When Marshall Hamburger first appeared on our screens during the audition rounds of Australian Idol, he declared: “I think it’s about time a geek won!”
And, judging by his performances in the show so far, that prediction just might come true!
TV WEEK met up with the ecstatic 19-year-old as he caught his breath after the latest round, describing the Idol experience as “honestly mind-blowing”.
The self-professed gamer nerd from the Sunshine Coast says that being on the show has taken him right out of his comfort zone. The transformation has been evident to viewers through his unique and soulful performances of hits such as Daryl Braithwaite’s “As the Days Go By”, and Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets”.
“This whole experience has definitely had me coming out of my shell a lot!” the teenager admits.
“Especially when it comes to fan interactions… normally I’m a pretty awkward person who tends to keep to myself,” Marshall says. “But, since Idol, I’ve had to be outgoing and charismatic, which has sometimes led to awesome conversations – and sometimes led to awkward silences!”
The Noosa performer has even been surprised to find he now has a few girls sliding into his social media DMs!
“Yes, there have been a couple,” Marshall laughs. “I’m learning that it’s a thing that seems to come hand-in-hand with this industry. It’s something that’s definitely going to take some getting used to!”
For now, the talented musician is focused on keeping up with the “tight schedule” that comes with being an Australian Idol finalist.
“It’s all fun work, but it still is quite a lot of work – and the Idol machine moves very quickly.”
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