Speaker 1: It's in the news today, but it was actually on
Speaker 1: TV Reload.
Speaker 2: The podcast last week.
Speaker 1: Thereby, Hey everyone, welcome back to TV Reload. I want
Speaker 1: to thank you for tuning into today's episode, where we're
Speaker 1: joined by the latest contestants eliminated from Australian Idol's Top eight.
Speaker 1: It is John and Emma. With the competition heating up,
Speaker 1: their departure proves that Astrayan Idol is truly anyone's game
Speaker 1: in twenty twenty five. If Emma and John can be
Speaker 1: sent home, no one is safe. That's why the judges
Speaker 1: are urging viewers to vote. Every single vote matters when
Speaker 1: it comes to keeping your favorite in the competition. Emma's
Speaker 1: elimination is a real shocker if you ask me, considering
Speaker 1: the powerhouse vocals that she has brought to the stage
Speaker 1: this season and John this season's undeniable QT patuity. He
Speaker 1: has learned that charm alone isn't enough to secure us
Speaker 1: spot in the finals. In this episode, John opens up
Speaker 1: about his relationship with the judges for revealing which one
Speaker 1: is his favorite. Emma shares a rare insight into her
Speaker 1: unique voice ability and why it sounds so different when
Speaker 1: she sings compared to when she is talking. We dive
Speaker 1: into the behind the scenes of styling, who picks the outfits,
Speaker 1: how the songs are chosen for the group performances. Plus
Speaker 1: we get John's reaction to his Instagram dms, Emma's plans
Speaker 1: when she returns home to Canberra, and a bold prediction
Speaker 1: I make about John's future, which he seems pretty excited about.
Speaker 1: There's actually so much to cover, with plenty of exclusive
Speaker 1: insights and behind the scenes revelations, So sit back and
Speaker 1: relax and join us as we break down the world
Speaker 1: of Australian Idol, which returns this Sunday night. Hi John, congratulation.
Speaker 1: I'm so excited.
Speaker 2: What an experience, man, It's been a massive ride. Best
Speaker 2: way to explain. It's like a bit of a roller coaster.
Speaker 2: You go through all the eyes, go all through the
Speaker 2: whole lows and you know, that's what it's all about,
Speaker 2: experiencing the whole thing so so good.
Speaker 1: Put your hands in the air and try not to spue.
Speaker 1: I think that's what roller coasters.
Speaker 3: That's it, that's it.
Speaker 1: You know, you had such a memorable time on the show.
Speaker 1: I think people will remember you for this season. But
Speaker 1: I also felt like you were a bit of an
Speaker 1: underdog or you had like an underdog status throughout your
Speaker 1: time on the show.
Speaker 2: Did you feel that Definitely, I felt like a little
Speaker 2: bit of an underdog. It was hard because the whole
Speaker 2: time I was trying to work out, you know, who
Speaker 2: I kind of was the whole time, and I was
Speaker 2: so Australia lots of different things at the same time.
Speaker 2: It was hard to really bring out who I really was.
Speaker 2: But at the same time, like, I've just got so
Speaker 2: much to give. Yes, I'm off the show and that's
Speaker 2: a shame, but the show has been so good and
Speaker 2: it's taught me so many different things that I can
Speaker 2: now put into the future in my career now, how
Speaker 2: to be.
Speaker 4: And how can I love when I'm a friend.
Speaker 1: I feel like for you, when I started watching you
Speaker 1: on the show, I thought of Johnny Raffo, beautiful artist.
Speaker 1: Then he went on to do things like Home and
Speaker 1: Away and presenting and all this other stuff. I feel like, yeah,
Speaker 1: early days, but that's kind of where I see you. Like,
Speaker 1: the music is amazing, and you have an incredible voice
Speaker 1: and an incredible presence, but I think you're marketable way
Speaker 1: beyond all of that, Like this.
Speaker 2: This whole industry that I'm in right now is very
Speaker 2: much a very portfolio industry, so you have to be
Speaker 2: in a lot of different things. The best person that
Speaker 2: I can think of as well is Richey Lee. She's amazing.
Speaker 2: We got out at the exact same time in the competition.
Speaker 3: She got to top eight.
Speaker 2: I got to top aight. And the thing that Ricky
Speaker 2: Lee is doing right now is incredible, man, Like, she's
Speaker 2: got her own radio show, amazing like on and she's
Speaker 2: also a singer as well.
Speaker 1: Does this mean that you in ten years time could
Speaker 1: be home sting Australian idol. I mean that's the trajectory
Speaker 1: that Ricky Lee Coolter went on.
Speaker 2: I was actually talking to some of the people there
Speaker 2: and they were like, you know what, don't you be
Speaker 2: such a cool hode.
Speaker 1: I can see that Scott tweeting watch out you might
Speaker 1: have his job.
Speaker 3: Exagree.
Speaker 2: Man, who knows what's going to happen in the future.
Speaker 2: But I'm always open to a new opportunities and trying
Speaker 2: new stuff and giving a red hot crack and yeah,
Speaker 2: I've got lots to give and still very young in it.
Speaker 1: Still in some ways you're sort of because you're cute
Speaker 1: as a button and you kind of pick up all
Speaker 1: of the girls following you on. Does that add a
Speaker 1: little bit of extra pressure or does it make it
Speaker 1: a bit weirder because there's other people in the competition
Speaker 1: that don't have that. You know, no one's going yeah Jesus,
Speaker 1: all these women are screaming at you.
Speaker 5: Where for you?
Speaker 1: I wondered what that does to you? Does it add
Speaker 1: an extra pressure?
Speaker 2: Yeah? I don't know. It's like, let's say I'm performing
Speaker 2: mysel getting ready on stage right, and then you know,
Speaker 2: all the whole the whole production teams say all right,
Speaker 2: are we ready already? And in that moment, you should
Speaker 2: be locking in. You should be really thinking about your
Speaker 2: about your lyrics, thinking about how you going to deliver it.
Speaker 2: Then at the same time, you've got the people in
Speaker 2: the in the mosh pit, you know, really looking at you.
Speaker 6: All the girls are looking at you, and you don't
Speaker 6: know what to do.
Speaker 2: And I find it really tricky sometimes because I should
Speaker 2: be locking in, but at the same time they're my fans,
Speaker 2: that's my target audience. I kind of need to let that,
Speaker 2: let that in as well. So it's definitely tricky, But
Speaker 2: at the same time, it's awesome. You can't know who
Speaker 2: I am. I'm that young guy at the moment, and
Speaker 2: it's just that different target audience that some people can't reach,
Speaker 2: and I can go into that. But it's very hard, man.
Speaker 2: It's like there's a lot of a lot of d
Speaker 2: ms on Instagram and there's a lot of all that
Speaker 2: type of stuff, and it gets a bit crazy.
Speaker 1: Are you right on Instagram? Are you putting the phone? Yeah?
Speaker 2: Yeah. I get back to a couple of literally some
Speaker 2: of them just say, man, congrats, that was amazing, blah
Speaker 2: blah blah. Then there's some of them that they send
Speaker 2: they're full therefore, ready made through and say how good
Speaker 2: it will be together. Sometimes I feel really bad when
Speaker 2: I see a monts to paragraph and I'm like, there's
Speaker 2: no way that took time. That's right that, So of
Speaker 2: course I'll reply to that and just knowing you very much.
Speaker 2: I try to get back to as many people as
Speaker 2: I can, and with the pressure of the show, it
Speaker 2: gets really hard. But I think in the next couple
Speaker 2: of days it.
Speaker 1: To them and send them a message down to the
Speaker 1: coffee shop and just start reading their messages and sending
Speaker 1: them back, you know, so we can confirm that you're
Speaker 1: still single. So that's I feel like I'm adding fire,
Speaker 1: like I'm adding wood to the fire here at this point.
Speaker 3: I'm still man right, I'm still okay.
Speaker 2: Well, good luck with that, yeers. I don't know how
Speaker 2: long that will lie.
Speaker 1: I picked up on some similar stylings each week. Is
Speaker 1: that something you wear in real life? I mean, who
Speaker 1: picks the clothes for these who picks the clothes each week? Yeah?
Speaker 2: Basically we have a massive wardrobe team which is awesome.
Speaker 2: And basically every week they have a look at what
Speaker 2: song you're singing and then they choose They work with
Speaker 2: the creative team and they choose a set, and then
Speaker 2: off the set they would choose the outfit and basically
Speaker 2: they're just going it off my character. It might not
Speaker 2: be stuff I wear in everyday life, but it was
Speaker 2: more just to suit my character young gymnast that is
Speaker 2: a heart throb. And they do it to all the
Speaker 2: contestants as well and try to based off the character.
Speaker 2: And it's not a bad thing. And basically I went
Speaker 2: into this whole process of Australian idols to see what
Speaker 2: industry wants and what industry thinks about me as well,
Speaker 2: and just trying to get my head around who I
Speaker 2: am and because you know, I'm still working that stuff out.
Speaker 2: And my mum called me last night and she says,
Speaker 2: good job, John, blah blah blah. You know that was amazing.
Speaker 2: But she says, do not leave Sydney or do not
Speaker 2: leave Idol without buying all those clothes because they are
Speaker 2: great clothes. And I'm like, you know what, mum, You're
Speaker 2: so right?
Speaker 1: Are we going to say? She was asking whether or
Speaker 1: not you know you get them for free? Maybe you
Speaker 1: need to speak to.
Speaker 2: What I think we get a discount. I think we
Speaker 2: get a discount which is great, which is amazing. Yeah,
Speaker 2: I won't be taking half the cause.
Speaker 1: At home, amazing. I think that's great. W your wardrobe.
Speaker 1: You know, the group performances are some of my favorites,
Speaker 1: and I've never asked anyone on the show, how do
Speaker 1: you get to choose? Do you get any saying who
Speaker 1: gets the lyrics? Because some of these songs are iconic,
Speaker 1: like the Beatles, and I would be like, oh yeah,
Speaker 1: my voice suits this lyric. I want to sing that.
Speaker 1: Do you all get to have conversation that's quite open
Speaker 1: or do they just say your lyric number three.
Speaker 2: Basically that's what it is in a nutshell, but basically
Speaker 2: what it is.
Speaker 3: The whole process of singing.
Speaker 2: A song on a TV show is massive. But then
Speaker 2: also it's hard because for the top twelve song, let's
Speaker 2: say that the song was listen to the music, great song.
Speaker 2: But what happened was how we recorded that was that
Speaker 2: after the first night, those four people that got through,
Speaker 2: they will then go into the studio the next day
Speaker 2: and then they record a couple of lines and basically
Speaker 2: the music team are choosing what lyrics you're seeing. And
Speaker 2: the good thing about Australian I was that they always
Speaker 2: try to know give the best, you know, do what's right,
Speaker 2: and they do they tail it to the right person.
Speaker 2: So for example, like that that live around when we
Speaker 2: last night where we did that what do you call
Speaker 2: that Beatles song? You know Jake starting it off with
Speaker 2: that nice country kick to it. It was a great start.
Speaker 2: And then you know, my line with Marshall got to
Speaker 2: be good looking because you're so hard to say like
Speaker 2: they probably thought about that, said yeah, Johnny's.
Speaker 1: Perfect, Yeah it's exactly.
Speaker 2: So it's very much up to the music team. But
Speaker 2: at the same time we all work together and we
Speaker 2: all kind of make it our own, but they do
Speaker 2: give us the lyrics, but they're also super chill about
Speaker 2: making it our own, which is nice, not being so
Speaker 2: driven on the melody, which is good. So yeah, we
Speaker 2: kind of use what we've got.
Speaker 1: There's a celebrity sort of lifestyle that you lead when
Speaker 1: you do one of these shows. And there was an
Speaker 1: article on The Woman's Day. I think about you sort
Speaker 1: of being sick at one point and worrying about whether
Speaker 1: or not you'll continue in the competition, but I noticed
Speaker 1: every week you seem to look fitter and healthier and better.
Speaker 1: The question I have for you is are you going
Speaker 1: to maintain this sort of new celebrity lifestyle of better sleep,
Speaker 1: you know, better food, looking after yourself? Like is there
Speaker 1: a change that comes with having an opportunity like this?
Speaker 2: Sure, the whole health side and the physical health but
Speaker 2: also the mental health side is a serious heart about
Speaker 2: being musician, and you know, this whole experience. Definitely in
Speaker 2: the last couple of weeks, it really shows you that
Speaker 2: you know, if you're on tour, this is what it's
Speaker 2: going to be like, you're going to be performing most nights.
Speaker 2: You need to be health and ready, like you know,
Speaker 2: be healthy and ready, and so you know, basically I
Speaker 2: was just, you know, I got into the competition. I
Speaker 2: was I was young, I was eighteen. I was still
Speaker 2: wasn't really too focused on my health and all that stuff, sure.
Speaker 1: That you know, honestly, I was in a gun.
Speaker 2: Exactly, just a normal thing, right, and then you know,
Speaker 2: I got through it just being my normal self. And
Speaker 2: then it got to that top thirty week, and I
Speaker 2: was like the first week because we did three challenges
Speaker 2: in one week and you're singing every night, you're learning
Speaker 2: songs the night before that was a really tough week.
Speaker 2: And my whole health system went like, man, like that's crazy, bro.
Speaker 1: It kind of looks you got to this peak, right,
Speaker 1: and then all of a sudden, just it turned around.
Speaker 1: Look like you to a point where yeah, you were
Speaker 1: exhausted by the whole situation, and then from there on
Speaker 1: in you just got your skin looked better, Yeah, your
Speaker 1: eyes look better. Yeah, just pulled it like, yeah, it
Speaker 1: seemed like whatever was happening was right for you.
Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2: And I just feel like definitely coming over being away
Speaker 2: from family was really hard and I was really struggling
Speaker 2: with that. But Basically, it's the experience that you get
Speaker 2: out of it and you get used to it. You
Speaker 2: get used to going to bed at the right time,
Speaker 2: you get you feel like eating the right stuff. And
Speaker 2: I think for me as well, you know, just going
Speaker 2: on walks every day. I went to a park every
Speaker 2: single day. I had this pink footy that I used
Speaker 2: to kick up and down the corridor, all that little stuff,
Speaker 2: just to make sure that at the end of the day,
Speaker 2: you always need to make sure that you're okay and
Speaker 2: that you look after yourself. And I made that a
Speaker 2: big focus this trip, and it really worked in my favor,
Speaker 2: which was nice.
Speaker 1: But I really wanted you tom that up. I think
Speaker 1: that's going to be really beneficial for you because, like,
Speaker 1: if you're going to think so much, and you know,
Speaker 1: in TV and in and in music, I can tell
Speaker 1: you that I have been around the TV industry for
Speaker 1: a very long time, and the people that succeed are
Speaker 1: the people that have a really healthy life balance. And yeah,
Speaker 1: that's so important, you know, it's so important. The other thing,
Speaker 1: you know, I was going through the comments, I really
Speaker 1: wanted to ask you questions that I think that the
Speaker 1: fans wanted to know and what I kept sure winning
Speaker 1: again and again was about your song choices and who
Speaker 1: you want to be as an artist. I noticed that
Speaker 1: you'd said that you were like Justin Bieber, that's the
Speaker 1: kind of artist I want to be. But then we
Speaker 1: hear Kyle Sandalan say that probably wasn't the right song
Speaker 1: for you. And if you look at the history of
Speaker 1: songs that you sung, you know that catalog has got
Speaker 1: spice girls, it's got Robin, It's got all of these
Speaker 1: different people. Yeah, you know, y, coming out of the competition,
Speaker 1: do you feel like you are closer to knowing what
Speaker 1: kind of an artist you want to be?
Speaker 3: Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2: I went into this competition just to give it a shot,
Speaker 2: see what this is all about. And I didn't really
Speaker 2: know who I was in what the artist was. You
Speaker 2: had a voice on you that has something to give,
Speaker 2: but I just wanted someone to say something in me,
Speaker 2: and that's what the judges. And then basically every single
Speaker 2: round it felt like I was doing something a little
Speaker 2: bit different every single time, which is good but also
Speaker 2: bad in the same way because people were like, oh,
Speaker 2: I connected as do which is crazy for starters.
Speaker 1: You said you wanted somebody to see something in you.
Speaker 1: I want you to know not only did those judges
Speaker 1: see that and put you forward and really helps you
Speaker 1: get into the top twelve, but Australia has seen something
Speaker 1: in you. There's something unique and amazing about you that
Speaker 1: almost stands out.
Speaker 2: Of the bus.
Speaker 1: So one of the other people in the top twelve,
Speaker 1: you've really Yeah, not only have you hit the ball,
Speaker 1: you know you've had a touchdown.
Speaker 2: Yeah, oh, thank you so much. I appreciate that. And
Speaker 2: you know what, like I think doing the Justin Babers song,
Speaker 2: it was always good. I just want to show Australia
Speaker 2: something else that I can do, something a little bit different,
Speaker 2: and you definitely put a bit of a spin on things.
Speaker 2: But then really roping it back with the Coln Scott
Speaker 2: at the end.
Speaker 7: Swim every super be weird fix word up, oh it's visa.
Speaker 2: I felt like I was being myself a really strong
Speaker 2: Australia like who I am, and the judges agreed, They're like, yes, man,
Speaker 2: that's going to be who you are, bro. And I
Speaker 2: was really happy with that because I really wanted to
Speaker 2: come off this show in a good way and in
Speaker 2: a positive way and making sure that you know, I
Speaker 2: was happy with myself and I was I feel.
Speaker 3: Like I landed that one.
Speaker 1: And I think you'd be hard on your sleeve, And
Speaker 1: that's part of the connect I think there's a lot
Speaker 1: of people sitting at home who would love to have
Speaker 1: the opportunity to try and improve something to themselves. And
Speaker 1: because you were hard on your sleeve, we as an
Speaker 1: audience come on that journey with you. Yeah, and we
Speaker 1: route f Yeah. I wanted to say about Sandy Lance.
Speaker 1: A lot of people talk about his comments and being
Speaker 1: that they can sometimes be quite harsh. I really like
Speaker 1: Kyle and I know him as a person, so I
Speaker 1: don't see it that way. But do you think, being
Speaker 1: a young person on television that it's easy to see
Speaker 1: that sort of criticism from someone like him? And do
Speaker 1: they prepare you? Do they say just so you know
Speaker 1: once the comments go to Kyle, he might say something crazy?
Speaker 3: Yeah, how do they know?
Speaker 2: Basically how I said the judges is that Amy Shark.
Speaker 2: She's in it right now. She's really pumping out some
Speaker 2: good stuff. She's gigging at the moment. She's this this
Speaker 2: Brian person in present time. Martha has just been amazing.
Speaker 2: She's had a massive career. She understands how the stuff
Speaker 2: where she's got the experience behind her. And then how
Speaker 2: I see Kyle is that yes he's not in the
Speaker 2: music industry, but he sees what sells right. He's a
Speaker 2: big business man. He sees this stuff, and yes he's
Speaker 2: a bit harsh, but he knows what's good what's bad.
Speaker 2: He's a bit like a Simon Cowell. Right, Yeah, think
Speaker 2: about Coyle's My best mate says is that Carl has
Speaker 2: his personality and sometimes it goes a bit, a bit haywire.
Speaker 2: But my best mate, he says, Kyle says the right
Speaker 2: thing the wrong way. And look, I agree with that term.
Speaker 2: But at the same time, like I'm taking feedback on board,
Speaker 2: like they're trying to do the best thing for me,
Speaker 2: and sometimes it goes off in a really bad way,
Speaker 2: and people will see in a really bad way. I
Speaker 2: honestly don't. I take it as you know, that constructive
Speaker 2: criticism and see the good in it. It doesn't really
Speaker 2: bother me as some people might think. And I really
Speaker 2: respect Carl. I think he's had it hard from a
Speaker 2: very young age and the thing he's been able to
Speaker 2: do is, you know, is make it right. And he's
Speaker 2: done that and really look up to Cale. To be honest,
Speaker 2: I think I answered one of the questions in an
Speaker 2: in the interview and like who's your favorite judge? I said,
Speaker 2: I reckon it has to be Cole Man like he's
Speaker 2: cool man, Like.
Speaker 1: I give him respect absolutely. You know, I've finished the
Speaker 1: podcast every time asking a question of something behind the scenes,
Speaker 1: and we've run out of time, so I have to
Speaker 1: try and sort of make it easier for you when
Speaker 1: Kyle says something like this stage, maybe a behind the
Speaker 1: scenes is whether or not you have access to Kyle
Speaker 1: all the other judges, Like once the cameras go down,
Speaker 1: do they come up?
Speaker 2: Yeah?
Speaker 1: Offer you some more clarity, Yeah.
Speaker 2: Well, basically what happens is cameras go down, we're all
Speaker 2: out the stage, and the judges actually come through and
Speaker 2: they actually talk to us as a person, which is amazing.
Speaker 2: And I don't know if I should be saying this.
Speaker 2: I wants me to say this, but basically he came
Speaker 2: up to me after that just a Beba performance and
Speaker 2: he said, you know what, man, that was amazing. He said,
Speaker 2: you did such a good job. And he said, you
Speaker 2: know the comment that I made the girls like the
Speaker 2: Martian Amy hated me saying it, but he says, like,
Speaker 2: you did such a great job and you should be
Speaker 2: really proud of yourself. He says, you know, we had
Speaker 2: to put on a TV show here, but you know
Speaker 2: you did amazing. And I was like, you know what,
Speaker 2: that's massive coming from Colin. I wouldn't say it's an apology,
Speaker 2: but he's looking out for me, saying, man, you're great
Speaker 2: and all that. So that's great and I really got
Speaker 2: an awesome connection there. So we do get to meet
Speaker 2: the judges in person, which is nice. Yeah, it's great.
Speaker 1: Well, I am in your audience, my friend. Like a
Speaker 1: lot of people in Australia, I can't wait to see
Speaker 1: how you take this. I think thing the sky is
Speaker 1: the limit. There's plenty of opportunities out there. Please look
Speaker 1: after yourself and have will have enjoyed the ride, like
Speaker 1: you know what I mean, like enjoy the.
Speaker 2: It's just starting now, man, and it's been amazing and
Speaker 2: talking to you guys has been amazing. So thank you
Speaker 2: so much for having me on.
Speaker 1: Amazing, amazing, all right, you enjoy chatting to the media.
Speaker 2: Thank you very much. See you mate, Sea, Thank you
Speaker 2: so much.
Speaker 1: What a fabulous chat with John some great insights there.
Speaker 1: Now we will unpack the Australian Idol journey with Emma,
Speaker 1: who I'm sure has her own tales to tell from
Speaker 1: her time on the show. Hi am, how are you?
Speaker 3: I love, how are you going?
Speaker 1: I'm doing really well. You have the most incredible voice,
Speaker 1: and I have to say to you, this is the
Speaker 1: biggest shock of the season for me so far. I
Speaker 1: just I was talking to a lot of people this
Speaker 1: morning about it, and people feel very disappointed that you've
Speaker 1: come out of the show. It must be amazing to
Speaker 1: sort of have this kind of response from people because
Speaker 1: people are saying you're the Ricky Lee of this season.
Speaker 6: Yeah, I thank you so much. First of all, I
Speaker 6: really appreciate it. It it's encouraging definitely. People I have
Speaker 6: had a lot of people saying that that the career
Speaker 6: she went on to have a lot of people have
Speaker 6: been just making that comparison, which I think is really cool.
Speaker 6: It's motivating, I think because I've seen obviously been alongside
Speaker 6: Ricky like while on the show, Like it's motivating to
Speaker 6: see somebody that's done it and come out of the
Speaker 6: show and made a career out of it. So yeah,
Speaker 6: it's definitely something to look forward to.
Speaker 1: I guess hopefully when did you realize that you had
Speaker 1: this voice? Because to me, your voice is sort of otherworldly.
Speaker 1: It's sort of like a voice in disguise, because when
Speaker 1: you're talking, you don't necessarily hear that sound, but when
Speaker 1: you start singing, it's like Amy Winehouse or there's a
Speaker 1: gravitas to it.
Speaker 6: Yeah, it's really interesting because people say that as well.
Speaker 6: I guess, like my speaking voice is quite different to
Speaker 6: my singing voice, and I think a lot of people
Speaker 6: were sort of like, what's going on, Like is this
Speaker 6: her voice?
Speaker 3: But yeah, it's very interesting.
Speaker 6: I think there is a lot of those sort of
Speaker 6: old school influences in it, and like my tone is
Speaker 6: quite unique, and I think it's definitely developed over the years,
Speaker 6: like when I was a kid. Obviously, I've done music
Speaker 6: for a long time, so I think just with age,
Speaker 6: I guess my voice changed then. I think that sort
Speaker 6: of grit developed over time. And I think also like
Speaker 6: as I discovered my voice, I would say like as
Speaker 6: I sort of exported a bit and actually like honing
Speaker 6: my craft, my voice just sort of developed into that tone.
Speaker 6: And so I guess it's just probably gonna do that
Speaker 6: with age. I guess like it'd be interesting to see
Speaker 6: I guess what it sounds like down the track sort
Speaker 6: of thing, because I think it'll sort of just keep
Speaker 6: keep developing.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it will. I think I really do
Speaker 1: think it will. That answers my question. You didn't just
Speaker 1: one day hear that voice come out and you were like, WHOA, Okay,
Speaker 1: I got it.
Speaker 6: I think I think it's always been that like soul
Speaker 6: to it, like the I always remember as a kid,
Speaker 6: people when I was a king would sort of go, oh,
Speaker 6: there's just like it's something different, like you sort of
Speaker 6: have that soul in your voice, or there's something about
Speaker 6: your voices what people like used to always sort of yeah,
Speaker 6: like I always so, I'm a bit of an old soul.
Speaker 6: So I think there's just so much erris ind I
Speaker 6: would say in my voice, it's like the word I
Speaker 6: always sort of use for it, Like it just sounds
Speaker 6: like there's so many influences that have gone into it,
Speaker 6: which I think is why people are always like, who
Speaker 6: does she sound like like she reminds me of this person?
Speaker 6: Or if she reminds me of this person, which is
Speaker 6: really cool?
Speaker 7: You well.
Speaker 5: Among the fields, boy, you jealous that we all, which
Speaker 5: is cool.
Speaker 1: You had a sound though, that that's very signature to you,
Speaker 1: and I've one of my friends is Natalie Bassingthwaite, and
Speaker 1: she has a sound that so when she covers, if
Speaker 1: she's doing a Whitney song, you know that that is
Speaker 1: a signature Beast song. And with your voice, you're very
Speaker 1: similar because if you look at the beg Cyndi Lauper,
Speaker 1: Shania Twain, the Pretender's goals like these are all sort
Speaker 1: of you know, eighties and nineties classics songs, but every
Speaker 1: time you sung them, you're like, oh no, I can
Speaker 1: hear Emma in that. That's her signago sound, which is
Speaker 1: what you need as an artist to not just be
Speaker 1: a cruise ship singer.
Speaker 3: Important.
Speaker 6: That's something that I'm passionate about, I guess is being distinctive,
Speaker 6: like I never want to. I think just as a person,
Speaker 6: I'm quite sort of I love the concept of being
Speaker 6: unique and offering something different.
Speaker 3: And I think because obviously the industry is huge.
Speaker 6: Like there's just so many, so many amazing artists, and
Speaker 6: so you have to really stand out, like you have
Speaker 6: to bring something different. And I think it's great that
Speaker 6: my voice has sort of that distinctive sound like it
Speaker 6: gives me, I guess, the opportunity to be unique and
Speaker 6: bring something different and a different sound.
Speaker 1: Absolutely. I mean, the one thing I did think of
Speaker 1: was old Made Hamburger. They kept calling him out his
Speaker 1: eighties songs, where I felt like your arrangements of your
Speaker 1: songs was just as distinctive, these big songs that you know,
Speaker 1: everyone knows you did something to you. We're Hamburger. They're like,
Speaker 1: you know, we love you, You're amazing, you know you've
Speaker 1: done it again, where I'm like, okay, but what about
Speaker 1: this bitch?
Speaker 3: Yeah, it is interesting, like he's obviously he's so so talented.
Speaker 6: I love that guy, right, But yeah, I think I
Speaker 6: think there's just a lot of factors that go into that.
Speaker 3: And I think I think I.
Speaker 6: Probably also did have like more the songs that are
Speaker 6: sung on the show with sort of that more stripped
Speaker 6: back ballady sort of style, which I think as well,
Speaker 6: people like have very tastes and stuff. But I guess
Speaker 6: the upbeat songs are always sort of the ones that
Speaker 6: I guess do well in that setting.
Speaker 3: Most of the time. I mean, I love stuff like that.
Speaker 6: I love arranging songs and making them my own. Like
Speaker 6: my one thing that I said every week was sort
Speaker 6: of like I don't understand, like I'm covering it, like
Speaker 6: I don't want to say I did another thing. I'm
Speaker 6: doing the song or like I always and I think
Speaker 6: I naturally do it too. I think, like the judges
Speaker 6: even said that, like you just you don't even know
Speaker 6: that you do it, but you just naturally put your
Speaker 6: twist on it, and when you're sing, you just naturally
Speaker 6: change things like you just you just.
Speaker 3: Do your own thing.
Speaker 6: So I think it's just a natural thing as well.
Speaker 6: I just sing it and feel it and connect with it,
Speaker 6: and it just sort of happens, which is really cool.
Speaker 1: Just so people listening to the podcast understand. I sometimes
Speaker 1: use the term bitch because I'm reclaiming it. I don't
Speaker 1: say it in a negative people going to come to
Speaker 1: something another like you right.
Speaker 6: No, I'm doing my finger snap in the air.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's what I mean. That's what I'm doing. And
Speaker 1: people sometimes are like you old gay, why and how
Speaker 1: dare you? And I'm like, no, I'm saying it in
Speaker 1: the best way possible.
Speaker 7: What about this?
Speaker 1: You know what I mean?
Speaker 3: Like I have all people understand, Okay.
Speaker 1: Well, I'm glad that I've broken you on board. I
Speaker 1: wanted to know because I know RICKI lay personally, and
Speaker 1: I just know how kind and how generous she is
Speaker 1: with her time. Did she get a chance to talk
Speaker 1: you after the show last night? And I'm sure she did,
Speaker 1: but can you tell us what she might have said.
Speaker 6: Didn't get a chance to chat to her too much
Speaker 6: after the show last night, but things were a bit crazy.
Speaker 6: But like during the show and like throughout the process,
Speaker 6: like when I after I performed and everything, she she's
Speaker 6: so kind, like so kind, Like I think, yeah, one
Speaker 6: of the kind of people in the process.
Speaker 3: Like she really stood out to me actually because I think.
Speaker 1: She said that's her.
Speaker 6: Yeah, every time I've done she took time to comment
Speaker 6: in like and was really genuine about it, like she
Speaker 6: sort of just like, actually, I love your voice and
Speaker 6: sort of said said things that super encouraging. And I
Speaker 6: think it's nice that because obviously she understands that journey
Speaker 6: and she understands I guess what happens after and what
Speaker 6: it takes and that sort of thing.
Speaker 3: So it's cool that she saw that in me, like
Speaker 3: that she's.
Speaker 6: Actually recognized and I guess sees something in me is
Speaker 6: really cool.
Speaker 3: Yeah, she's lovely, lovely.
Speaker 1: It would have been really stressful last night, like you
Speaker 1: were saying, we didn't get a chance to talk to her.
Speaker 1: But I want to know, Like how do they get
Speaker 1: you home and make sure that you're up in time
Speaker 1: for these interviews in the morning? Do they shoot you
Speaker 1: with a tranquilizer and throw you in a van and
Speaker 1: make you go to sleep, take your phone off you
Speaker 1: like what happens?
Speaker 3: Yeah, that was it.
Speaker 6: I mean to be honest, Like it's pretty exhausting. So
Speaker 6: I just it's crashed out, really and then I'll head
Speaker 6: home today.
Speaker 1: What does it look like for Like, do you know
Speaker 1: what happens to you now? Like do they just pop
Speaker 1: you into a cupboard and we'll bring you out for
Speaker 1: a reunion special? Like what happens?
Speaker 2: Are they? No?
Speaker 6: I did?
Speaker 2: You know?
Speaker 1: I just think it'd be interesting to you know, go
Speaker 1: back to Canberra and you know, and see and to
Speaker 1: go back to normal life. That would seem like a
Speaker 1: really big culture shock because so much of everything has
Speaker 1: been so fast paced, with picking your songs, work on choreography,
Speaker 1: doing group songs, like all of this stuff. It's just
Speaker 1: been so hectic. Are you looking forward to the downtime
Speaker 1: or do you think you're trying sort of push the momentum.
Speaker 6: That's That's one thing that I'm like thinking about heavily
Speaker 6: because obviously you want to, like, it's so important to
Speaker 6: look after yourself after doing something like this. I think
Speaker 6: it's crucial really because otherwise, if you just go full
Speaker 6: steam ahead and don't have downtime, it's not like it's
Speaker 6: just not healthy. And I'm big on making sure that
Speaker 6: I do that, Like I think I'm really big on
Speaker 6: longevity as well, Like I don't want to burn out,
Speaker 6: so I think I need to find ways to utilize
Speaker 6: the momentum because I also don't want that to fizzle out.
Speaker 6: So I think I need to be consistent and use
Speaker 6: the momentum, but also make sure I look after myself,
Speaker 6: Like it's so important.
Speaker 3: To do that something like this.
Speaker 1: If you're don't just keep throwing yourself out there, you
Speaker 1: burn yourself out when opportunities do come up, you need
Speaker 1: to be fresh and prime.
Speaker 6: Well, that's exactly right, Like I'm big on I always
Speaker 6: like one of my favorite things is always like see
Speaker 6: what happens when the dust settles, Like I just love
Speaker 6: that because it's always it's always sort of everything's really
Speaker 6: heightened in the moment, but everything I guess I've ever
Speaker 6: experienced when it comes to my career, it happens later,
Speaker 6: like the dust has to settle, and it's sort of
Speaker 6: the high, Like the high is done. It's like the
Speaker 6: big moment's done, and it's I guess what you do
Speaker 6: after that and what happens after that? And I want to,
Speaker 6: I guess be ready for whatever comes my way sort
Speaker 6: of thing. And so it's definitely important to look after
Speaker 6: myself so that I am ready. But also I think
Speaker 6: even taking time to be mindful and like grateful for
Speaker 6: what I got out of the experience and actually like
Speaker 6: reflect on I think that's super important too, like actually
Speaker 6: sitting with it and like being mindful about that so
Speaker 6: that I can, I guess, take that in process and
Speaker 6: like channel.
Speaker 3: That moving forward. I think that's like really important too.
Speaker 1: See. I knew you were smart, Emma Jones. I knew,
Speaker 1: well I was going to have this call with you today.
Speaker 1: I'm going to learn some stuff from you. And I
Speaker 1: think that that's that's really good And it's amazing that
Speaker 1: there's these young people out there that will look up
Speaker 1: to you, And that's also an important role to take on,
Speaker 1: is to set a good example for really the young
Speaker 1: people who are coming up from behind you that you
Speaker 1: know might be a rascals at school or trying to
Speaker 1: explore what they want to be as an artist. And
Speaker 1: having someone like yourself with your head very level on
Speaker 1: your shoulders. I think this is quite amazing and you
Speaker 1: could sort of see that throughout your time on the competition.
Speaker 3: Amazing.
Speaker 1: What about these judges are you like if you had
Speaker 1: to put them in order? I've not done this to
Speaker 1: anyone yet, but I feel like you're the one most
Speaker 1: level of person so far. So, like you know, in
Speaker 1: regards to these three judges, I guarantee you they're all
Speaker 1: very busy. They're never going to listen to it. What
Speaker 1: do you reckon top three judges? Can you put them
Speaker 1: in order?
Speaker 6: I think it would depend on on what the order
Speaker 6: was based off. But I think they all I think
Speaker 6: they all have really good things to offer, Like I
Speaker 6: think in their own right, I guess they're very different,
Speaker 6: like they all are very different, and they're in different
Speaker 6: sort of in the same world, but different lanes, And
Speaker 6: I think very much that's really cool because they sort
Speaker 6: of cover a lot of different bases, like I think
Speaker 6: it'd be hard to I guess put it in an order.
Speaker 6: Like I think for me personally, it's based off I
Speaker 6: guess who I connect with. I think I really connected
Speaker 6: with Marsha because I just think she obviously has like
Speaker 6: a wealth of knowledge, that's a very wise person and
Speaker 6: quite empathetic as well, Like I think we sort of
Speaker 6: just connected on that level. And then Amy Shark as well,
Speaker 6: Like I I think he had a genuine I guess
Speaker 6: he saw something in me as well and was really encouraging,
Speaker 6: and so I think that'd probably in my order.
Speaker 1: To be able to pull you in line.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I'll tell you the harsh exactly.
Speaker 6: I think he actually was really lovely, Like I think
Speaker 6: he's very like smart man, Like he's very good at
Speaker 6: what he does, and I think there's a lot to
Speaker 6: learn from him in that aspect, and actually even just
Speaker 6: seeing how he conducts himself and that sort of thing
Speaker 6: like is very very interesting to observe and it's good
Speaker 6: to I guess, take pieces of wisdom off of like
Speaker 6: each judge because I think they have different things to offer.
Speaker 3: And hopefully, I mean I hope that I can sort.
Speaker 6: Of use the momentum and like try and maintain a
Speaker 6: connection with them, I guess because I feel.
Speaker 3: Like, yeah, I think that's super important.
Speaker 6: Like I was talking to Marsha the other night, and
Speaker 6: she's sort of like encouraging me about the comments that
Speaker 6: she made of my last performance and just saying sort
Speaker 6: of if you need me to like explain this to
Speaker 6: you more, like I'd love to chat to you about
Speaker 6: And that's good thing. So it's definitely there's a all
Speaker 6: it's open. So I guess it's just a matter of
Speaker 6: maintaining and like trying to foster that connection because I
Speaker 6: think I don't know what's there to lose at the
Speaker 6: end of the day. She's someone that I think I
Speaker 6: could learn a lot from, so might as well maintain
Speaker 6: the connection.
Speaker 1: Very smart lady, very smart lady, very kind, very generous. Absolutely,
Speaker 1: when they brought her back full time for season two
Speaker 1: of the reboot for Channel seven, I was like, that
Speaker 1: was a turning point for the competition for me, I mean,
Speaker 1: for this reality series, because she brings a gravitas to
Speaker 1: the show that not many people could have. I mean,
Speaker 1: she's a survivor in an industry which is very hard
Speaker 1: to do she's still selling out concert halls at her age. Yeah, yeah,
Speaker 1: that is amazing.
Speaker 6: That's the thing that inspires me about her as well.
Speaker 6: I think that something that I connected with her was
Speaker 6: the longevity, Like her career is.
Speaker 3: Like, and that's what I want to do.
Speaker 6: I think the industry has become one that's very sort
Speaker 6: of short lived, like you sort of have like thirty seconds,
Speaker 6: like even less, and that's the time, and then it's like, Okay,
Speaker 6: what's the next thing, And everything's so instant. So I
Speaker 6: think it's inspiring to see somebody that still doing it
Speaker 6: because I think that's that's.
Speaker 3: What I want to do.
Speaker 6: If I don't want to have guests that sort of
Speaker 6: instant career and it doesn't last, like I want to
Speaker 6: make a long, laughing impression and I guess have a legacy,
Speaker 6: and I.
Speaker 3: Guess that's what everyone wants.
Speaker 6: But I think get it's not something that I would
Speaker 6: ever compromise on. I think there's obviously always a potential
Speaker 6: to compromise on that, but it's something that I'm really
Speaker 6: passionate about, Like I want to have a long career
Speaker 6: and have influence and like you said about the next
Speaker 6: generation and that sort of thing.
Speaker 3: I think it's important, like to be someone that's consistent.
Speaker 1: Well, you don't get a voice like you and you disappear.
Speaker 1: You have a voice like you. People celebrated they download
Speaker 1: your songs, you know, and that's something that people can do.
Speaker 1: I mean, I've been listening to your songs more on
Speaker 1: rotation than I think anyone else. I'm loving Eilish, but
Speaker 1: I find when I listened to the songs at home,
Speaker 1: it's not as good as watching her life before because
Speaker 1: she does a lot of stuff with it. But when
Speaker 1: it comes to just putting on some tracks and enjoying it,
Speaker 1: I've been playing your music more than anyone else, and
Speaker 1: I think that that love is that sign of longevity.
Speaker 1: Do you know what I mean? Like you're a true artist,
Speaker 1: that is a recording artist ready to go. Before you go,
Speaker 1: I ask everyone, what is something from behind the scenes.
Speaker 1: Do you have a fun story about something crazy that
Speaker 1: happened behind the scenes whilst you've been making the show.
Speaker 6: I think the craziest moment for me, I mean, obviously
Speaker 6: it was on Telly, but there's a lot of crazy moments,
Speaker 6: but I think the main was like when I performed
Speaker 6: to the Googo Dogs that day was absolutely insane because
Speaker 6: I didn't know that it was happening, so that was
Speaker 6: a full surprise and I literally was They were like, oh,
Speaker 6: we're going to go here. I had no idea that
Speaker 6: I was going to meet them, so I thought I
Speaker 6: went in thinking like, oh, yeah, I'm going to meet them,
Speaker 6: Like that's really cool. And that was sort of the height,
Speaker 6: like I was like, Wow, I'm meeting them, that's amazing.
Speaker 6: And then I got there and John the soundt it
Speaker 6: was like, oh, you want to just sing?
Speaker 3: Sing?
Speaker 6: And I like literally was standing there something even thing
Speaker 6: quite warmed up, and he was like, yeah, just sing
Speaker 6: the second verse for me, and I was like what
Speaker 6: the heck? And then I sung and he literally was like, oh,
Speaker 6: do you want to sing tonight? And the next minute
Speaker 6: I was singing for like five thousand people.
Speaker 8: John actually invited me to perform tonight, singing on stage
Speaker 8: with the Google doors in front of a.
Speaker 7: Room full of their fans.
Speaker 8: I was not expecting that, Hey, Australia, Adolf, let's have
Speaker 8: a chance, come on.
Speaker 7: How the ball Man.
Speaker 1: I liked that moment on the show because it reminded
Speaker 1: me of Lady Gaga in A Star is Born, where
Speaker 1: she walked on stage and sung. I thought. I was, like,
Speaker 1: that was an iconic part of the film, and that's
Speaker 1: what it felt like for me watching you. I just think,
Speaker 1: this guy's the limit for you. There's more those opportunities coming,
Speaker 1: and you'll be more prepared for it than just walking
Speaker 1: out in front of that sort of an audience.
Speaker 2: You know.
Speaker 6: I think I'm really grateful for everything that I've learned
Speaker 6: in terms of like things I experience and even that performance,
Speaker 6: like having that under my belt, and all the different
Speaker 6: things with television and all the stuff that you learn
Speaker 6: and even media, like interested with media and social media
Speaker 6: and that sort of thing, like I was sort of,
Speaker 6: I guess I've learned a lot about engagement and how
Speaker 6: to do that and that sort of thing, and I
Speaker 6: feel more confident, like empowered to do that moving forward,
Speaker 6: which is important. Like I came here to put myself
Speaker 6: out there and to I guess grow, and I've done
Speaker 6: both of those things.
Speaker 1: So yeah, Emma, collect your stories is the one thing
Speaker 1: I tell everyone I'm in your audience. I can't wait
Speaker 1: to see what you do with this. Thank you so
Speaker 1: much for being so generous with your time this morning.
Speaker 1: Look after yourself enjoy chatting to the media. I'm sure
Speaker 1: there's lots of people out there LA talk to you
Speaker 1: and looking forward to that. Cheers mate, Thank you so much, Ali,
Speaker 1: thank you.