugely successful career after coming second to Guy Sebastian in that first record-breaking show in 2003, while fans of 17-year-old Iilysh are predicting she too is destined for stardom after being pipped at the post by Marshall Hamburger in this year’s series.
Nollsie will headline Rock’n The Reserve alongside Choirboys at the Barooga Recreation Reserve, with the Saturday night line-up also featuring Stumbling North and Jessica Lorraine.
The two-day festival features live music and celebrity golf along the scenic Murray River and Nollsie has already expressed his excitement about meeting and performing with the Billabong High School rock chick.
“So happy to let everyone know @iilyshretallick_official will be getting up on stage to do a couple of songs with me …” he shared to Instagram.
“She did so well on (Australian Idol) coming a close second! I know how that feels ha ha!”
It’s been a whirlwind of welcome homes and widespread publicity for Iilysh after her show-stopping performances on the Channel 7 show, for which 1.85 million people tuned in to watch the finale on Monday 7 April.
The bubbly teenager has embraced the power of social media, becoming a proficient and prolific promoter for her music – and her community of Culcairn, temporarily renamed Cold Can in honour of the long-running joke with judge Kyle Sandilands about the pronunciation of her hometown’s name.
She’s been plugging the ‘ridgy didge’ Cold Can stubby holders available from the Culcairn Hotel – as well as the official release of her Idol Collection album this Saturday (which is already available on iTunes for preorder).
In a heartfelt post on social media a week after her dizzying roller-coaster ride on Australian Idol, Iilysh reflected on the “absolute joy” she felt knowing how loved and supported she had been throughout her journey.
“From the moment I had applied for Idol I had never imagined I would ride the journey out to the end,” she wrote.
“I know little li would be mind blown at the very thought of coming runner-up. My goal was always to bring light on living life unapologetically, taking risks and SHOOTING FOR THE STARS and I can only hope I inspired other people with a passion to do the same.”
Making incredible memories and friends for life along the way, Iilysh said she had been “forever changed for the best” due to the people on Idol and all those who had supported her along the way (“far too many to name”).
Her plan is to get on the road and “share with the world what makes me the happiest”; no doubt she’ll be chasing up Kyle to make good on his promise to buy her that van to help keep her music dreams rollin’.
Iilysh urged anyone thinking about following their dreams to just do it.
“The only person holding you back is yourself. So take a risk on yourself and once again shoot for the stars.”
Rock’n The Reserve is on Saturday 26 April at the Barooga Recreation Reserve – gates open 5 pm for a 6 pm start. Tickets at www.cbriverfestival.com.au
