Post by Elle on Jan 25, 2004 10:05:10 GMT 10
Idol moments
RITCHIE YORKE
25jan04 - Sunday Mail, Brisbane, Australia
GUY Sebastian is sitting back in a Newcastle hotel room, relaxing after a hard day of rehearsals. The Adelaidean, 22, has been preparing all week for the series of capital-city shows on the Australian Idol concert tour, which stars the 12 finalists of the mega-hit TV show.
Which is pretty extraordinary for a young man who, for all the music he has recorded for his church group in his own little studio, has never been to a rock concert except for the Australian Idol TV shows.
"I'd never been to any sort of show until my friends took me out on my 20th birthday two years ago to see the Harlem Gospel Choir, which was great," he admits.
The Idol winner is wearing his sudden fame exceedingly well.
"You don't think you're worthy of it but you just have to accept it," he says of his success.
"I don't think anyone could be worthy of entering the music industry in the way that I have.
"You enter at the top and, of course, there's no way to go but down. It's a weird situation, in how things might go from here. Suddenly your album drops a couple of places and (marketing) people feel they've got to do something about it. That's when you start feeling the pressure of it.
"To be totally honest, it's great being No. 1 and stuff, but I'm not fussed if it's No. 5. I mean, that would be a dream to some people and a dream to me."
Right through the contest, Sebastian was one of the clear leaders in the raw singing talent stakes but the odd doubt lingered over whether the voting public would have the balls to award the gong to a non-WASP Aussie with a rampant hairdo and avowed Christian beliefs.
To their credit, they selected Sebastian. And to his credit, he has proved a worthy winner.
His debut album, aptly titled Just As I Am, was recorded in less than a week. Most of the tracks were laid down and vocals added in the days after the announcement of his win.
Just As I Am is closing in on seven-times-platinum, or sales of 490,000.
The video has been shot for the album's second single (the follow-up to Angels Brought Me Here, itself the second highest-selling single ever in Australia), which is a Sebastian original called All I Need Is You.
Radio is expected to receive copies of the new tune at 8am on Tuesday.
Writing original songs matters to Sebastian. "I'm fully aware that making the second album will be my biggest test. I'll probably write or co-write every one of the tracks."
Among possible collaborators being lined up to work on his next album is US soul star Brian McKnight.
Along with Stevie Wonder, Boyz II Men, Michael Jackson, Eric Benet and Donny Hathaway, Sebastian names McKnight as one of the key inspirations in his musical career.
Despite the fact that his debut sits squarely in the modern R&B/soul camp, Sebastian says he is not "very genre-specific in my listening".
"I also love the Silverchairs and Linkin Parks and a whole swag of different stuff. But with my singing, my voice tends to go towards a soulful sort of edge."
Everything in Sebastian's life is in a state of flux. These weeks he is living out of a suitcase in hotel rooms. He recently relocated from Adelaide to Sydney, but has only spent a couple of nights in his new abode.
Already he misses his Adelaide support system – family, church and district cricket team (where he opened the bowling and batted first drop).
"It's early days but a couple of times I've come home from work and sat down on my new couch and gone, 'Right, right . . . what should I do tonight?' At home there were always people around. There's been a lot of changes, but it's my job.
"Not many people get to say that they earn money doing what they love, and what they've dreamed of doing."
But what if – as some cynical scribes are forecasting – Sebastian a year from now finds himself no longer a star, but back in Adelaide singing at his church and playing district cricket?
"I don't think those people realise that I love my church and I love my cricket," he says.
"I don't wish I was back there right now but there's a season for everything and if my season is over, then that's life and I've got to make the best of the season that's next.
"I've achieved more than I ever thought I would. Now for me it's a matter of taking that step of becoming Guy Sebastian and not just Guy the Idol – although I'll always remain faithful and grateful to Idol because that's the avenue and the vehicle that got me here."
• Australian Idol, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Thursday. Tickets: 13 19 31.
www.thesundaymail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,8481070%255E12852,00.html