Jared Porter Named 2014 Toyota Star Maker

Brisbane-based Jared Porter has won this year's Toyota Star Maker competition, joining the likes of Lee Kernaghan, Keith Urban, Beccy Cole and Samantha McClymont who have all used the competition as a springboard for their careers.

First held in 1979, the competition one of the highest accolades for young country artists and Porter was adjudged to be this year's standout at a concert at Tamworth's Bicentennial Park during the current Country Music Festival.

Porter, who grew up in American, beat our Tori Drake, Damien Agius and Jonny Taylor for the prize. They were the four finalists from aproximately 50 entries.

Looking shocked when his name was read out; Porter's first words were “first and foremost I want to thank my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.”

“I think this is an incredible boost to go after what I was wanting,” he said after coming offstage. “Everyone's got their own dreams and goals in life, I'm going to keep them close to me because I've had them since I was little.”

He described the moment his name was read out as “an unreal feeling and I wasn't expecting it and when I heard my name I went, 'Is that my name?' I was just in awe, frozen. You know those moments you see in movies where time freezes and they're like 'Is this really happening?' That's probably the best way to describe it.”

As part of the prize Porter will now receive a 12-month mentorship with Lee Kernaghan, who performed shortly after the announcement.

RECENT WINNERS OF STAR MAKER

2004 – Travis Collins
2005 – Samantha McClymont
2006 – Cat Southern
2007 – Kirsty Lee Akers
2008 – Talia Wittmann
2009 – Liam Brew
2010 – Luke Austen
2011 – Luke Dickens
2012 – Bob Corbett
2013 – Kaylee Bell