Australian Idol hosts Scott Tweedie and Ricki-Lee Coulter with Culcairn teenager Iilysh Retallick after the 17-year-old learned she had secured a place in the top three ahead of next week’s grand finale. Photo: Channel 7.
“You are making a little girl’s dream right now,” an emotional Iilysh Retallick declared after securing her place in the 2025 Australian Idol grand finale on the back of a record-breaking public vote.
“I’m just going to say I am ready to get rock and rolling,” the 17-year-old Culcairn schoolgirl said on Monday night (31 March) after learning she had made the top three cut over Queensland country singer Jake Whittaker.
Iilysh said she was “over the moon” to be in the finale, and will go up against singers Gisella Colletti, 16, from Western Australia, and Marshall Hamburger, 19, from Queensland.
“Thinking back to that old picture and my audition day, and to think I’m here now, I can’t even believe it,” she said.
Proud parents Melissa and Ross Retallick were once again in the audience and watched on as their daughter performed on the Idol stage singing Mr Brightside by The Killers.
After the announcement Iilysh was through to the finale, mum Melissa told Ricki-Lee they were “so excited and so super proud of you Iilysh”.
“You’ve grown so much in this competition,” she said. “We just love everything you bring and we hope Australia loves it too.”
Iilysh Retallick’s proud parents Mellissa and Ross were in the audience during Monday night’s announcement their daughter had made the Australian Idol grand finale. Photo: Channel 7.
Earlier in the night, judge Kyle Sandilands couldn’t resist yet another quip about “Cold Can baby” as he theatrically opened a can of Coca-Cola Zero and said he now thought of Iilysh every time he heard the sound.
Not to be outdone, Iilysh laughingly revealed: “Guess what Kyle? We’ve now got Cold Can stubby holders … so I’m going to give you one!”
Kyle then asked, “How are the sausages going at the butcher’s?”
“They’re getting 52 kilos a day now – it’s crazy,” Iilysh replied.
But it was clear, underneath the good-natured ribbing, Kyle and his fellow judges were big fans of the Billabong High School student from the moment she walked into the first audition as a shy, bespectacled country girl and floored them with her belting rendition of You Outta Know by Alanis Morissette.
Judge Marcia Hines referred to “the photograph of when we first saw you and everybody up here said, ‘Wow, she’s changed'” while Amy Shark marvelled at the transformation they had all witnessed.
“I can’t believe the energy that you bring to the stage each time – it’s so awesome to watch and I’m so happy for you and your hometown,” Amy said.
“They breed ’em tough and you’re just such a likeable, awesome chick …”
During Monday night’s show, Ricki-Lee and Scott Tweedie revealed that a record-breaking one million votes had been cast, and less than one per cent separated those who made the grand finale, with the live verdict seeing Jake Whittaker, Jaymon Bob, and William Le Brun eliminated.
Part one of the Australian Idol finale will air on Channel 7 on Sunday 6 April with the winner to be decided on Monday 7 April. The winner will be determined entirely by public vote via SMS – text their (correctly spelt) name to 0457 500 700 to vote.
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