School's out for new Diva
July 17, 2007 12:00am

IT'S official. Last year's Oz Idol runner-up Jessica Mauboy, and not Lavina Williams, will replace the Goldy's own Ricki-Lee Coulter as the newest Young Diva.

The only question is when.
Lavina filled in for Ricki-Lee when the soon-to-be married singer took off to the US to record her sophomore solo album.

When push came to shove, however, it was the big-voiced youngster from the Northern Territory and not the experienced performer from the south which label execs and the girls chose to fill the void.

Apparently Lavina just didn't have the profile (she finished 8th in the series) to make the grade.

Of course it helps that Jess, like her soon-to-be colleagues Paulini, former Gold Coast swim coach Kate DeAraugo and Lavina's little sis, Inala battler Emily, is already signed to Sony BMG and has released an Idol best-of with the label.

A Sony BMG spokeswoman says they're still nutting out the details with the teenager's management company Caplice – the only stumbling block right now is exactly when Jess will finish high school.

"There's going to be a brand new Young Diva – it's on the cards. We're just waiting to see what happens with her schooling for the timing of their new video and single," the spokeswoman says. "They'll be recording a new album and hopefully it may be out for Christmas."

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0...5012980,00.html