After weeks of competition, the top three contestants, Harlan Goode, Kalani Artis and Kesha Oayda, returned to the stage for the final time tonight — singing for their chance to be crowned the winner of Australian Idol 2026.
With two nights of competition and star-studded performances, the judges and audience sang each contestant’s praises.
However, there could only be one winner.
After millions of votes were counted, it was announced that 21-year-old Kesha Oayda was crowned the winner!
Kesha’s journey on Australian Idol 2026
From thousands of auditions across the country, Kesha’s performance of Die With A Smile by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga landed her with a golden ticket straight to the top 30.
Despite falling into the bottom not once, but twice during live shows, she managed to climb her way into the top three and sang alongside Vanessa Amorosi last night to secure her place in the top two, with Kalani knocked out during tonight’s grand final.
Battling it out against Harlan, she performed her original audition song and after many long advert breaks (and jokes from the judges about them), Kesha was crowned the winner.
She’s the first female winner of the show in 19 years!
When asked how she felt, she simply thanked all the production crew, her fellow contestants and all of her friends who voted for her back home in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains.
Kesha grew up in both a sporty and musical household, with a musician father that nurtured her vocal talent while she hit the ski slopes in her spare time.
Her tight-knit community has always had her back, as they’re all familiar with Kesha’s abilities from her weekly stint at the local Man From Snowy River Hotel.
She performed with her dad during one of the live shows and nostalgia played a bit part in her journey on the show, with throwbacks pictures of her as a child frequently featured on the show.
Congratulations Kesha!
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