Idol star Walker says win 'not sunk in'

<i>Australian Idol</i> winner Stan Walker says he is still coming to terms with his new-found fame. Photo / Dean Purcell

Stan Walker is still coming to terms with being crowned Australian Idol.

The 19-year-old Melbourne-born, New Zealand-raised singer last month took out the competition and it's been a whirlwind ride since.

"It's been full-on, just full-on, just singing, promotion, photo shoots, publicity," Walker says.

His new album, Introducing Stan Walker, was released in New Zealand yesterday.

The album includes tracks he sang on the televised show, along with a duet with the first Australian Idol, Guy Sebastian, titled Think Of Me, and Walker's debut single Black Box.

In New Zealand briefly to promote the album, Walker says he's overwhelmed and the win is yet to sink in.

"I've just been focusing on what I'm doing, and trying to promote my CD and get things happening and touring and everything, so I'm just working really so it hasn't sunk in."

Along with a record deal with Sony BMG, Walker won a $200,000 artist development fund and a car.

After a rapid-fire few days in New Zealand to promote his album, including a performance at the Maori Sports Awards in Auckland on Saturday, he heads back to Australia today for more promotional work.

He says the Australian public and media have been supportive, despite his identification of himself as a New Zealander (he even has a tattoo on his neck reading "ataahua", Maori for "beautiful").

"They try and claim me now. I'm obviously not an Aussie - don't sound like one, don't look like one.

"I'm a Maori, I'm from New Zealand but I just live in Australia, it's my home for the moment."

Walker grew up near Tauranga and also lived in Hamilton and Taranaki, where he went to boarding school.

He says he always planned a career in singing, with or without the help and exposure Australian Idol has given him.

His plans were cemented when Good Charlotte rockers Joel and Benji Madden, and Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz, announced they were fans - not to mention the praise of crooner Michael Buble, who made a guest appearance on the show: "That voice it's like God kissed your throat".

Walker says Buble's praise is humbling and a bit embarrassing, but very encouraging.

More embarrassing are the hoards of screaming girls he encounters when he's out in public, which he laughingly refers to as "a treasure".

"I try to stay clear from them," he says.

His legion of female fans will be pleased to know he is indeed single - and can't wait to get married and have kids.

But, in the meantime, Walker will be playing more shows and working on an original album, which he hopes to release around the middle of next year.