After weeks of competition, the top three contestants, Iilyish Retallick, Gisella Colletti, and Marshall Hamburger, returned to the stage for the final time – singing for their chance to be crowned the winner of Australian Idol 2025.
With two nights of competition and chart-topping performances, the judges and the audience sang each contestant’s praises. and with over 1.2 million votes tallied from across the country, the countdown to the grand final reveal kept fans on the edge of their seat.
While they all delivered an arena-worthy performance, only one contestant could take home the victory, with 19-year-old Marshall Hamburger announced as this year’s Australian Idol winner.
From his first audition, Marshall had impressed the judges with his signature retro-inspired flair, and his final performance of The Police’s Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic brought not only his talent but his passion for music to the forefront.
“From the first second you came into that audition room and sat at that piano, you morphed into a superstar. Now, you’re an absolute weapon ready to take on the world,” shared judge Amy Shark.
Praising his incredible star quality, Kyle Sandilands added, “I would love to get a psychic medium to find out which dead music legend you’ve reincarnated. It’s just not possible that such a young, fresh boy is such a seasoned genius musician.”
After receiving glowing feedback from the panel, the time came for host Ricki Lee to crown this year’s winner, and after a nail-biting wait, Marshall took home the $100,000 grand prize and exclusive recording package.
Visibly shocked by the result, Marshall shared, “I honestly can’t believe it. I’ve changed so much. I’ve definitely stepped out of my shell.”
“Australia, thank you so much! You are going to be hearing a lot from me in the future. I’m going to be out there.”
Congratulations Marshall!
