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Australian Idol's Hayley Warner: Second is Still Best

How are you feeling this morning?
I’m feeling really good actually, but I’ve only had two hours sleep max, so I’m really tired! The after-party was heaps of fun and it's quite funny because me and Stan don’t drink at all so we were just living off lemon, lime and bitters and by the end of the night we were just so buggered!

What was it like being onstage in front of the 4,000-strong crowd?
I really was nervous but I guess, for me, it’s to knock the first performance over and then I’m sweet. After the first one was done it was gung-ho from there and I was loving it. It felt like it went by in five minutes!

How do you feel about the verdict?
It’s been the best thing for me not to win, you know. Of course you definitely want to win, but when the opportunity isn’t there you’ve got to look for other things. And looking at it now, I’m just so at peace with the decision, just really happy. And now I’ve got more creative control over what I want to do and that’s what I wanted. So it’s all good. I couldn’t have been standing up with a better guy.

What are your plans moving forward?
I’d love to take a little bit of a holiday. This past seven months have been crazy — every day’s been jam-packed. I’d really love to go to Bali for a couple of weeks. I’ll probably go back to my band, Bleached Academy. I don’t think I'll go solo. They were all there last night and really stoked that I came second, because it means I can go back to them now!

Why not go solo off the back of your Idol success?
The thing is that while it's definitely about what I want, it’s also what the fans want and I’ve been asked every single second. To go back and get that kind of support and praise about a band is a great thing. I’m not one to follow a crowd. Both playing in the band and going solo are really possible at the moment so I’m not locking anything in. I’m willing to do anything to make music a career for me.

What was the hardest part of Idol?
I think the pressure was pretty hard because there’s a standard you’ve got to live up to. Looking at past Idols, you’ve got to stand up and be better than them so that was a real pressure. Also, I was the last girl so that pressure was full-on. But we were a family in the end, and me and Stan are like brother and sister. We’re going to the ARIAs together, it's all good and we’re going to keep in touch and hopefully work together in the future.

How much has Idol changed you?
Oh, I’m a completely different person. I was a 17-year-old girl who had only a brief idea of what I wanted to do, but seven months down the track it's amazing how determined I am to reach my goals.

Where does your self-confidence come from?
Being on Idol and making the final two gives you the confidence that if you make a record, people will hopefully dig it. But on the other hand, there’s no guarantees when you get out of here — you have to start from the bottom again and you’re just another fish in the pond.

You have legions of fans, did any profess their love?
A couple of people have been a bit wild about their love, but I’m single. I don’t have time for boys at the moment!