Jake Whittaker Wins Over 'Australian Idol' Judges With 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Performance
Whittaker played 'Bohemian Rhapsody' on acoustic guitar and ran through the lyrics with his raspy, controlled voice.
Jake Whittaker (Image: Supplied)
Australian country singer, 2024 Toyota Star Maker finalist, and car salesman Jake Whittaker auditioned on Australian Idol last night (4 February) and, thanks to his epic performance, progressed to the next round.
When Whittaker hit the stage with a cover of Bohemian Rhapsody, he not only showed ambition and fearlessness by taking on a Queen song everybody knows, but he also displayed his cleverness as a performer.
Breaking down the song, Whittaker played Bohemian Rhapsody on acoustic guitar and ran through the lyrics with his raspy, controlled voice. How could he not make it to the next round with such an outstanding performance?
You can watch Whittaker’s Australian Idol audition—complete with shocked judge reactions—below.
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This year’s season of Australian Idol features judges Kyle Sandilands, Marcia Hines, and Amy Shark. It airs from Sunday to Tuesday weekly, with the Sunday episode airing at 7 pm and the weeknight shows playing at 7:30 pm. You can tune in to the show on Seven and its streaming service, 7plus.
Jake Whittaker shared his debut single, Round Here, in March 2023. On a less than surprising note for anyone who watched his audition, Whittaker’s early inspirations stemmed from soul, blues and funk, but he said he’d always loved country music and was being true to himself, citing major influences such as Brothers Osborne, Zac Brown Band, Morgan Wallen, and Luke Combs.
He said of his debut single at the time of its release, “I get sick of sitting in traffic and the business of day-to-day life, so Round Here is about all those things that build up and tick you off, and you escape them by getting out to the country life and taking a breath. It’s also about the fact we don’t need the extra things just to show off for social media.”
Last year, Whittaker dropped the party-starter single, Shoey, in which he encouraged fans to participate in the music video by sending videos of themselves doing a shoey out of a boot.
Whittaker said of the project, “We wanted to do something different with the music video, something that brings everyone together in a playful and engaging way.
“The shoey concept is a nod to our Australian heritage, and by inviting fans and fellow artists to participate, we're creating a memorable experience that reflects the joy and camaraderie of country music.”
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