thanks to mediteranean fruit salad, lol!
Aussie Wonder
By Lennat Mak
www.mtvasia.com/Feature/Interview/20040317000223/index.htmlFormerly a vocal teacher and a recording engineer, Guy Sebastian only has one thing in his mind -- to touch people with music that comes straight from the heart.
Thankfully, that isn't a hard thing to achieve for the 22-year-old. Just like his British and Americans predecessors, the Australian Idol winner has everything in his hands, or should we say, his voice, to move emotions and touch souls. His first single "Angels Brought Me Here" not only debuted at No. 1 on the Australian ARIA charts, it also broke the ARIAnet history by being the fastest selling single of all time. The idol phenomenon may be the best platform to catapult one to fame, but without a true heart for music, fame is afterall just 15 minutes in the fast lane.
With the reality show behind him now, Guy now strives to be a true blue artist rather than a pop puppet. He's a multi-instrumentalist (piano, drums and guitar) and he writes his own songs, with three of them -- "All I Need Is You," "Something Don't Feel Right" and "I 4 U" -- being showcased on his debut album Just As I Am, which was recently released in Asia.
MTVAsia.com's Lennat Mak sat down for a small chat with the Aussie wonder when he was in town for the MTV Asia Awards 2004. How does Guy view his success and just how much of a passionate guy he is? Find out!
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What was taking part in the World Idol like?
Being part of the World Idol was great! It was a great experience. Good to meet other people who have had the exact same experience I've been through.
Was it particularly tough, since you were competing with all the Idols around the world?
I don't know. I think everyone is so different. Everyone is so unique. I think everyone is obviously very talented, as they have been selected from other countries. I didn't see it as tough. I just see it as a good experience and a good thing to be part of. It was really fun. I guess the show wasn't entirely about singing in the end. It was just based on one performance and that's it.
Were there any egos? I read about Will Young who didn't quite relish the World Idol experience like you did, and refused to talk and shake hands with winner Kurt Nilsen.
You read about Will Young? [laughs] There you go! You already know about that one! I guess some people handle things differently than others.
Have you watched the current season of American Idol?
No, I've only watched one episode...
"She Bangs?"
[laughs] "She Bangs!" That's the one I saw! (William Hung) was hilarious! I love that guy! I wish he made it. He was so funny! He's such a cool guy! "I have no regrets!"
I read that you used to be a vocal teacher.
Well, I used to be. I just sort of got offered a teaching post. I wasn't qualified really. So I quickly studied it on the Internet. But then I really got into it, and did some different stuff that my students really enjoyed. That was good fun.
So what do you think? Is singing ability an inborn thing or can you train for it?
As a teacher, I must say that some people shouldn't sing as a career. [laughs] You can help, but if someone has no music abilities whatsoever and if they are tone-deaf, then it's pretty hard. I mean, you can teach someone who has no rhythm, like the drums. You can eventually teach them co-ordination and make them play the drums. But singing is an instrument, which is a natural thing -- you are using your body. It's a different kind of co-ordination. You are training an organ that is not really getting the information from your brain. It's much harder to teach someone who can't sing. There are probably some exceptions, but generally from my experience as a teacher, people who are tone-deaf, remain that way really. They can improve though.
It was said that when you sung for your teacher and classmates for the first time, they started crying! So what song did you sing?
I sung "One Sweet Day" by Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey. When I was 10, I sung at my cousin's wedding. And I was so ultra nervous! I was singing and nothing came out! Everyone was kinda teasing me about it like "You shouldn't be singing" and blah blah blah. I finally built the courage to sing again when I was 14. It was at that school. And at assembly, I sung that song. I was so nervous so I just looked at my shoes the whole time -- I couldn't look at anybody. But I sung it and really gave it my all. When I looked up, everyone started crying.
Were you shocked by their reaction?
I was pretty shocked, yeah. I was like "What happened when I was singing? Did someone die?" [laughs] Nah, just kidding. It actually told me that music can be quite powerful. It can really connect the emotions.
Now that you are fully in the music business. Has it lived up to your expectations to what it should be like?
Absolutely. I am still a bit of a newbie. Still pretty new to it all. But it has superceded anything that I've expected. The success of the album and the singles was just more than I ever thought it would be. And the way I've been received back home and now starting to be received here and in Malaysia, it's incredible. And I'm just extremely blessed and extremely lucky.
Are there plans to go international?
I don't know about that. For now, I'm just going to direct my current album towards Asia and New Zealand. I don't know. I'll just go wherever my album takes me.
What are your musical influences mainly?
I love Stevie Wonder, Brian McKnight, Prince and Boyz II Men -- more of the urban/soul music.
Are they the ones you look up to in the industry as well?
Yeah, but kinda more vocally, that I look up to.
How about as an artist?
Probably someone like Brian McKnight who writes, produces and plays instruments. He's just really talented and he's more than just a singer who needs everybody's help to make music. He's a musician himself, very talented, and that's what I aspire to be.
How do you feel when the song you wrote "All I Need Is You" is a single for the album?
Yeah, that's my next single! The video for it was really cool. I really enjoyed that one!
Kissing girls?
No! I don't kiss girls (in the video). I don't know where that came from. I was in an interview and they said "So are there any passionate scenes? Any kisses?" And I said "Oh yeah! I gave this girl a big sloppy kiss at the end!" But that was a joke! I said, "No, not really. I'm just kidding. No kisses!" But because I said it, they probably put it in there eventually.
Speaking of passion, I've read that Scorpios are very passionate people. How true is that for you?
Yeah! I'm very passionate! Especially about music! Everything I do, I try to do my best. And yeah, apparently (Scorpios) are very passionate and very disorganized! So that kinda sums me up!
Do you still find time for your bike, which is one of your biggest passion too?
[laughs] No, I haven't for a while. But I'm getting a Harley soon! So when I go back to Sydney, I'm going for a spin on my own!
