Crookwell gets behind Australian Idol hopeful Mariah K

To this point the 25-year-old singer/songwriter has been able to forge a successful career from the garage of her parent's home.

However, when news broke that Australian Idol would return, Mariah K decided to take a shot at the prize.

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"I used to watch Australian Idol growing up," she said.

"That was the one show that I loved."

She hopes to follow the same path as former Australian Idol contestants Jessica Mauboy and Guy Sebastian.

"For them to get to where they are now, from starting on a show like this, that's what made me do it," Mariah K said.

Through social media Mariah K has been able to develop a devoted following and fanbase.

"People have been following my music since I started out in the studio," she said.

"People are just so happy and excited for me. They know how much it means to me."

It was during the COVID-19 lockdowns that Mariah K turned to TikTok.

"To be able to go on and perform to anyone, pretty much around the world, is pretty amazing," she said.

Reports that Mariah K would appear on Australian Idol began to surface after Kyle Sandilands was spotted at the family's Crookwell cafe.

"The business was started by my grandfather in 1976, which my parents Anna and Fonda took over," Mariah K said.

"The cafe is my day job and I do music on the side. I'll be here all day and will write lyrics down while I'm working and on my lunchbreak.

"Everyone knows me and they're all coming into the shop to find out about my audition," she said.

Her love for music was first fostered by Trinity High School in Goulburn.

"I did a bit of choir and we also had a music class during which we would have to sing," she said.

"At that stage, I was 13 and didn't know how to sing at all."

Her mother, Anna Keramianakis, says Mariah K was about 20 years old when her grandfather passed away. That was when she wrote her first song Angel.

"It's a song about her grandmother," Ms Keramianakis said.

"I asked Steve Lindsay [Old Binda Road Recording Studio] if she could come and sing it for him."

The local producer has been working with Mariah K ever since.

"She's done a Christmas CD and her album Journey and now she's in the process of another album, including her new song Valentine," Ms Keramianakis said.

"We're the ones who said that she should go on Idol. We're really excited for her - I think we get more excited than her.

"Every customer is talking about her; everyone is just so excited. But like she said, she just did this to see how far she could go," she said.

Steve Lindsay remembers being very impressed by Mariah K when she came to sing at his Crookwell recording studio.

"I was doing a lot of community CDs at the time and her mum got in touch," he said.

"She's got a very unique voice; it's quite unusual. I'm not surprised [Australian Idol] chased her because she's always been good at marketing herself through social media channels.

"Those reality TV shows look for people that are pushing themselves because at the end of the day they're after somebody who can work in the industry, and who isn't afraid of a bit of hard work."

That drive was also encouraged by Mariah K's former voice tutor, Robyn Slater, of the Hume Conservatorium in Goulburn.

"Mariah has always been passionate and driven, with a focus on taking her music to the next level," Ms Slater said.

"Mariah was a dedicated student and this really shows in the progress she has made with her career."

Crookwell fans are invited to the Keramianakis family's cafe on Sunday to watch Mariah K sing for Australia.

"We are going to be here at the shop of course because weekends are our busiest times," Ms Keramianakis said.

"We have some friends coming over. Whoever wants to is welcome to come to the cafe at that time. We'll have some pizzas and whatever.

"Whatever happens happens; it's all just a bonus for Mariah. We're really proud, really proud," she said.

Valentine by Mariah K will be released on all streaming platforms on Valentines Day [February 14]. Tune into Australian Idol on Channel 7 at 7pm on Sunday [February 12].

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