Students Got Talent

Born in Minas Gerais, Brazil, Amanda discovered her natural talent for music at the age of 12 when she picked up her brother's old guitar. Since then, her passion for music has blossomed, particularly as she realized that her greatest strength lies in her gentle and captivating voice. In less than two years living in Australia, Amanda has already made her mark by participating in the Fringe Festival 2023, as well as the Music Passion Bossa and The Cabaret Experience. She has engaged in projects that celebrate Brazilian musical culture, becoming a member of the Brazilian reggae band Roots SA and performing with the group Jambulouco.

Enala is an aspiring Zambian RnB, Jazz and Rock artist. In love with all thins creative, bright and new, she uses music as key form of artistic expression as well as painting, fashion design and music composition. With her experience in classical music and her enjoyment of a plethora of genres, her own music reflects her genre bending skills. Enala is a vocalist with a voice that can be described as a vocal powerhouse. Enala is currently at the very beginning of her career as a recording artist and will soon be sharing her voice with the world.

John Paul Hermano a.k.a "JPH", is a talented songwriter, performer, and recording artist hailing from the Philippines. He has fervently pursued his musical passion since 1996. Besides crafting his own songs, he plays a pivotal role in producing their accompanying music videos. Following the disbandment of Speakeasy, JPH emerged as a solo artist under the moniker "JPH and The Band of Criminals" in 2013, continuing his artistic journey. Currently based in Adelaide, South Australia, he collaborates with local musicians "THE DANGEROUS ANIMALS".

Katie Aspel is an emerging First Nations pop artist, a proud Ngarrindjeri/Gunditjmara woman, who combines lively pop vocals and soulful acoustic guitar. Her songs artfully convey themes of love, heartbreak, and culture, captivating audiences. Additionally, Katie is a recipient of the inaugural Ruby Hunter Award in 2022 and Artist of the Week at the Adelaide Fringe in 2021.

Laura Rodríguez Osorio is a passionate and dedicated singer with a love for alternative pop and romantic ballads, primarily in Spanish. Having been singing since the age of 7, Laura has participated in various shows and musicals, refining her craft and captivating audiences with heart-felt performances.

In addition to live shows, Laura has performed on platforms like Bigo Live and TikTok, sharing her voice with a global audience and building a strong connection with listeners online. Her unique style combines emotional depth with authentic vocal expression, making each performance memorable.

Now eager to showcase her talent on a bigger stage, Laura is excited to continue her musical journey and take on new challenges.

Julia Overeem is a vocalist, influenced by jazz and pop music from the works of Ella Fitzgerald, P!nk, Kelly Clarkson, Aretha Franklin and so many more. She loves to arrange music to make it her own rather than copying directly from the sheet music. Outside of music, she is studying a Bachelor of Business in Uni and through this, has become acquainted with many political groups which she aspires to work and thrive in, UN Youth being one of these. She has had the privilege of performing with, learning with, and growing with Gospo Collective and her songs have been released onto Triple J unearthed, including her debut single "Sting of Betrayal".

Madhuvy Vaithialingam is a dynamic and accomplished individual with a diverse background in the creative industries. She began her journey in music, voice acting, and jingle production in 2018, and has since collaborated with renowned brands and artists on an international scale. Her work has made her the face of prominent brands like Elephant House, Dialog, and NIBM. In recognition of her contributions to the arts, she was awarded the Best Tamil Youth Pop Artist award in 2023 by Vizhithelu Penne, a Canadian Tamil women's organization dedicated to empowering women.

Mahima Rasgna Bhatt is a trained Indian Classical Singer with the certificate of Sangeet Visharad. She has been a part of Kalrav Vrund (a garba group) ever since she was 14 and has been singing on stages all across Gujarat during the auspicious festival of Navratri. Mahima has a passion for Hindi music, just like her dad, and posts videos of her singing every Monday on Instagram (#MusicalMondayswithMahi).

Rolan is a powerful tenor with a passion for music and is a ball of sunshine to everyone he meets. He was a member of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines - College of Communication Ensemble, a university chorale in the Philippines, where he gained most of his experience competing and getting out of his comfort zone. Now, Rolan is a part of the South Australia-based all-Filipino Community Choir, Adelaide Choral Ambassadors who won gold in the 13th World Choir Games in Auckland, New Zealand.

Royal Jacob Johncy has mostly been an acapella vocalist. His love for music began when his music teacher introduced him to the school choir, and ever since, singing has been a meaningful part of his life. In his free time, he enjoys playing the piano and singing along to it. He also likes to experiment with music production and hopes to explore it further.

Salma is an emerging and passionate artist, known for her deep love for all forms of art, with a particular focus on music. At just 18, she embodies the magic of being a singer, while feeling that art flows through her veins. With a natural talent for singing, violin and ukulele, Salma has already begun to captivate audiences with her heartfelt performances. Whether singing solo or collaborating with fellow artists, she brings a unique energy and sincerity to every show, ensuring that each performance is a genuine reflection of her journey.

Suranya Siriwardana is a Sri Lankan, Australia based kathak dancer who has been learning kathak for over a decade. She has attained a Distinction on her Vocational Advanced 2 Exam in Indian Classical Dance and has performed globally in Dubai, India, England, Switzerland and more. Having come from a different background Suranya's passionate about using dance as a way to communicate. Suranya amalgamates her pre-existing ballet experience and her kathak movement vocabulary to communicate societal obstacles. She has won first place in her age category at the 2018 Dubai Dance Olympics and was the youngest dancer at the Swiss International Kathak Festival in 2019. She has now opened her own dance company based in Adelaide called Nalini Dance Company that specialises in teaching and sharing the beautiful art form of Kathak.

Xueqian (Chien) Zhang is a Singer-songwriter, Bilingual MC, Storyteller and Cultural Ambassador. She is currently the Student Experience Officer for Kaplan Business School and has been an OzAsia Festival Ambassador since 2021. She has performed at various live music venues, city council events, and festivals. Her strength is combining culture, stories, and music in an authentic, fun and light-hearted way.

Nick loves music and what it does for young people, their families, and our community. Recently appointed as Carclew’s Music Specialist and proudly supporting youthful music enthusiasts for over a decade at The Northern Sound System, Nick has proven his commitment to building projects and pathways for bright futures.  

A life-learner of song-writing and production, Nick’s past projects have led to great times writing, recording, and performing around Australia and overseas. His most recent project Heaps Good Friends were lucky to rack up over 3 million streams and play in some of Australia’s most iconic venues. He’s most comfy in his home studio though, chasing melody butterflies and adding distortion to vintage synths. 

Nathan May is a proud Arabana, Yawuru, and Marridjabin man. He has been developing his talent since the age of three when he began playing drums at Church in Darwin. He went on to study at the Adelaide Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music at the Elder Conservatorium in 2012 where he completed a three-year course, gaining an advance Diploma in Aboriginal Music and Bachelor's Degree in Popular Music. He has released a number of original songs including Home, Love From Me and the radio smash, It's Gotta Start Somewhere. Nathan May shares his heart and his story of hope through his music to inspire Aboriginal children who have experienced trauma and violence to go on and accomplish their dreams and to believe, as he was told by Barack Obama, "You can do and be whatever you want."

Alessandra Francia serves as the Student Engagement Manager at StudyAdelaide, where she fosters connections with international students to enhance their experience throughout their journey in South Australia. With nearly 20 years of experience in international education, she has worked across diverse areas, including admissions, student services, marketing, and events.

Outside of work, Alessandra enjoys cheering on her kids at their various sports games and attending concerts.

Isobel Marmion (she/her) is the Executive Producer of Adelaide Cabaret Festival, based on Kaurna Country. She has worked in festivals for the past decade, as Artistic Director of Festival of Voices in Tasmania (2023-2024), Co-Director of the National Young Writers Festival (2020-2021), and at the BBC’s Contains Strong Language, Humber Mouth, and The Big Malarkey. 

She's a writer, performer, and storyteller. Her practice includes traditional theatre, comedy, and experimental cabaret. Her work frequently focuses on the intersection between science and communal experiences and she often uses humour to explore class disparities, loneliness, and mental illness.

Current works include BUMBLING, an interactive performance about bees, dating, loneliness and the End of the World (lead creative) (InSpace, Adelaide Festival Centre, 2022) (Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Adelaide Festival Centre, 2024) and Streetlights and Long Nights, an audio work about late-night intimacy in unexpected locations (Adhocracy, Vitalstatistix, 2023).

Jason has been performing standup comedy for more than 20 years, appearing in festivals around the world, radio, and TV. You can hear Jason presenting the Evenings Program on ABC Local Radio (SA, NT and Broken Hill).