Post by Skip on Apr 9, 2004 15:28:02 GMT 10
Aussie Idol set to hit the big time
By CHUA CHERN TOONG
"The Guy with the Afro, that's me all right." - Guy Sebastian, Australian Idol champion.
THE Pop Idol phenomenon has become a truly worldwide franchise, with localised versions springing up everywhere from America to Britain. Even Malaysia has gotten into the act, with Malaysian Idol slated to debut in a few months’ time.
While the immediate, contrived pop-celebrity nature of the whole Pop Idol edifice is glaringly obvious (some harsher quarters may even view it as a glorified talent contest), there is no denying the commercial value of the winners so far.
Proof of this lies in the fact that past champions like Will Young, Gareth Gates, Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken have all secured lucrative recording contracts with giant record conglomerates and released successful solo debut albums.
Guy Sebastian, with his signature gravity-defying Afro hairdo, recently emerged victorious from the inaugural Australian Idol, fighting his way up from a pool of approximately 10,000 aspiring wannabes. What some Malaysians may not know is that Sebastian was actually born in Klang, Selangor, in 1981, and moved to Adelaide in 1988 with his family.
"The Guy with the Afro, that's me all right." - Guy Sebastian, Australian Idol champion.
The 22-year-old Sebastian pipped Shannon Noll to secure the Australian Idol champion’s mantle in November and, in the process, clinched a recording deal with BMG Australia.
Sebastian is supposedly “different” from your usual assembly-line, Svengali-supervised pop puppet: he is touted as a multiple instrumentalist and a prolific songwriter who has written about 30 songs.
Sebastian’s debut album, Just As I Am, was a recent phenomenal seller in Australia. Just As I Am contains the smash single Angels Brought Me Here, which was certified triple platinum on release, selling an incredible 128,000 copies in its first week alone.
The bulk of Just As I Am comprises deliberate, slick MOR numbers designed to make maximum impact on the charts with as little fuss as possible. While critics would dismiss all this as musical slush, Sebastian’s loyal fan base would vehemently disagree.
So how does Sebastian feel about being the current Australian Idol? “It’s been really great! My win is very indicative of the high level of cultural diversity in Australia – it’s wonderful for an Asian to be able to win in a tightly fought competition like this,” he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur held to promote Just As I Am.
“It’s also great to come back to Malaysia after all these years,” Sebastian said of his brief visit here. “The reception has been amazing so far, and I even had a nasi lemak breakfast this morning!”
In light of the upcoming Malaysian Idol, Sebastian was asked if he had any sort of advice for prospective contestants. “I suppose the best piece of advice that I can give is always remain humble and true to yourself. Don’t let it all go to your head, and always stay grounded.”
“You also have to take certain risks in a competition like this,” he continued. “You have to remember that at the end of the day, it’s the music that really counts, and you have to reach out to the people who are listening to your music.”
Sebastian also provided some insight into the progress of his sophomore album: “I’m really looking forward to it! I’ve actually written most of the songs, and I’m going to be working with some great songwriters like Brian McKnight and Cathy Dennis. It should be a lot of fun!
“I’ll be heading to Los Angeles soon to work with Brian McKnight on a few songs, which is like a dream come true for me!”
As a parting shot, Sebastian spilled the beans on his trademark funky Afro hairdo: “It’s purely accidental! I was just too lazy to have it cut, and so it grew longer as the Australian Idol competition went on. But it’s become so synonymous with me now that I heard a lot of Afro wigs in Australia are sold out!”<br>
www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2004/4/9/music/20040409103225&sec=music
By CHUA CHERN TOONG
"The Guy with the Afro, that's me all right." - Guy Sebastian, Australian Idol champion.
THE Pop Idol phenomenon has become a truly worldwide franchise, with localised versions springing up everywhere from America to Britain. Even Malaysia has gotten into the act, with Malaysian Idol slated to debut in a few months’ time.
While the immediate, contrived pop-celebrity nature of the whole Pop Idol edifice is glaringly obvious (some harsher quarters may even view it as a glorified talent contest), there is no denying the commercial value of the winners so far.
Proof of this lies in the fact that past champions like Will Young, Gareth Gates, Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken have all secured lucrative recording contracts with giant record conglomerates and released successful solo debut albums.
Guy Sebastian, with his signature gravity-defying Afro hairdo, recently emerged victorious from the inaugural Australian Idol, fighting his way up from a pool of approximately 10,000 aspiring wannabes. What some Malaysians may not know is that Sebastian was actually born in Klang, Selangor, in 1981, and moved to Adelaide in 1988 with his family.
"The Guy with the Afro, that's me all right." - Guy Sebastian, Australian Idol champion.
The 22-year-old Sebastian pipped Shannon Noll to secure the Australian Idol champion’s mantle in November and, in the process, clinched a recording deal with BMG Australia.
Sebastian is supposedly “different” from your usual assembly-line, Svengali-supervised pop puppet: he is touted as a multiple instrumentalist and a prolific songwriter who has written about 30 songs.
Sebastian’s debut album, Just As I Am, was a recent phenomenal seller in Australia. Just As I Am contains the smash single Angels Brought Me Here, which was certified triple platinum on release, selling an incredible 128,000 copies in its first week alone.
The bulk of Just As I Am comprises deliberate, slick MOR numbers designed to make maximum impact on the charts with as little fuss as possible. While critics would dismiss all this as musical slush, Sebastian’s loyal fan base would vehemently disagree.
So how does Sebastian feel about being the current Australian Idol? “It’s been really great! My win is very indicative of the high level of cultural diversity in Australia – it’s wonderful for an Asian to be able to win in a tightly fought competition like this,” he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur held to promote Just As I Am.
“It’s also great to come back to Malaysia after all these years,” Sebastian said of his brief visit here. “The reception has been amazing so far, and I even had a nasi lemak breakfast this morning!”
In light of the upcoming Malaysian Idol, Sebastian was asked if he had any sort of advice for prospective contestants. “I suppose the best piece of advice that I can give is always remain humble and true to yourself. Don’t let it all go to your head, and always stay grounded.”
“You also have to take certain risks in a competition like this,” he continued. “You have to remember that at the end of the day, it’s the music that really counts, and you have to reach out to the people who are listening to your music.”
Sebastian also provided some insight into the progress of his sophomore album: “I’m really looking forward to it! I’ve actually written most of the songs, and I’m going to be working with some great songwriters like Brian McKnight and Cathy Dennis. It should be a lot of fun!
“I’ll be heading to Los Angeles soon to work with Brian McKnight on a few songs, which is like a dream come true for me!”
As a parting shot, Sebastian spilled the beans on his trademark funky Afro hairdo: “It’s purely accidental! I was just too lazy to have it cut, and so it grew longer as the Australian Idol competition went on. But it’s become so synonymous with me now that I heard a lot of Afro wigs in Australia are sold out!”<br>
www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2004/4/9/music/20040409103225&sec=music
