After receiving a golden ticket from Australian Idol judge Harry Connick Jr, Scone's Hamish Guiana is headed into the top 50.
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The 2023 Upper Hunter Shire young citizen of the year made his television debut last night when his Australian Idol audition went live across the nation on Channel 7.
We saw Harry Connick Jr head to Scone (where the American actor attempted to pronounce Scone "like the locals") to surprise Hamish for an impromptu audition at his school, Scone Grammar.
"I was midway through doing a speech and then up pops Harry Connick Jr," Hamish told the Hunter Valley News about the unexpected visitor.
In front of a school assembly of supportive peers, the Australian Idol judge told Hamish he wouldn't be auditioning in Sydney ... "because you're gonna audition right now today".
Hamish, auditioned for Harry with the song This Town by Niall Horan.
"I was very nervous when I did my audition so I actually ended up doing the song twice," Hamish said.
It didn't make it into the TV cut, but Hamish said Harry gave him some advice to just keep going when his nerves got the better of him.
"I have a tendency to make a bit of a face if I make a mistake, which I did during the addition because I was really nervous," Hamish said.
"[Harry] said that I needed to make sure I don't show my mistakes when I sing, which is something I do quite a bit because I'm used to just busking," Hamish said.
But regardless of the nerves, Hamish impressed Harry who, after awkwardly trying to find the golden ticket hidden inside a music book, presented the young singing talent with his ticket to the top 50.
"I think there was about 35,000 people who auditioned and to get through to the top 50 is very exhilarating for me and pretty cool," the 2022 Scone Grammar School captain said.
"I'm feeling really, really nervous about Idol but really good at the same time," Hamish said.
- READ MORE: Upper Hunter teen an Australian Idol hopeful
Making his community and his family proud is something that Hamish, 19, said is close to his heart. He's worked with the Upper Hunter Youth Council and has represented the Upper Hunter at the National Leadership Summit in Adelaide.
"Both of my parents are involved in the local community so that has always been a driving force for me."
While he's not quite ready to perform his own songs in public yet, he loves performing covers for his live audiences.
His most recent performance was at the PBR bull-riding event in Scone on Saturday night (4th).
When he's not covering The Lumineers or Mumford & Sons at the local or jamming to Sticky Fingers and Spacey Jane, you'll find Hamish greeting the community with his big smile at his day job at the local newsagency.
Hamish completed his HSC in 2022 and heads to Sydney in September to study at the Australian Institute of Music for a three-year course.
You can follow Hamish on his journey via his instagram @hamising_guiana
Watch Hamish's full Australian Idol audition on 7plus.
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