By Tyler Wright
Hills local Anya Hynninen was eliminated from the 2023 season of Australian Idol on Monday 20 March, but she went out with a bang.
Having reached the top six, the 19-year-old Selby resident sang ‘It’s a Man’s World by’ James Brown in her last performance in front of the panel of judges.
“It was an important song for me to perform because for me, it was powerful, and with all the comments from Harry [Connick Jr]…it felt like a good way to end the [show],” Hynninen said.
“When I first auditioned, I didn’t even know if I’d get through, so to get this far, It’s like, ‘oh, my God, thank God I’m still here,’ and I was completely shocked and so grateful.
“I wasn’t really even shown that much on TV compared to the others, so the fact that I had people still voting for me saying that I was their favourite was insane.”
For Hynninen, the Idol experience was the “most full on thing” she has ever done; more intense than working four jobs while studying full time and gigging.
“There’s a part of you that wants to get to top three, but I’m happy with where I’m at and I don’t think I could have done next week anyway, I think I would have just probably had a mental break down because it’s full on and you don’t get any breaks, so it’s really challenging,” Hynninen said.
Online criticism of the singer’s performances also ramped up towards the end of her time in the competition – something that was her “biggest fear” going into the show.
“Some people comment like they know exactly who you are and they comment, telling you who you are and coming up with all these traits that just aren’t true…if they ever spoke to you in person, that would never come out of their mouth,” Hynninen said.
“So much of your personality is edited and cut and pasted on these shows so it’s really hard to connect and show your true self because so much of it is squashed down…
“It was constant towards the end… there wasn’t any apps that I could go on that I could hide from it.”
Coming out the other side, Hynninen said the support she has received from family, friends and her home town in the Hills is something she couldn’t even expect, with staff from Babaji’s Kerala Kitchen in Belgrave dressing in pink wigs as the singer’s lookalikes, and Belgrave South Primary School and Belgrave South Hardware filming videos of support for the musician.
“I reckon a Selby coming home show is definitely on the cards,” she said.
Switching up roles from on-stage performer to a supporter in the crowd, Hynninen will be cheering for the final three contestants – including Mount Evelyn local Josh Hannan – who will perform on Sunday 26 March.
“It’s going to be really tight,” she said.
“I love Josh, he’s like my bestie, but I do hope Royston makes his mark and really brings it home because of his community.
“He’s just so lovely, and there’s going to be so many people looking up to him”
Upon returning home, Hynninen is preparing to re-visit the catalogue of songs she left behind on her adventure to Sydney.
“I’m a writer before I’m a singer…I’ve got literally 2000 songs on my little MacBook, so there’s a lot to release… all I’m focused on is singing and working to get my name out and touring and releasing an EP of five or six songs and making my mark,” she said.
“After the show, Harry said ‘you just have to not stop….the key to success is just that sheer determination…'”
“One of the vocal coaches, Brydon, said the same thing; ‘it doesn’t matter basically how good your voice is, all of those things don’t really matter, but if you have something to say and you have perspective and you just have that determination and you don’t stop, then you’re just always going to succeed.”
