She was only two years old the last time a female won Australian Idol, now newly crowned winner Kesha Oayda hopes to inspire a new generation of girls — and boys — to “kick butt and follow their dreams”.

The competitive skier from Jindabyne says she will be taking a break from the slopes as she invests her prize money in her singing career — once she shouts her friends a round of drinks and helps out her family.

Oayda, 21, was crowned the Australian Idol 2026 winner in a live grand finale watched by more than 1.9 million Channel 7 viewers across the country on Tuesday night.

More than one million people voted for the winner of the reality TV singing competition, in which Oayda faced off against fellow finalists Harlan Goode from Brisbane and Kalani Artis from the NSW Central Coast.

She will receive $100,000 in prize money — which she described as “a crazy sum of money to suddenly have”.

But the money is going right back where it come from — that is, into her singing career, she told 7NEWS.com.au on Wednesday morning just hours after her life-changing win.

“This show and my music led me to this opportunity, I’d really love to just put it straight back into my art and my music,” she said.

“(And also) to be able to repay my family and probably buy my friends a couple of drinks.

“I’m really excited to work on some music to get out into the public and tell my story through my songwriting and just go for it.

“I’m really, really excited. There’s nothing more I want in my life than this.”

Kesha Oayda wins Australian Idol 2026. Credit: Seven Network

She thanked the audience members who voted for her.

“The biggest heartfelt thank you to Australia and everyone who put their faith in me and their vote, for so many messages from people,” she said.

“You can’t even begin to wrap your head around having that much support. So, thank you Australia. It’s a life-changing experience.”

Oayda said performing in front of her family and friends along with her fellow top three contestants was “spectacular” — especially her duet with powerhouse Vanessa Amorosi in the penultimate show.

“It was really, really lovely to be surrounded by so much love and everyone was just so full of happiness — we all had a really nice night and a really great dance together,” she told 7NEWS.com.au of the final.

“(Kalani and Harlan) are two of the kindest people I’ve met in my life and are also two of the most talented people I’ve ever met in my life.

“My jaw was on the floor every time one of them performed and what an honour and privilege it was to be up on a stage sharing it with such amazing performers.”

Australian Idol 2026 top three: Kalani, Harlan and Kesha. Credit: Seven Network

The win also earns Oayda an exclusive recording package with Hive Sound Studios, a songwriting camp with Sony Music Publishing, marketing and social media support from The Annex, plus VIP tickets to the ARIA Awards and TV WEEK Logie Awards.

Which leaves little time for her other love: skiing.

But she said she is happy to take a break from her sport — at least from the major competitions — to pursue a singing career she could only dream of as a young girl taking to the stage of the local “Jindy Idol” talent contest.

Oayda told 7NEWS.com.au she hoped to still enjoy “maybe a couple rail jams here and there but I think, yeah, I’ll solely focus on music”.

“But hey, I love a little mini competition, they’re always fun, and I love the crew I see competing all the time — so if I’m not competing, I’ll be there watching and cheering on my friends just as they’ve done for me,” Oayda said.

Harlan and Kesha react to the winner announcement. Credit: Australian Idol

Much was made of Oayda’s competitive nature — whether on the slopes or the stage — during the competition, and she attracted a fan base of young girls taking inspiration from her drive to succeed in both.

“I had such a great time just empowering women to just get out there and kick butt and follow their dreams and achieve their goals. So I feel very privileged,” Oayda said.

“I feel very excited to be a role model. My whole life I’ve had such amazing women surrounding me and I just thought they were the coolest people in the world, because every chick I’ve grown up with, they’ve just put their mind to something and they’ve achieved it and don’t stop until it’s done.”

While several female singers have gone on to successful music careers after winning, or placing, in Australian Idol, the last three winners of the earlier run of seasons, not to mention every winner since the show returned to TV screens in 2003, have been males — until now.

“To be able to represent women in this competition was absolutely amazing,” Oayda told 7NEWS.com.au.

“It was such an honour to be able to compete with such amazing women and have people like Ricky-Lee, Amy Shark and Marcia Hines being very close knit with you throughout the whole competition.

“It’s very lucky to have such strong women around you.”

Oayda said if she could deliver one message to young girls and boys alike who watched the show and are seeking inspiration, it would be to “just put your mind to something and go for it no matter what”.

And performing with her father, Nolen, who played guitar on the Idol stage with Oayda during Heroes and Tributes week, was the “coolest time” of her life, she said.

“I never thought in a thousand years I’d be on Australian Idol and I never thought I’d be able to bring my dad up there,” she said.

“I said it was just the beginning of paying him back for everything he’s done for me.”