Former Australian Idol winner Kate DeAraugo was seen in public for the first time in months on Tuesday, arriving in Sydney for a speaking engagement and unveiling a noticeably glamorous new look. The 39-year-old appeared radiant as she stepped out, drawing attention after recent interviews in which she discussed her past crystal meth addiction.
DeAraugo, who won the third series of Australian Idol in 2005, wore a red cardigan with dark blue jeans and white sneakers as she made her way to the event. Observers noted she had added hair extensions to her glossy blonde locks and was wearing a full makeup look that included a smoky eye and a nude, glossy lip. She smiled as she walked and appeared in good spirits.
DeAraugo has been open about her struggles with substance use. In 2017 she pleaded guilty to charges that included possessing crystal meth, drug driving and weapons offences after what she described as hitting rock bottom. Court reporting and interviews from that period noted a tumultuous stretch in her personal life and career. She has since said she is sober, and media accounts state she has been seven years sober.
Her public appearance on Tuesday follows a period of relative quiet from the former reality television star. DeAraugo has taken part in interviews and public discussions in recent months reflecting on her experiences with addiction and recovery. The speaking engagement in Sydney was billed as a return to public-facing work after those conversations.
DeAraugo rose to national prominence after winning Australian Idol in 2005 and released music and performed regularly in the years that followed. Her legal troubles and struggles with addiction became a focal point of media coverage in the mid-2010s, and her recovery has featured in subsequent reporting about her life and career.
Representatives for DeAraugo did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The speaking event was one of several recent appearances in which she has addressed her past and her sobriety while maintaining a lower public profile than during the peak of her music career.