Kelly Cavuoto (born 1981) is an Australian singer and television presenter, finishing seventh in the first series of Australian Idol.

Cavuoto was born in Adelaide, South Australia. She had many years singing experience with rock bands throughout South Australia, before auditioning for Australian Idol in 2003. Dubbed "The Rock Chick" by judge Ian "Dicko" Dickson, she covered a selection of harder edged rock songs throughout the series, at odds with most other contestants who chose to cover pop songs.

During the 2003 Australian Idol series finals, Cavuoto sang:

1. Top 12 Heat: Evanescence - "Bring Me to Life"
2. The '70's: Led Zeppelin - "Whole Lotta Love"
3. Australian Number Ones: silverchair - "Tomorrow"
4. Aussie Made: Killing Heidi - "Mascara"

Some fans believed her elimination from the finals series on October 6, 2003 was a result of a sympathy vote for Paulini Curuenavuli, after Dickson's comments on her body size the previous week, and allegations by the judges that the Australian public was voting along racial lines; Cle Wootten had finished 10th and Levi Kereama and Curuenavuli were receiving the fewest votes in the finals.

In January 2004, Cavuoto appeared as a co-host for Channel Ten's Video Hits music program. Her contract however came to a premature end in November after she was accused of using inappropriate language at a Guy Sebastian video during the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards, in Sydney, New South Wales. Subsequent media stories were circulating that not everyone in the competition was happy with Sebastian being declared the winner of Australian Idol 2003.

Cavuoto is currently writing songs for a projected rock album in 2005.

External link

• Kelly's Nose fan site