Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian has released his debut album ‘Just As I Am’ and the previously unknown 22 year old from Golden Grove, Adelaide is singing his way to the top!
Now, being a bit of a muso myself, I am rather sceptical when it comes to manufactured pop music - most pop stars have no say in what they wear, how they are represented to the public, or what they sing. I have a (bad??) tendency to ignore music where the artist hasn’t had a reasonable amount of input into the songs they have produced.
Guy Sebastian has reduced this scepticism a bit – although his other talents aren’t showcased on the album - in addition to vocals, Guy can also play the piano, drums and guitar, and has extensive experience in the song-writing department (he has written around 30 songs and has approximately 150 others in various stages of completion!!). Winning Australian Idol has given Guy the opportunity to record three songs he has co-written – ‘All I Need is You’, ‘Something Don’t Feel Right’ and ‘I 4 U’.
Guy says “It was incredibly important to me to have got some of my own material onto the album…I think the credibility in having your own stuff just makes you an artist. Credibility is what I’ve always strived for and I couldn’t imagine my first record not having one of my own songs on it.”
His album contains 12 tracks which are a blend of funk, soul and R&B, including covers of ‘When Doves Cry’ and ‘What a Wonderful World’. My fave track off the album is the funky ‘All I Need Is You’ (and who can help but sing along to ‘Angels Brought Me Here’ despite the odd clip with the girl dancing around in feathers??). Can’t wait to hear more of his original material…
FAST FACTS:
• A recent promotional tour for Guy was cut short when a boy collapsed at one of his appearances in Adelaide - other appearances for the tour have been cancelled.
• Despite coming second in the Australian Idol contest, Shannon Noll has also been signed to BMG and is set to release an album in early 2004.
• Guy loves playing cricket and has also taken to playing a bit of golf. He loves to “thrash that little white ball up and down the fairway, but sadly, it never goes near the green”.
• Guy used to have a clean-cut hairdo and completely shaved it off two years ago. Then one day, he decided he wouldn’t cut it and his famous afro just grew bigger and bigger!!
Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian has released his debut album ‘Just As I Am’ and the previously unknown 22 year old from Golden Grove, Adelaide is singing his way to the top!