She soared into Australia’s Top 6 on Australian Idol and won over fans with her powerhouse vocals.

But just weeks after leaving the Channel Seven juggernaut, singer Jacinta Guirguis – better known by her stage name CYNTA – has revealed the brutal financial and emotional toll of chasing her music dream.

In a candid TikTok video, the 2026 Idol standout admitted she returned home from the competition ‘broke,’ unemployed and without stable housing after giving up her job and rental to compete on the show.

‘I just wanted to give you guys a real-life update,’ Jacinta told followers.

‘I came back from Idol two and a half weeks ago and these last two and a half weeks have been the most confusing, challenging, emotional, exciting time.

‘Spending two months in a bubble in Sydney living out my dreams was incredible. But coming back to reality is obviously a hit.’

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Just weeks after leaving the Channel Seven juggernaut, singer Jacinta Guirguis – better known by her stage name CYNTA (pictured) – has revealed the brutal financial and emotional toll of chasing her music dream

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In a candid TikTok video, the 2026 Idol standout admitted she returned home from the competition ‘broke,’ unemployed and without stable housing after giving up her job and rental to compete on the show

The Victorian singer, who made it to the coveted Top 6 before her elimination in April, said despite her national TV exposure, she left the series completely independent.

‘I entered the show and have now left the show completely independent. No manager, no booking agent, no label, no nothing,’ she revealed.

‘So still just me, which is both a good thing and a bad thing.’

Jacinta confessed the practical realities have been sobering.

‘Before I went on Idol, I gave up my job and my rental,’ she said.

‘And I’ve come back to obviously no job and no rental.’

She is currently living with her sister while desperately applying for jobs to stay afloat, all while trying to organise hometown performances and launch her debut single.

‘I’m unemployed and I need work,’ she said.

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The Victorian singer, who made it to the coveted Top 6 before her elimination in April, said despite her national TV exposure, she left the series completely independent

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Jacinta confessed the practical realities have been sobering. ‘Before I went on Idol, I gave up my job and my rental,’ she said

While she is continuing to record original music and push forward with her career, Jacinta admitted the transition from reality TV spotlight to everyday life has been far from glamorous.

‘I never see people talk about what happens after these shows,’ she said.

‘I think people assume it’s all sunshine and rainbows and it’s all uphill from here, but that’s not necessarily the case.’

The singer also opened up about her struggles with insomnia, confusion and emotional exhaustion.

‘I’ve had a lot of trouble sleeping,’ she shared.

‘I feel really displaced at the moment and really confused and I’m just hoping that I find my way back to myself soon.’

Despite the setbacks, Jacinta thanked fans for their ongoing support and vowed to keep pursuing her dream.

‘It’s hard. But onwards and upwards.’

Kesha Oayda, a 21-year-old singer from Jindabyne, NSW, won the Channel Seven singing competition, becoming the show’s first female winner in nearly two decades.

She beat runner-up Harlan Goode in the grand finale on April 14.

Source: https://www.dailymail.com/tvshowbiz/article-15790503/Australian-Idol-jobless-Jacinta-Guirguis.html