Lyall kicks on after Idol act

But the talented Botany-based 26-year-old isn't your usual churned-out karaoke Idol singer and admits that for a songwriter, Idol isn't the most natural home.

"Other people are singers and comfortable with that," he said. "I'm a songwriter and all comes second to the songwriting. I wouldn't be happy to sing someone else's songs."

However, he appreciates the experience for the national exposure he received.

"I've never been the kind of person who openly goes out and self-promotes. Before, I'd have half a room when I played; the last gig I did sold out two weeks before. It's really helped with getting things out there," he said.

Adonis's career was kick-started when he was 16 by a course with Sydney Mission.

"They had a course for, what should I call it, wayward youths," he said. "We were hanging around Redfern and Waterloo, we were there all day doing nothing, and some musicians put on a music course."

That course resulted in his first single, "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter," which received playtime on Triple J.

But the time with Sydney Mission has left a lasting legacy, not just in terms of skills.

"The things I learnt there are things I have kept in my life: it put me on the road I am now," he said. "I really hope one day I can run a course because I know how much it helped me. I don't know where I would be without it."

Source: http://www.villagevoice.com.au/article/20071203/NWS03/712030351/-1/nws/Lyall+kicks+on+after+Idol+act