To say that Drea Onamade’s nine to five is worlds away from her five to nine is an understatement.

By day, she’s up early for her role as an investigator for the State Government, putting her degrees in law and criminology to use as she gathers evidence or prepares for court.

By night, she transforms. Eye-shadow is flawlessly applied in shades of green and yellow, and she’s suited up in a structured waistcoat and tie, ready to perform on stage.

“I’m in my Hannah Montana era,” she laughs when describing the two worlds she straddles.

As with Miley Cyrus’ famous double act, the two sometimes collide. Some mornings she arrives at work already in full glam, and her colleagues are used to it.

Yet she thrives on the juggle.

Onamade committed to music full-time from 2023, a stretch that saw her finish in the top eight of Australian Idol’s ninth season in 2024, and quickly became a judges’ favourite.

But after a few years, she found she missed using the analytic, critical side of her brain and began splitting her time once again. She still adores music — it just has some serious company now.

The singer-songwriter, of Nigerian and Jamaican heritage, has been surrounded by music since she was born. Her dad plays several instruments, her mum sings, and Onamade herself grew up singing in church and in choirs. Alongside her degrees, she also has a diploma in contemporary voice from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

That upbringing helped shape her sound, which she describes as R&B, pop and gospel with some electronic elements — a shift from the mellower easy-listening style of her earlier work.

Gigging across Perth, Sydney and Melbourne introduced her to a strong sense of community within the local music scene. She’s not as embedded in it as she once was, but she enjoys being part of it, and is always ready to offer advice and support to young women finding their way.

Now, between early mornings at work and weekend sets, she’s gearing up to play the West Australian Music Showcase as part of the Telethon weekend.

From 10.30pm-1.30am, local performers and bands will be playing original music, with the line-up including Abbe May and The Voice alum Reuben De Melo.

It’s long been an event that’s close to Onamade’s heart. Her mum once worked at Princess Margaret Hospital, including one Telethon weekend, and her sister works at Perth Children’s Hospital.

“It’s something that I don’t take for granted,” Onamade says. “Being able to contribute my time and efforts to fundraise to take care of the children in the healthcare system is very important … I get to do it with my friends, meet people and stay up late, and my friends and family tune in — they’re all really proud of the work that I get to do.”

Drea will perform at RAC Arena for Telethon Weekend on October 17-18. Telethon 2026 airs from 7pm on October 17 on Seven and 7plus.