Casey Donovan (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Casey Donovan
Casey Donovan at the musical premiere of The Bodyguard in Sydney Lyric on 27 April 2017.
Background information
Born	(1988-05-13) 13 May 1988 (age 37) Bankstown, New South Wales, Australia
Genres	Pop Rock Folk
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, actress, author
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Sony BMG (2004–2006) Independent (2006–present)
Associated acts	Guy Sebastian, Kate DeAraugo, Damien Leith, Natalie Gauci

Casey Donovan, born on May 13, 1988, is a talented Australian singer, songwriter, actress, and author. She became famous at just 16 years old when she won the second season of the TV singing competition Australian Idol in 2004. This made her the youngest winner of the show! Later, in 2017, Casey also won the third season of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here. She has also hosted a music show called Fusion with Casey Donovan on NITV.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Casey Donovan was born in Condell Park, New South Wales. She comes from an Indigenous family with many musicians. Her father and his brothers were even part of a country band called The Donovans.

After her parents divorced, Casey and her siblings moved in with her stepfather, Norm Axford. Casey loved singing and performing from a young age. She learned to sing and play guitar from her cousins. When she was ten, she even performed on the streets of Tamworth during the famous Tamworth Country Music Festival.

Her musical talent was noticed at her primary schools, Bass Hill Public School and Georges Hall Primary. But it was at Condell Park High that her skills really shone. Her mother and stepfather were very supportive of her musical journey.

Career Highlights

Becoming an Idol: 2004–2006

In 2004, Casey joined the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney. She then auditioned for the second season of Australian Idol. She sang "A Million Tears" by Kasey Chambers. During the show, Casey won a Deadly Award for "Most Promising New Talent in Music." In November, Casey was announced the winner of Idol, beating out another popular contestant, Anthony Callea.

Casey released her first song, "Listen with Your Heart", on November 29, 2004. It immediately went to number 1 on the music charts and sold incredibly well. On December 13, 2004, she released her first album, For You. This album reached number 2 on the charts and also sold a lot of copies.

In February 2005, Casey released another song called "What's Going On". It reached number 18 on the ARIA Charts. At the Deadly Awards 2005, Casey won "Single Release of the Year" for "Listen with Your Heart" and "Artist of the Year." In 2006, Casey left her record label, Sony BMG.

Australian Idol Performances

Here's a look at some of the songs Casey performed during her time on Australian Idol:

Later Career: 2007–2016

In 2008, Casey released her own short album called Eye 2 Eye.

She also started performing in musicals. In 2010, Casey played the role of Cynthia in a musical called The Sapphires. This show toured all over Australia. Critics praised Casey's performance. She even won the "Best Supporting Actress" award at a music festival in South Korea in July 2010.

Casey returned to music with a new song in August 2010. It was about body positivity and self-acceptance. She also released another song called "Last Regret" in November 2010.

In 2011, Casey continued her role as Cynthia Macrae in another tour of The Sapphires. She also played the role of Mama Cass in a new musical called Flowerchildren – The Mamas & the Papas Story. Casey also performed in Shakespeare's play As You Like It.

In 2016, Casey played the character Killer Queen in the musical We Will Rock You, which features the music of the band Queen.

Reality TV and New Music: 2017–2018

In January 2017, Casey joined the TV show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. On March 13, 2017, Casey won the show and was named the first "Queen of the Jungle"!

After her win, Casey became the face of the Coles Supermarket "Down down" advertising campaign. On April 23, 2017, she performed an amazing acoustic version of David Bowie's "Heroes" at the 2017 Logie Awards, receiving a standing ovation.

Casey released her first new song in seven years, "Lonely", on May 19, 2017. She also released a short album called Off the Grid & Somewhere in Between in August 2017. She performed at New Year's Eve 2017 in Sydney, singing popular songs like "Lady Marmalade" and "Nutbush City Limits".

Recent Projects: 2019–Present

In 2019, Casey starred as Mama Morton in the Australian musical Chicago. Her performance received great reviews.

In November 2019, Casey was chosen to compete in Eurovision - Australia Decides. This competition decides who will represent Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. She sang a song called "Proud" and came in second place.

In 2020, Casey started hosting a podcast called The Space. It's a "mindfulness podcast" that offers short meditations and tips to help people improve their day. It's very popular in Australia for wellbeing podcasts.

In 2021, Casey appeared in the third season of the comedy TV series How to Stay Married. In 2022, she returned to the stage in the musical 9 to Five, playing the role of Judy Bernly. This show toured major cities in Australia.

In 2023, Casey was announced to play the role of Angelique/Nurse in the musical & Juliet in Melbourne. She then toured with the show to Singapore, Perth, and Sydney.

Discography

Studio Albums

Extended Plays

Singles

Television Appearances

Casey Donovan has appeared on many TV shows:

Awards and Nominations

ARIA Music Awards

Deadly Awards

The Deadly Awards were a special event that celebrated the achievements of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in music, sport, entertainment, and community work. They took place every year from 1996 to 2013.