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Jack Vidgen wins Australia’s Got Talent

14 year old singer Jack Vidgen has won Australia's Got Talent for 2011 and takes home the $250,000 cash prize.

14 year old singer Jack Vidgen has won Australia’s Got Talent for 2011 and takes home the $250,000 cash prize.

He beat illusionist / magician Cosentino who came second.

Singer / dancer Timomatic was third.

“It’s incredible. I never thought I’d do anything like this. Thankyou so much, Australia,” he said.

The young singer is tipped for a recording contract with Sony Australia and a single release of his song “Yes I Am,” co-written with vocal coach Erana Clarke and her husband. Since performing his audition song “I Have Nothing (If I Don’t Have You)” Vidgen’s performances have wowed audiences and pulled in excess of 2 million views on YouTube.

The win capped off a stunning season for the Seven series with bumper ratings and an impressive array of talent including dancers, mimics, barbershop, comedians, opera singers and more.  The show opened with a show-stopping number drawing upon past contestants and finalists.

The final also included appearances from 2010 winners Justice Crew and singer Jessica Mauboy. Seven also cleverly included promotions for The X Factor (with upcoming guest appearances from Beyonce, Mel C and Jason Derülo), Wild Boys and Packed to the Rafters.

The FremantleMedia Australia series has also defied the trend of many variety contests that diminish with subsequent years and eclipsed its own records, last week nudging 2.2m viewers.

Host Grant Denyer announced the search was now on for acts for a new season in 2012.

48 Responses

  1. Excellent show, but a shame to have a singer, albeit a great one, win, when there was somewhat different talent that could’ve won.
    I think thats what makes AGT better than the other talents shows – variety.
    I agree with others that Jacks constant appearances and promotion would’ve been a big factor in the number of votes he received.
    Great show though, definitely one of the most entertaining we’ll see this year that isn’t another sports match!

  2. Kev – shouldn’t your “pride” have kept you from stooping to even reading this article, let alone taking the time to respond to it? 😉

    I wonder how many of those who are complaining that someone else should have won last night actually voted?

    Jack could easily have lost. Susan Boyle was supposed to romp it in over in the UK, but she didn’t. In spite of the massive backlash against this supremely talented 14 year old, enough people felt that he was good enough to win to push him across the line. End of story.

  3. again…yawn, even with his quarter of a million I doubt he’ll even be known in a year or two

    I am proud to say I have never watched an episode of AGT/X-factor etc. Ever.
    Next please.

  4. i agree with everyone that is saying that 7 just about made him the winner from day 1. they didn’t need to do it. the kid is very talented and he would have won any way with out 7 push his chances of winning ahead of anyone else

  5. @ Pantaloons……Just Googled….Bonnie Anderson appears to be doing very well….apparently she and her mother went to the US in March of this year…to sing with Jackson Brown (whoever that is)….and she continues to write music….no doubt….funded by her winning prize money….

  6. @ Richard W: You are right about the “evil industry” and how it expolits and destroys talent …
    Jack needs to tour with John Farnham and maybe he can take him under his wing for a while … those two singing together would be amazing!

  7. Good luck to him but when you’re trying to sell records, is the teen market looking for a young boy who sings 70s/80s femal diva? I think not. He will be chewed up and spat out by his record company (who he has bascially been force into Sony). I hope he keeps on studying at school, cause there is slim chance of success in this evil industry.

  8. It’s not that Jack isn’t a deserving winner but that the playing field was not level. He received almost non-stop positive promotion and publicity from Seven so, for a competition judged via public voting, it was hardly a fair contest.

    He doesn’t deserve all the hate that’s being thrown his way tho’. Some of the comments and vitriol that you can read on the net are both disgusting and disturbing.

  9. Interesting to see where his career goes from here. I keep thinking of that little girl who won the first series, Bonnie Andersen? We never heard of her again…

  10. This does not suprise me one bit. If Jack is to be succesful it is not enough to have a level head and to be talented. What is also needed is the right kind of support. If he thinks that he will be a victim of the tall poppy syndrome then he should probably leave the country. He needs to make a decision what type of musician he wants to be. If he wants to have long carrear then he must dovelope his own style, both in a dress and musical sense. Loooking like a blonde beaber might work now, but it wont later on. Beaber himself is a manufactored fad. He does have talent, but will he be a one hit wonder? well we will find out wont we?

  11. Very happy that Jack has his contract with Sony … I was also amazed that Cosentino was in the last two … fantastic!!
    But Jack does not need the $250K, it should have gone to Cos to start his Magic School for kids!!!!

  12. I think that Timmomatic should have won he was they best and was very talanted he really would have diserved to win he is a world class star i wish him all the best in the future I know that he will be a well known star soon !!
    From the beginning of the show I knew Jack would win as seven posted him everywere and I think alot of the singing talent on their should have got a singing contract before he did and now Australia has their own Justin Bieber. I love all the people on their they all deserving a brighter future. Austrlia should be called “Channel seven has got talent” as there the one’s who picked the singer!.

  13. I enjoyed this finale more than the recent Britain’s Got Talent one and last year’s America’s Got Talent, so great job Australia!

    I guess there was never going to be a Susan Boyle-style boilover, so congrats to Jack.

  14. Well I think its a shame that a person who is very talented and wins gets cut down in typical aussie tall poppy style. Jack from the moment he opened his mouth showed hoe good a singer he was.

    He came across as polite, a nice boy and spoke very well. Ok so I thought Liam deserved to get more votes but it doesnt bother me Jack won. You cant deny he cant sing. If you dont like him then fine but I dont think people need to get on facebook threatening him.

  15. Jack’s a worthy winner, for sure, but I was secretly hoping Cosentino would win, as he is utterly extraordinary. I agree that Seven orchestrated Jack’s win – he has had non-stop publicity from his first appearance on the show. I feel for the other contestants as they were up against a steamroller. Jack was always going to win from the moment he warbled his first note four months ago.

  16. The kid was/is very, very talented, smart and deserves to go a long way, assuming his career is well managed.

    That said, it was clear that Seven was manipulating his win from day one. Everything from TT to Sunrise to magazines are used to generate buzz using all sorts of angles to justify stories.

    Exactly the same was done for DWTS. Manu was/is a Seven favourite and soon he’ll be everywhere – just as Tom Williams used to be.

    I feel for other contestants in these Seven shows, who don’t really get a level playing field due to Seven management fixing the outcome for their favourites to perceive and create corporate advantage.

  17. I never liked him as a singer, he is too screechy and to much yelling. It really annoys my ears, I wonder what the old judges from the original New Faces would have said about him.

    The other young kid was so much better, better singer and a lot better on stage presence.
    Glad that The Bandit did not win, could not understand or hear 70% of the words he was saying.

    As far as talent goes, either Liam or Consentino should have won.

  18. Last night’s finale was simply stunning to watch. I was captivated throughout the whole show seeing how it unfolded to the eventual winner being announced. At times I thought I was watching an Olympic Games opening ceremony – the production values were that good !! Congrats to all involved !

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