Idol reject Mark Da Costa nurses eviction wounds

AUSTRALIAN Idol reject Mark Da Costa believes the judges could have done more to help him out, and that he was punished for his confidence.

He said on the night contestant Matt Corby was awarded a "touch down" by Holden, he also gave one of his own best performances.

"Mark came up to me after the show and said I probably deserved one too," he said.

"Well, if that's the case, give me one."

Criticism that he looked too comfortable and wasn't pushing himself beyond his favoured rock niche was also taken with a grain of salt.

"I don't know what they wanted me to do. Look nervous? I've done this for a while, it's what I do, you'd think confidence is a good thing."

Da Costa now plans a week off at home in Melbourne, nutting out ideas with musician mates for a new EP which he plans to record with producer Craig Portils.

"I've got some songs ready to go," he said.

"I'll be aiming for an audience that wants an energetic rock show, not someone with good pecs who looks pretty.

"The way I see it, the kids can go and see Justin Timberlake and the mums can come and watch me. Maybe they don't want to, but we'll find out."
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Da Costa can add his elimination from Australian Idol to his list of setbacks on his quest for rock and roll glory.

At 28, Da Costa was the most senior member of the show's 12 finalists and by far the most experienced performer.

Before his shot at success on Idol, Da Costa had spent two years in the studio with the band Invertigo, made up of former members of 1980s pin-up group Pseudo Echo.

The band had enjoyed two hit radio singles with Chances Are and Desensitised, from their album Forum, but had lost their lead singer, Cristian Argenti.

Da Costa was enlisted as his replacement, but after two years of playing cover gigs in Melbourne to supplement recording and promotion costs for the new album, the now Idol reject lost patience.
"We were playing cover gigs under the name Somersault four nights a week, and they were well-paid gigs, but they (his bandmates) were in their 40s and I thought, if we're not going to do the original thing properly, I'm outta here," he said.

"I was just so tired of it."

Da Costa said the time with Invertigo goes into his growing stable of experiences as a fledgling rock star.

Before that, he had played sticky carpeted bars since he was allowed to drink in them and, at the final hurdle, missed out on a place in the final 12 of the ill-fated Seven Network reality-singing contest Popstars Live.

The same series also rejected Ricki-Lee Coulter, who despite being a judges' favourite was eliminated from Idol at a similar mid-point of the competition to Da Costa.

The comparison was made last night by Idol judge Mark Holden, who said "it sucks" that Da Costa had missed out on becoming the next Australian Idol.

"I take that as a massive compliment, in the sense of how Ricki-Lee has built her career and persona from that disappointment," Da Costa said.