|
|
Post by Inside Australian Idol on Apr 12, 2004 2:16:48 GMT 10
Faithful flock to Idol By Emma Chalmers 12apr04 AUSTRALIAN Idol Guy Sebastian celebrated Easter yesterday with a return to his gospel music roots for a rare solo concert in Toowoomba.  BIG Guy ... Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian performs at the Australian Gospel Music Festival in Toowoomba yesterday. Picture: David Martinelli. The 22-year-old, who was a choir singer before he became an idol, was the drawcard for a record crowd at the Australian Gospel Music Festival which peaked at more than 10,000 for his 4pm performance. His six-song set was a coup for Idol fans and organisers, as the "bro with the 'fro" flew in from promo duties in his home country of Malaysia especially for the gig. Festival co-ordinator Isaac Moody said fans had lined up outside the venue from 8am and Sebastian's appearance had generated an electric atmosphere. "I don't think I've ever heard screaming as loud," he said. "He's given our attendees a lot of excitement; there's a real buzz." Sebastian had been scheduled to perform four songs but instead gave the audience six, including the Sound of Music number that many believe secured him the Idol crown last October, Climb Ev'ry Mountain, as well as hits from his multi-platinum CD Just As I Am. He also treated concert goers to a gospel song and an a capella performance. The gig had personal significance for Sebastian, who has not yet toured solo, and has been laying low for the last few months. He flew in from Malaysia after promoting his album and the first instalment of Malaysian Idol with a concert last Thursday alongside UK Pop Idol Gareth Gates in Kuala Lumpur. He told journalists in the Malaysian capital that his second album was under construction and he would soon travel to Los Angeles to team up with producer/artist Brian McKnight, who has worked with Justin Timberlake and Alicia Keys. "I'm really looking forward to it," he said. "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." Sebastian's performance yesterday afternoon wrapped up the sixth Australian Gospel Music Festival, which also featured a performance by fellow Idol Paulini Curuenavuli on Friday night and Grammy Award-winner Rebecca St James on Saturday night. Last year the three-day festival was attended by 31,000 people and injected $6.1 million into the Toowoomba economy. This year ticket sales were up 60 per cent. www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,9255429%255E10431,00.html
|
|
|
|
Post by Inside Australian Idol on Apr 12, 2004 2:17:18 GMT 10
Trumping slump in reality TV By Michael Idato April 12, 2004 There is no doubt 2004 will be remembered as the year reality TV faltered. But the failure of The Resort, and the poor performances of HotHouse, My Restaurant Rules and Popstars [Live] are not likely to bury the genre anytime soon. Later this month Nine's The Block returns for its second season, and will be soon followed by a new American series The Apprentice, in which 16 aspiring suits compete under the supervision of tycoon Donald Trump. Both are widely anticipated to be among the strongest performing shows of the ratings year. And the strong market buzz for the fourth Big Brother and the second Australian Idol, coming soon on Ten, mean most level heads in the industry have refrained from writing an epitaph for reality TV too quickly. In fact, with the benefit of hindsight, the poor dividends for this genre in early 2004 may only be a hiccup caused by the launch of too many shows, invariably perceived as clones or hybrids, something Australian audiences have shown a low tolerance for. The Block, Australian Idol and Big Brother are widely regarded as "safe" brands with viewers. The Apprentice , while a new show, has the imprimatur of Trump and the production expertise of Survivor creator Mark Burnett. The Apprentice has been the runaway hit of the year in the US and last week its ratings overtook CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in the coveted 18-49 demographic. It holds universal appeal, Burnett told the Herald, because anyone can relate to applying for a job, and being fired from one. The series received 200,000 online applications, which were culled down to 1000 face-to-face auditions from which 16 finalists were drawn. One contestant is fired by Trump each week. The winner will run a Trump company for a year. If The Block, The Apprentice, Big Brother and Australian Idol are successful it will help repair the perception that the genre is hemorrhaging and restore audience and industry confidence, not just in reality TV, but in the programmers who have been backed into a corner, often second guessing themselves. www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/11/1081621837010.html |
|
|
|
Post by Ava on Apr 12, 2004 18:24:37 GMT 10
|
|
|
|
Post by Raspberry on Apr 12, 2004 18:27:15 GMT 10
That is pretty old...never mind though. Hey that's from the West Australian newspaper! How did you find that Ava?
|
|
|
|
Post by Ava on Apr 12, 2004 20:45:50 GMT 10
hehehe soz, i was sorting thru my favourites and found it...um it must've been while the concerts were being held...maybe from a cosima website?  |
|
|
|
Post by Skip on Apr 12, 2004 22:01:53 GMT 10
TV: A chance to be an ‘Idol’ Sharifah Arfah Apr 12: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Malaysians will soon get a chance to strut their stuff in 8TV’s ’Malaysian Idol’, which is based on the British reality TV hit show. SHARIFAH ARFAH writes. NEVER mind if you lack the feistiness of American Idol (Season 1) winner Kelly Clarkson or even the naive sincerity of one of its most famous dropouts, William Hung. Those who aspire to be stars will find that their dream is a step closer to reality, as 8TV has just announced the auditions for Malaysian Idol. The show will be tailored after the hugely-successful British reality television hit show Pop Idol, the highest-rated "live" entertainment programme in Britain. It has spun other shows similar in concept in countries such as the United States (yes, American Idol — now airing over 8TV and Astro’s Star World — is a copy of Pop Idol), South Africa, Poland, Germany, Belgium, Norway, as well as a Pan-Arabic version for the Arab nations. Malaysia is the fourth country in Asia to adopt the programme’s concept after India, Indonesia and Singapore. A total of 53 million people watch the Idol franchise programmes in 25 countries. Pop Idol was originally created by 19TV and licensed by FremantleMedia — both British companies. Malaysian Idol will be jointly-produced by 8TV and FremantleMedia. At the Press conference recently, the "Idol" style was even adopted by 8TV’s chief operating officer Ahmad Izham Omar, who cajoled the media into participating as judges and as the "auditionee". He even gave away a set of Streamyx starter kit to the "auditionee". Coupled with the "surprise" appearance of Australian Idol Guy Sebastian towards the end of the Press conference, there was already quite a buzz even though the series of auditions are not scheduled to kick off until mid-May. In case you’re wondering who the local versions of Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul (American Idol host and judges) are, Ahmad Izham said it will be revealed in good time. "There are still some loose ends that need to be tied up with the licensor of the show. "We have certain criteria in choosing the judges for the show," he said. The judges must have at least 10 years’ experience in the music industry (be it talent spotting, performing or marketing music), be sensitive to the global trends in music and has a great personality. Will there be one in the mould of the famously caustic-tongued Cowell? "I believe it’s more important to have a candid and genuine judge. Cowell is just being himself and we want the judges to simply be themselves," added Ahmad Izham. He believes that the show will take Malaysian talents to greater heights and give them the opportunity to shine. In terms of spontaneity and originality, he admits that Malaysians are lagging behind. "This is where Malaysian Idol comes in. It is designed to strip people of their inhibitions and show themselves as real as possible," he said. The contest is open to citizens or permanent residents of Malaysia between the ages of 16 and 26. To be helmed by executive producers Sunil Kumar and Michael Simon, the programme’s format will closely follow that of Pop Idol. As opposed to American Idol, Pop Idol has four judges and two hosts instead of three judges and a host. From the thousands of hopefuls, 100 participants will be chosen and the number will further be culled to 30. From that, the winners will be divided into groups of 10. The audience will decide on the three winners from each group through SMS voting. A Wild Card segment will be held to choose one more participant, making it a total of 10 contestants for the grand final, to be held in August. The winner will represent Malaysia in World Idol. The recorded audition sessions will be aired on 8TV in mid-June. The audition sessions will be held in four cities — Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Baru and Kuching. Registration forms are available at tmnet clickers outlets (Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Baru), Berjaya Times Square, Hard Rock Cafe, Planet Hollywood, and BUM and Diesel concept stores nationwide. Alternatively, northern folks can get the forms at the Sure Heboh Carnival in Alor Star on April 17 and 18. To register online, log-on to www.8tv.com.my. The closing date for application is April 30 (for Sabah and Sarawak) and May 7 (Peninsular Malaysia). For more information, call 03-7493-8282. www.emedia.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/Features/20040412075850/Article/indexb_html |
|
|
|
Post by Skip on Apr 12, 2004 22:03:19 GMT 10
Entertainment: Assessing idols So what? MALAYSIAN Idols to be presented by new kid on the block, 8TV, headlines the entertainment news this week. The excitement and hype of one of the most closely followed ‘reality' talent TV shows has come to our shores at last. Problem is, at last week's announcement of the launch of the auditions of our own Idols series, 8TV were not able to unveil who will be in the panel of professional critics. The four (based on the original outline of Pop Idols, and not the three we've become accustomed to on American Idols) will come from a list of 15 or so names drawn up according to 8TV chief operating officer Ahmad Izham Omar. No word on who our own Simon Cowell is going to be, but we can pretty much forget the participation of musical director and composer Ramli M.S. with his rumoured attachment to Astro's Akademi Fantasia's teaching faculty. SO WHAT? would have liked to volunteer ourselves, but we don't want to be judged by the company we keep as we don't know how credible the rest of the ‘professional' jury will be. But at any rate, Izham has already assured us there will be no repeat of the short-lived Popstars programme of ntv7 where Harith Iskandar, Yasmin Yusuff and Johari Teh decided what the youth of the nation wanted in tomorrow's talents. Bring on the pom-poms... we're convinced. # ON the subject of Idols, two of the reigning Idols were in town (like you didn't know). Yes, yes, Gareth Gates of UK's Pop Idols and Australian Idols champ Guy Sebastian were definitely the toast of the town when they were here last weekend, riding on the success of the syndicated talent show. But Gareth aside, SO WHAT? takes its hat off to Guy. The chap may have arrived at an ungodly hour of 1.30am at KLIA, but he was all smiles. Tired as he was with his packed schedule, and especially after his five hour flight, it was surprising, and pleasing to find out that he indulged SO WHAT? with banter ranging from his memories here to his camaraderie with R&B giant, Brian McKnight. But it was also interesting to note that despite his star status, Guy arrived ALONE! at the airport, without any entourage, not even a manager. And with just one suitcase and a smaller bag! What's more, by the time he checked into the hotel at 2.30am, SO WHAT? heard that the lad only slept at 6am (we don't know why, though), but was up by 8am, and ready to go for the day's packed schedule. Now...THAT'S a star! # A little closer to home, our leading diva continues to incur the wrath of SO WHAT? After the reported stories of her demanding ways, SO WHAT? recently bumped into several reps of a industry giant she was endorsing. While exchanging the latest on her, one of the reps snorted at claims from several parties that they couldn't afford her. But it was all we could do to stop bursting out in an idiotic grin, when stories of her demanding nature when it comes to matters monetary were met with a smirk, followed by a, "Oh, that sounds familiar..." by one of the reps. My, oh, my. She seems to have been stepping on the wrong tails lately. Hope that doesn't affect her search for sponsors though, as we hear her latest promotional stint in Indonesia need financial backing. Would be nice to see her grovel for it, though after her high-handed ways. # ENRIQUE Iglesias' concert postponement was a laugh. SO WHAT? thinks it's about time concert promoters think really, really long before they attempt to bring in certain acts. After all, the artiste formerly with a mole is hardly a crowd-puller. And whether or not papers and documentation for his presence here were in order or not, we urge promoters to be more vigilant so as not to soil the reputation of our country and risk being avoided on major tours which always seem to elude us. But, for the rest of us, take heart there are several acts which may be heading our way. Of course, we don't know how things stand with the promised Boyz II Men concert. But Black Eyed Peas seems set to drop by for a concert at the end of next month. While they may not be bringing along Justin Timberlake, keep your fingers crossed as we hear that ol' JT will be heading this part of the world in the next couple of months. Let's hope SOMEONE snaps him up for a concert here. Meanwhile, rumours are rife that his former beau, Britney Spears WILL also be making her way to Malaysia. A hotel which has been a favourite spot for residence of the stars has apparently received enquiries from several promoters. The local office of her label in BMG has nodded in agreement over just how strong the rumours are. In fact, a telco which has been noted for sponsoring the bringing in of top acts also agree that it may just be a reality for Britney to pop down to Kuala Lumpur. If it's a reality, then one wonders if she will have any problems in the ‘clothing' department as faced by diva Mariah Carey a few months back. # TUNE in to ERA.fm and chances are you'll hear a host of ads that will either get you hurling something decidedly heavy and damaging at your stereo out of frustration, or just hurling out your lunch over how tasteless (and cheap!) some of the commercials appear to be. One ad which irked the good nature of SO WHAT? is a particular one for a brand of rice. If we're not mistaken, it's the Cap Rambutan one. At the end of the ad, it mentions a whole lot of recognisable first names which would, of course, be associated with artistes in our local fraternity (Anuar, Ning, Siti etc.) SO WHAT? really doubts these artistes have ALL endorsed the product, which would mean that even if it was a tongue-in-cheek, first-name association approach the ad took, it's seriously misleading, as there are a host of ads which ARE legitimately endorsed. ERA especially (and the governing body of AMP) should really take note of the quality of its commercials, especially its self-produced ones. And oh, yonks later, please don't even attempt to sound funny by putting on a stupid accent, or whine in a stereotyped, racist manner to attempt to sound like another race like a typical Thong, Dev or Harith. It comes across as nothing short of insulting. ©New Straits Times (M) Berhad www.emedia.com.my/Current_News/MM/Monday/Entertainment/20040412110800/pp_index_html |
|
|
|
Post by Skip on Apr 12, 2004 22:05:40 GMT 10
Smells like teen spirit The fast-rising Pop Idol Gareth Gates and Australian Idol Guy Sebastian recently provided Malaysian teens with a mouth-watering date. IZUAN SHAH shares the Idol experience. IT’S so hot in your country! I’m dripping!” said Gareth Gates from the stage as he removed his jacket to the delight and shy squeals from the crowd. Is Gareth Gates Britain's answer to Enrique? Pop Idol runner-up Gates performing for his Malaysian fans in The Bukit Kiara Equestrian and Country Resort in Kuala Lumpur. Although such stage clichés were expected, the reality was that he was dripping, or oozing, the right combinations to make him a pop star! The charm and banter, needless to say, were spot on. The hype surrounding this former runner-up to British Pop Idol Will Young has certainly not been unwarranted, as Gates certainly showed that he was indeed born with the Idol Factor. This was the first (world) tour for the young Bradford-born star, and he certainly had no intentions of letting the eager-to-impress momentum stop in the slightest. This was the Go Your Own Way tour, and with two albums, nearly 10 well-known hits and Guy Sebastian as his support, the 20-year-old Gates was out to claim the hearts of Malaysian fans. For early atmosphere, concertgoers milled in gradually and without much urgency as show time approached. By 8.15pm, the scheduled time for Guy Sebastian’s appearance, nothing much happened save for the occasional unified cheer of seeing candid audience antics captured on the venue’s dual big screens. The Bukit Kiara Equestrian and Country Resort indoor arena in Kuala Lumpur has proven itself quite the venue of the moment for international concerts here, and for this twin-idol jaunt it would again be the only place to be to catch the world stars. The audience make-up last Thursday consisted mostly of urban teens, with parents in tow, and the odd middle-aged pop diehard tiptoeing anxiously in the front row. When the plucky Adelaide-based Guy Sebastian appeared, the excitement picked up considerably as teens rushed the stage to vie for a good spot. The singer took everyone by surprise by immediately launching himself with ceaseless audience interaction and unfaltering falsettos. Unsurprisingly, when the Klang-born Idol dropped the mention of his hometown, he was repaid with a roar of glee from the young Malaysian crowd. When he launched into the smouldering Prince classic When Doves Cry, however, the response was more muted. The audience seemed too busy fidgeting with their glow sticks and each other to move along to the Sebastian’s smooth R&B sounds, despite his most elaborate efforts – he grooved, he shimmied and even did a spot of air guitar, but was probably wondering, under his ever present smile, why he couldn’t get the crowd to do the same. Two more songs in, the beaming Climb Every Mountain and the pleading All I Need Is You from his current debut album Just As I Am, quick scour of the venue revealed a mere crowd of less than 2,000 people. Still, Sebastian, clad in the everyman pop star uniform of bleached jeans and snazzy-looking work shirt (to go with his self-chosen “clean” image), tried to up the ante on his finale, the tingly hit Angels Brought Me Here. Injecting even more honey into his already sweetened vocals, and pulling notes higher when he could, Sebastian ended his opening performance as a short and sweet five-song affair and contentedly left it at that. Perhaps the main act would do the trick for the pacified audience, and it was Gates they were waiting for. Seconds after Sebastian walked offstage, the inevitable chanting of “We want Gareth!” began. When Gates calmly appeared on the cue for his tender, sugared version of Unchained Melody, the glow sticks went up in full force and the teen massive began to sway obediently to the ballad, waving placards that read “Blow Me A Kiss” and “Came All The Way From Singapore” with giddy purpose. Of course, they were screaming their lungs out every time Gates pulled a high note or ceremoniously wiped sweat off his brow. The Righteous Brothers classic, which to Gates’ credit had a youthful teen zest to it, worked wonders on the Bukit Kiara crowd. With a full rock band assembled behind him, there was definitely a pop rock bent to his show, which lasted a little over an hour, but Gates tempered the rockier bits masterfully with mushy favourites like Foolish, Bring My Baby and Soul Affection. Looking for the most part like an English Enrique Iglesias (with hints of a young Roy Keane), Gates had the small crowd wrapped around his little finger by the time he swung into the timid Just Say Yes. Judging by the doe-eyed reactions of teenaged audience members, perhaps Gates proved himself as Britain’s answer to the Spanish star (who cancelled his visit here just a week earlier). Like Sebastian earlier in the night, Gates in full swing was disarming stuff. These lads had come a long way from being mere contestants on reality TV programmes and it showed. Perhaps the performance training and the boost of a record contract, albums and opportunities for their own originals to be included on their records had kicked in for this tour. For Pop Idols, they certainly knew how to work a crowd. In between songs, Gates would address the crowd with lengthy bits of info on his tour – “my lifelong stammer” and “music as my release.” He tried some cleverly orchestrated gimmicks; including ordering a pizza onstage and having the crowd scream “no cheese!” (Gates is allergic to cheese, apparently), and “firing” the drummer in front of the live audience so he could show his own drum chops. Later, on the self-penned rocker, Enough Of Me, Gates made up for his stammer by strapping on an electric guitar and laying down some passable heavy metal riffs! The pop star further showcased his multi-instrumental skills by launching into a soft piano medley, which included the achey-breaky That’s When You Know and a soaring bar of the R&B/pop staple It’s Hard For Me To Say I’m Sorry. An acoustic rendering of Sentimental set the teenyboppers swaying even more, and with the audience under his spell Gates took the opportunity to introduce members of his band. Comparing Gates own idolatry with consummate pop stars like Robbie Williams and greats like Elvis Presley, his show wasn’t lacking the requisite Elvis hip wiggles and Robbie-esque shuffles. It all came shakin’ down as the climax of All Cried Out, Go Your Own Way, Anyone Of Us and the encore – Spirit In The Sky and Say It Isn’t So – followed briskly. Then like a true Idol, Gates bid goodbye to his small, but loyal Malaysian following with neat send-off: “Look at all of you, you’re beautiful.” www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2004/4/12/soundnstage/7735871&sec=soundnstage |
|
|
|
Post by Skip on Apr 12, 2004 23:02:09 GMT 10
'Mean' judges compete for the limelight in NZ Idol 12.04.2004 By NATASHA HARRIS It's supposed to be about the singers, but NZ Idol's focus last night was on judge Paul Ellis, who was intent on one-upping guest judge Ian "Dicko" Dickson from Australian Idol. Both judges are known for being the "meanies" and Ellis could not help criticise his colleague about taking too long to critique singers and even how old he looked. Ellis took the cake for pettiness when he said: "So I've been in the industry 20 years and I look younger than him [Dicko], which is good" - referring to Dicko's comment to Dave Houma that he had been in the industry 18 years. But the two seemed to agree at times, saying they liked Houma's take of Empty Garden by Elton John and that Luke Whaanga's performance of the Beatles hit Come Together was great. In this week's "British Invasion" special, most of the singers improved on their performances, like 24-year-old Ben Lummis, who was told by judge Frankie Stevens that he had produced his best performance yet. Lummis, who sang Kiss From A Rose by Seal, was even told by Dicko: "We in Australia have got high hopes. We think you could go all the way". But long-time favourite Camillia Temple - the sole female left in the competition - disappointed the judges when she sang the pop-hit Superstar by Jamelia. Dicko told her it was a "really poor song choice" and that she could do "so much better than that", while Ellis said, "You're capable of a lot more". Michael Murphy, who sang Let Me Entertain You by Robbie Williams, was told by Stevens to watch his "winks and points". Dicko said he was "still a little immature". NZ Idol fans voting on idolblog.com wanted Eddie Gaiger off the show. Singing Somebody To Love by Queen seemed too much for the 25-year-old, who was told that too many notes were off-tune, that he had a "very ordinary voice" and that it was his worst performance. The top six will become five tonight when one singer is ejected. www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3560007&thesection=news&thesubsection=general |
|
|
|
Post by Skip on Apr 12, 2004 23:03:27 GMT 10
Shannon live tomorrow Sunday, 11 April 2004 SHANNON Noll will make a special appearance in Tamworth tomorrow ahead of his concert next month for the Australian Idol launch concert and parade. Shannon will perform on stage with the backing of Tamworth band The Baileys, after a street parade through the Tamworth central business district. The parade, which kicks off at 4pm will feature the Australian Idol runner-up, judges Mark Holden, Ian "Dicko" Dickson and Marcia Hines driven up Peel St in the back of an old dodge truck, hosts James Mathison and Andrew G, plus other local personalities. Tamworth will be the first cab off the rank on Wednesday to hold auditions for the second series of the hit television show and the concert will give the community the opportunity to officially welcome the Australian Idol crew to the city. Tourism Tamworth marketing manager Bruce Korn said the parade and concert would be a wonderful highlight for the city, ahead of the Australian Idol auditions. "Tamworth is strategically positioned as the hub of the north-west, New England and regional Australia thereby making accessibility to the Tamworth auditions of Australian Idol more achievable for the talented youth throughout NSW," Mr Korn said. "The outstanding success of Shannon Noll in last year's series just goes to show that regional Australia has much to offer the country's entertainment industry. "Having Shannon here for the special concert the day before the auditions is fantastic. "It will give the Tamworth community an opportunity to officially welcome the Australian Idol judges and crew. " The convoy will travel from the corner of Brisbane St along Peel St to White St where it will proceed to Bicentennial Park for the concert. The concert will kick off in Bicentennial Park from 4.20pm with performances from The Baileys, Shannon Noll and mock auditions with Idol hosts James and Andrew, as well as judges Mark, Marcia and Dicko. tamworth.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=local&category=general%20news&story_id=298983&y=2004&m=4 |
|
|
|
Post by Ava on Apr 12, 2004 23:06:36 GMT 10
SO WHAT? takes its hat off to Guy. The chap may have arrived at an ungodly hour of 1.30am at KLIA, but he was all smiles. But it was also interesting to note that despite his star status, Guy arrived ALONE! at the airport, without any entourage, not even a manager. And with just one suitcase and a smaller bag! What's more, by the time he checked into the hotel at 2.30am, SO WHAT? heard that the lad only slept at 6am (we don't know why, though), but was up by 8am, and ready to go for the day's packed schedule. Now...THAT'S a star! oh just that...and his amazing voice... ...songs...humour...kindness....beautiful eyes  |
|
|
|
Post by Ava on Apr 12, 2004 23:08:47 GMT 10
Seconds after Sebastian walked offstage, the inevitable chanting of “We want Gareth!” began. err...we want GUY! (and thankyou Skip for all those articles - phew!) |
|
|
|
Post by Skip on Apr 13, 2004 0:16:04 GMT 10
err...we want GUY! (and thankyou Skip for all those articles - phew!) Yeah, I know huh? Well, sooner or later they'll wake up to themselves and realise just how great our Guy is. No worries (a lot of articles today... article overload!)! |
|
MusicnMath
Shower Crooner
Music & Math - it's all numbers
Posts: 39
|
Post by MusicnMath on Apr 15, 2004 23:45:34 GMT 10
Toowoomba Chronicle: He's Our Guy New article from April 12's Toowoomba Chronicle page 1 :
He's our Guy [Photo caption:]Guy Sebastian wowed the crowd at the Australian Gospel Music Festival in Queens Park yesterday, performing six songs and thrilling thousands of young fans. HE AND his ’fro have seen the world, sung with stars and made young girls swoon. But the “best part of the ride so far’’ for Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian was the chance to perform in Toowoomba at the Australian Gospel Music Festival (AGMF) yesterday. At least that’s what he said — with one of his trademark grins. Guy returned from a promotional tour in Malaysia to make his first Queensland performance, choosing the AGMF because of his interest in promoting greater acceptance of gospel music in mainstream Australian audiences. “Gospel music is big, but I want it to be even bigger,’’ the 22-year-old said. He may be just the man to pull off such a goal, making the 10,000 strong audience (of mostly teenage girls) in the Queens Park ampitheatre scream with delight during his six-song performance. The repertoire included a number of crowd favourites including hits All I Need Is You and Angels Brought Me Here. A medley of Christian classics brought the audience to its feet, but it was Guy’s rendition of Climb Every Mountain that brought tears to the eyes of many. “This performance was the biggest drawcard of the whole festival — Guy told me he personally intervened to be able to come,’’ AGMF board chair Ian Andersen said. “It will be a struggle to top this next year.’’ Guy is making the most of his moment in the sun, saying he knows the fame could end at any time. “I didn’t dream of being famous, I just wanted to sing,’’ he said. “I have lots of dreams for the future, but it’s all about living through this season to see what the next season brings.’’ He certainly made the dreams of Caboolture visitors Daneeka Wilson and Katherine Lazarus come true. “He was excellent — an idol in our eyes and God’s eyes as well,’’ Daneeka said. And would they be just as impressed to know that one day he plans to shave off his afro locks in the name of charity? “He would look a bit funny, but we would still love him,’’ Katherine said. “Besides, his hair will grow back.’’
Picture: SCOTT FLETCHER By Merryl Miller |
|
