Newly crowned Australian Idol 2025 winner Marshall Hamburger is set to make his Adelaide debut, headlining at the South Australian talent competition Search For A Star’s Grand Finale in October.
The 20-year-old sensation, affectionately known as “Burger Boy”, won over his national viewership and judges, with Kyle Sandilands describing him as “a seasoned genius musician,” while Amy Shark said he “morphed into a superstar”.
An iconic moment was when he performed a duet of You Make Me Feel Like Dancing with Leo Sayer, showcasing his retro-pop style and strength of reviving classic hits for a younger audience.
Hamburger, fresh from a national sold out tour, will bring his eight-piece band to headline at the Search For A Star Grand Finale, which has kickstarted other performers’ careers in history.
From 1998 to 2007 at Fellini’s in North Adelaide, Search For A Star raised more than $250,000 for charity while spotlighting some of the best emerging talent in the state.
The competition, created by Tony Rocca and Teresa Bruno, showcased and brought together South Australian talent while fundraising for various charities, including support for childhood cancer, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Foundation 21.
It helped launch the career of Orianthi Panagaris, who became Michael Jackson’s lead guitarist for the This is It tour, performed with American guitarist Carlos Santana, pop/funk/rock artist Prince and other global artists. The 2000 winner was Wes Carr who later won Australian Idol.
The legacy was revived this year, and the hunt has been on for South Australia’s newest star, with months of heats in front of a large audience and a panel of judges.
Now the top finalists will take the stage for one final showdown, competing for a paid performance on Vietnam Mekong River Cruise worth more than $20,000, two days in a recording studio, and a share in a $50,000 prize pool.
Among the standout finalists is Adelaide’s 12-year-old dancer Keegan Power, whose dreams came true when he recently joined pop icon Katy Perry on stage.
This night of entertainment, talent, and celebration supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation, bringing hope and joy to children with illnesses.
Teresa Bruno said, “We’re thrilled to bring this talent competition back to life. The talent coming through has been exceptional. We’re so excited for the final showdown which is set to be incredibly entertaining and unforgettable, all while supporting a very important cause.”
Search for a Star 2025 Grand Finale
Futures Event Centre
Friday October 3, doors open at 6pm.
Tickets: early bird general admission: $50, general admission: $79, kids under 12: $39, VIP meet and greet: $99, VIP tables of 8 with wine and food: $100 per ticket.
Details: www.trybooking.com/DCOMA
For further information about Search For A Star, visit: www.sfastalent.com.au
ABOUT SEARCH FOR A STAR
Search For A Star was created by Tony Rocca and Teresa Bruno to bring many South Australian artists together to showcase emerging talents while fundraising for various charities. It ran from 1998 to 2007 and raised more than $250,000 for charity.
