Wearing a navy blue ‘J’ letterman jacket, John Standley entertained the judges at his ‘Australian Idol’ audition from the first note of his rendition of Johnny O’Keeffe’s 1959 hit ‘Shout!’.
It didn’t take long for the judges to start dancing and singing along with him. And it won’t be the last.
The 17-year-old won the golden ticket in the Australian reality singing competition, securing his place in the top 30 contestants and then progressing to the final six contestants.
John continues to make headlines for his bold song choices and lively performances, but he hasn’t lost sight of what brought him here.
“I am here because of the blessings of the Lord,” he said.
John applied for Australian Idol after his family moved from Bunbury, Australia to Adelaide after his parents, President Rhys Standley and Sister Jasmine Standley, were called to lead the Australia Adelaide Mission in 2024.
Wanting to continue building his musical profile, the teenager entered a contest online in 2025. A few months later, I received an email saying I had been accepted.
“I was surprised because I wasn’t expecting anything. There was nothing at all,” John said.
However, the road to her debut on “Australian Idol” was not easy. John faced challenges adjusting to life in Adelaide.
All was well for Standley, settling into school and forming friendships with fellow Bunbury musicians, but things changed when his parents were called as mission leaders.
“By the time they turn 16, they already have a group of friends, and then they go to a new school and start all over again,” Sister Standley says. “It was really, really hard for him.”
But she added that despite the difficult transition, he “coped very well.”
The teenage boy often sang and started writing his own songs to keep himself occupied.
“Music was his salvation,” Sister Standley said.
TESTIMONY IS STRENGTHENED THROUGH MUSIC
John Standley’s love of singing stemmed from his childhood piano lessons.
The music teacher also taught the students songs, and singing stuck with John.
“I went to take piano lessons once, and she came out singing,” he recalls.
Since then, John has used his talents to share his testimony.
“For me and many people, music is the easiest way to feel the Spirit, and probably the most common way to feel the Spirit,” he said.
For John, being able to share that with others means a lot to him and can reassure him that what he’s doing is good.
“It just brings me closer to Jesus Christ,” he said.
One of John’s favorite songs to play in church devotions is “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” by Chris Tomlin.
His favorite lyric line, “My chains are gone, I’m free, my God and my Savior ransom me,” captures the message that resonates most with him.
“I am set free because Jesus Christ is my Savior,” he explained. “He’s already done it.”
Although Australian Idol does not explicitly address John’s faith, Sister Standley pointed out that viewers can still “see the Holy Spirit in him” through his portrayal as a wholesome, fun-loving teenager.
A mission worth acting on
Now halfway through their ministry as mission leaders, the Standleys say the experience was extremely rewarding.
“It was the best thing for our family,” the Standley sisters said, admitting their son might not have had the chance to appear on “Australian Idol” without the move.
Sister Standley said she has watched her son’s desire to serve a mission grow stronger as he and his younger siblings have accompanied him on mission missions.
The family frequently welcomed missionaries into their home, and Sister Standley said she saw John inspired by their faith.
“He really loves the missionaries,” she said, adding, “Every interaction with the missionaries builds a testimony because they have a really special spirit.”
For John Standley, faith continues to be at the forefront of building his musical career.
“I always have a Savior to help me,” he said.
