The age-old tradition was to put an apple on a teacher’s desk — but have you ever heard of putting a box of apples on the judges panel?
Tom Nethersole has done just that at his Australian Idol audition this year, bringing fresh apples from his family’s orchard to accompany his mighty pipes.
Mr Nethersole said standing out to the judges was only part of the reason behind the fruity offering.
“Having grown up on an orchard in Ardmona, bringing apples was a reminder of my childhood — it was about remembering where I’ve come from and the parts I’m portraying,” he said.
From beginning to end, the audition process was a whirlwind of chaos for Mr Nethersole and his father.
The date of the audition coincided with the Shepparton floods in October, bringing additional waves of anxiety for the aspiring artist.
“It was a wild experience, trying to drive to Melbourne, getting my dad and my family to the audition,” he said.
To top off the thoughts of potential flood devastation, Mr Nethersole’s audition song chosen by the music team, Too Good at Goodbyes by Sam Smith, struck chords beyond surface-level.
“It was lucky that it was a song I knew well and felt connected to, as it aligned with my own experiences ... it’s beautiful and personal, and expresses my trauma,” he said.
“When I was eight, I lost my mum to an asthma attack; that was very hard as a young child ... the song encapsulates that, as well as my experiences with different moments in my life.”
Mr Nethersole cannot reveal what this season of Australian Idol has in store for him, so for now it’s the waiting game as the season plays out.
Rest assured, those that know Mr Nethersole know his musical journey will be anything but boring.
Australian Idol premiered on Monday, January 30 on Channel 7 and 7plus.