She soared into Australia’s Top 6 on Australian Idol and won over fans with her powerhouse vocals.But just months after leaving the Channel Seven juggernaut, singer Jacinta Guirguis – better known by her stage name CYNTA – took to Instagram this week with an emotional video documenting the dramatic shift from appearing on one of Australia’s biggest television shows.’Nothing prepares you for this,’ she captioned the post, alongside the hashtags Australian Idol, lows and highs, reality hit and live music.The clip began with Jacinta attending Australian Idol-related events and posing with fans, before cutting to her dressed casually in a pale blue jumper at a desk.Text across the video read: ‘No one prepares you for how hard it is going from this…’The post quickly struck a chord with fellow reality television stars and musicians, several of whom flooded the comments with messages of encouragement and their own experiences of returning to normal life after appearing on TV. Just months after leaving the Channel Seven juggernaut, singer Jacinta Guirguis – better known by her stage name CYNTA – took to Instagram this week with an emotional video documenting the dramatic shift from appearing on one of Australia’s biggest television shows The clip began with Jacinta attending Australian Idol-related events and posing with fans, before cutting to her dressed casually in a pale blue jumper at a desk. Former Idol star Tom Williams weighed in, revealing concerns about the lack of support offered to contestants after leaving the show had been raised years earlier.’When I was on the show I remember John Foreman, the music director for the first seasons, saying he left the show because of the lack of support to the cast when they are kicked off,’ Tom wrote.’It’s scary and a very vulnerable spot to be in. Keep your head up x.’Meanwhile, The Voice Australia winner Karise Eden offered Jacinta some words of wisdom, reminding her that a television competition is only the beginning.’Like someone said to me… “This is just a circus, your real career starts when all this is over,”‘ she wrote.Former The Voice contestant Mack Moses also urged Jacinta to make the most of her exposure, revealing his own brief stint on television had helped him build a career.’Use it. I had only 2 performances on The Voice and was knocked out,’ he wrote.’I tried to make each performance as memorable as possible and use that 15 mins of fame to my advantage.’ ‘Nothing prepares you for this,’ she captioned the post, alongside the hashtags Australian Idol, lows and highs, reality hit and live music Mack said he had since built relationships with people at Channel Nine and now gigs for a living.’I actually think it’s got nothing to do with how far you go just how you use that 15 minutes,’ he added.Another former reality contestant, Cam Whitcomb, recalled returning to his regular job after his stint on American Idol.’I remember going back to work after American Idol. Was sure I failed. Keep pushing. You got this,’ he wrote.Another follower revealed they had discovered CYNTA years before her Idol appearance and encouraged her to keep going.’Found you on TikTok like two years ago when you were singing for no one in a mall. KEEP. IT. UP,’ they wrote.The latest admission comes months after Jacinta revealed the brutal financial and emotional toll of chasing her music dream.The singer soared into Australia’s Top 6 on Australian Idol earlier this year and won over fans with her powerhouse vocals. The latest admission comes months after Jacinta revealed the brutal financial and emotional toll of chasing her music dreamBut just weeks after leaving the Channel Seven juggernaut, Jacinta revealed she returned home from the competition ‘broke’, unemployed and without stable housing after giving up her job and rental to compete.’I just wanted to give you guys a real-life update,’ she told followers at the time.’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.’Jacinta said despite the national exposure, she emerged from the competition without a management team, booking agent or record label.’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.’She also explained the enormous personal gamble she had taken to appear on Idol.’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.’At the time, Jacinta was staying with her sister and applying for jobs while simultaneously trying to organise live shows and launch her debut single.’I’m unemployed and I need work,’ she admitted.She said the period had left her struggling with insomnia, confusion and emotional exhaustion.’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.’Despite the difficult comedown, Jacinta has continued pursuing music and documenting the less glamorous side of trying to turn reality TV exposure into a long-term career.’It’s hard. But onwards and upwards,’ she said previously.Kesha Oayda, 21, from Jindabyne, NSW, ultimately won the 2026 season of Australian Idol, becoming the show’s first female winner in almost two decades.