All grown up! Australian Idol star Joel Turner is returning to the limelight almost two decades after topping the charts with ‘These Kids’ – and you won’t believe the way he looks now!
Australian idol sensation Joel Turner has come of age and is making a surprise comeback after missing the radar for over a decade.
The 35-year-old beatboxer appeared on Channel Seven’s Morning Show on Friday alongside Australian Idol judge Mark Holden to promote their performance at Dubbo’s Mulletfest on Saturday.
The tongue-in-cheek festival is held to celebrate the best mullet hairstyles in different categories.
Australian idol rapper Joel Turner (right) appeared on Friday’s Morning Show alongside series judge Mark Holden (left) to promote their performance at Dubbo’s Mulletfest on Saturday
His muscular physique, five o’clock shadow and husky voice were a world away from the baby-faced sensation that took Australia by storm in 2003.
However, Joel sported similar streetwear as in 2003, including a black beanie and navy jacket, proving that some things never change.
The These Kids hitmaker said the mulletfest was an important occasion because it aimed to bring respect to a much-maligned hairstyle.
A baby-faced Joel is pictured shortly after his appearance on the first season of Australian Idol in 2003
“No haircut has cleaned more shit over the years than the mullet, so we thought they needed a bit of representation,” he said.
Joel was the teenage sensation who demonstrated his exceptional rap and beatboxing skills on the first season of Australian Idol in 2003.
He went on to release the superhit These Kids, which peaked at number one on the ARIA charts that year, but it wasn’t long before Joel slipped off the radar.
Joel, now 35, is pictured on Instagram during a recent beatboxing performance
The Sydney-based rapper last posted music to YouTube in April 2020 and recently took to Facebook looking grown up.
He’s also dedicated his time to improving his health, sharing incredible weight loss pics in March last year.
“Last year in June/July I weighed over 120 kg. I took the second photos at 102kg and am currently down to 98kg and still losing weight,” he wrote.
Remember that? After his stint on the Channel 10 show, Joel released the hit song These Kids, which peaked at number one on the ARIA charts that year