WEBVTT - Dami Im - MASKED SINGER - Singer / Song-writer 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:01.760 It's in the news today, but it was actually on 0:00:01.840 --> 0:00:04.640 TV Reload the podcast last week. They might welcome back 0:00:04.680 --> 0:00:06.920 guys to TV Reload. As you may know, my name 0:00:06.960 --> 0:00:09.640 is Benjamin Norris and this is your podcast to get 0:00:09.680 --> 0:00:12.240 all the inside goss on the popular TV shows that 0:00:12.320 --> 0:00:15.120 you may be watching from around the world. Undeniably, our 0:00:15.120 --> 0:00:18.000 TV sets a major part of our home entertainment, and 0:00:18.079 --> 0:00:20.960 yet very little is known about how our favorite shows 0:00:20.960 --> 0:00:23.600 get made. So each episode I've been finding the guests 0:00:23.640 --> 0:00:25.800 that want to dive just that little bit deeper into 0:00:25.800 --> 0:00:28.200 the shows that they're currently making, so that you can 0:00:28.240 --> 0:00:31.120 hear all the exclusive stories and gain access to the 0:00:31.160 --> 0:00:33.760 biggest names in Australian television. I want to thank you 0:00:33.800 --> 0:00:37.440 for downloading or subscribing to this podcast however you've found me. 0:00:37.720 --> 0:00:39.800 I love hearing your feedback, so make sure you leave 0:00:39.800 --> 0:00:42.720 a review or a comment on your chosen podcast platform. 0:00:43.280 --> 0:00:45.520 On today's podcast, I have the winner of the mass 0:00:45.560 --> 0:00:49.280 singer Dami Im, who successfully beat out Conrad Suel and 0:00:49.400 --> 0:00:52.920 Darren Hayes in that epic season finale of the popular 0:00:53.280 --> 0:00:56.720 Bonkers singing competition on Network ten. If you missed any 0:00:56.760 --> 0:01:00.360 of Damy's performances as Snowfox. You can go back and 0:01:00.480 --> 0:01:03.200 check them out on ten play. Honestly, there are so 0:01:03.360 --> 0:01:06.479 many amazing versions of hit classics that would make a 0:01:06.520 --> 0:01:10.040 fantastic covers album if Dummy was ever to put them together. 0:01:10.840 --> 0:01:14.600 Dummy Im is an Australian singer songwriter. She represented Australia 0:01:14.640 --> 0:01:18.080 in the Eurovision Song Contest in twenty sixteen, with the 0:01:18.120 --> 0:01:22.120 song Sound of Silence placing second and achieving the highest 0:01:22.120 --> 0:01:26.440 Eurovision Contest score for Australia. Dummy also won the Mass 0:01:26.480 --> 0:01:28.560 Singer on the very stage that she won X Back 0:01:28.640 --> 0:01:31.120 to Like ten years ago, and what an amazing full 0:01:31.160 --> 0:01:34.119 circle moment for her as an artist. There's so much 0:01:34.160 --> 0:01:36.520 to unpack with Dummy today and I am excited to 0:01:36.560 --> 0:01:39.640 ask her so many questions. I will ask Dummy if 0:01:39.680 --> 0:01:42.280 she used any tactics to hide her voice and if 0:01:42.280 --> 0:01:45.160 she knew who was behind Bouncer and the grim Reaper masks. 0:01:45.800 --> 0:01:48.400 Dummy will share her highs and lows and how making 0:01:48.480 --> 0:01:50.880 music has changed over the last decade, and what a 0:01:50.960 --> 0:01:54.200 journey has been like since leaving Sony. We will find 0:01:54.240 --> 0:01:57.040 out which of the songs she sung is most likely 0:01:57.080 --> 0:01:59.560 to feature on a future album. Not to mention some 0:01:59.640 --> 0:02:02.800 exciting details about a Christmas album which is just about 0:02:02.800 --> 0:02:06.080 to drop. Plus we will get some exclusives from behind 0:02:06.080 --> 0:02:08.560 the scenes of The Marst Singer Season five, which you 0:02:08.639 --> 0:02:10.400 can catch up on if you've missed any of those 0:02:10.440 --> 0:02:13.959 episodes on ten Play. Anyway, guys, let's bring Dummy into 0:02:13.960 --> 0:02:16.840 the podcast and guys, I hope you enjoy it's very 0:02:16.840 --> 0:02:19.359 insightful look at the Mast Singer for twenty twenty three. 0:02:19.720 --> 0:02:21.720 Hi Bam, Hi dummy. How are you? 0:02:22.160 --> 0:02:23.400 I'm good? Thank you? How are you? 0:02:24.240 --> 0:02:26.320 I'm very good. You know. I used to work in 0:02:26.360 --> 0:02:29.079 breakfast radio, so I think it was when Sony was 0:02:29.120 --> 0:02:30.640 looking after you. We used to do a lot of 0:02:30.680 --> 0:02:33.080 chats with you and I always had so much fun, 0:02:33.120 --> 0:02:35.760 Like you've just got aside to you that I don't 0:02:35.760 --> 0:02:37.840 think everyone in Australia always gets to see. 0:02:38.240 --> 0:02:40.079 Oh thank you, that's so nice. 0:02:40.240 --> 0:02:42.920 So congratulations on winning The Mast Singer season five. That 0:02:43.080 --> 0:02:45.800 is a huge achievement with the voices that we're in 0:02:45.840 --> 0:02:46.440 that competition. 0:02:46.880 --> 0:02:47.360 Thank you. 0:02:47.960 --> 0:02:50.880 Do you think that you won because you did the 0:02:50.919 --> 0:02:53.680 best job at disguising your voice as Snowfox? 0:02:53.960 --> 0:02:57.640 No, definitely not. I didn't try to disguise my voice 0:02:57.680 --> 0:02:57.920 at all. 0:02:58.000 --> 0:03:03.040 I just sang whatever I normally see, and we didn't 0:03:03.080 --> 0:03:03.720 know who. 0:03:03.600 --> 0:03:05.600 Anyone else was. We could only guess. 0:03:05.800 --> 0:03:09.520 And I didn't get to hear Darren Hayes or Conrad 0:03:09.600 --> 0:03:13.000 Zell sing their last performances, so you know, none of 0:03:13.080 --> 0:03:15.120 us really had an idea who was going to win. 0:03:15.200 --> 0:03:18.040 We just sang our songs and that's all we could do. 0:03:18.240 --> 0:03:20.799 They didn't allow us to even watch the others. Yeah, 0:03:20.800 --> 0:03:23.200 it was a nice surprise, so you never got. 0:03:23.000 --> 0:03:25.600 To see Grim Reaper or Bounce the sing. 0:03:26.200 --> 0:03:28.920 Only when we were doing our group songs, which is 0:03:28.960 --> 0:03:31.240 like a tiny snippet. So I did have an idea, 0:03:31.320 --> 0:03:34.320 like I guess, but no one ever confirmed or denied 0:03:34.720 --> 0:03:37.280 my guess was And we never got to sit next 0:03:37.360 --> 0:03:39.920 to each other like they wouldn't allow any contact with 0:03:40.000 --> 0:03:42.080 the other contestants. 0:03:41.680 --> 0:03:44.280 So we found out on TV like everybody else. 0:03:44.480 --> 0:03:47.360 That's crazy. But I mean, when you did those group performances, 0:03:47.600 --> 0:03:49.640 as soon as I heard Conrad Sell, as soon as 0:03:49.640 --> 0:03:51.800 I heard Darren Hayes's voice, I picked them straight away. 0:03:52.080 --> 0:03:55.280 So did you have a guess did you think it 0:03:55.360 --> 0:03:56.680 might have been those boys? 0:03:56.880 --> 0:04:00.600 I knew Conrad's voice straight away because I've known him 0:04:00.640 --> 0:04:03.600 for a long time. I didn't guess starn Hayes until 0:04:03.720 --> 0:04:07.320 kind of the last couple of weeks I sort of went, oh, yeah, yeah. 0:04:07.160 --> 0:04:09.080 I think that's who that might be. 0:04:09.200 --> 0:04:11.200 I had to look him up, and I just knew 0:04:11.360 --> 0:04:14.480 he was very popular. That's because I couldn't hear him 0:04:14.560 --> 0:04:18.800 sing that much, but I heard the audience applaud loudly. 0:04:19.279 --> 0:04:21.760 And for a long time, and I was like, Okay, 0:04:22.040 --> 0:04:24.840 that guy is good. He must be a singer. And 0:04:25.080 --> 0:04:26.760 that's as far as I knew. 0:04:26.880 --> 0:04:29.200 So did you get the chance to talk to either 0:04:29.240 --> 0:04:31.200 of the boys after the show? So once you've taken 0:04:31.240 --> 0:04:34.920 your masks off and did you didn't even get a 0:04:35.000 --> 0:04:36.040 chance to swap notes? 0:04:36.360 --> 0:04:37.000 Not at all. 0:04:37.200 --> 0:04:41.000 So once our mask threw off, we were by ourselves 0:04:41.200 --> 0:04:44.960 and they played like loud music outside so nobody could 0:04:45.000 --> 0:04:46.599 hear each other or anything like that. 0:04:46.800 --> 0:04:49.240 Who made the most ridiculous guests? Because I think you 0:04:49.279 --> 0:04:51.359 were the hardest person to guest this season. But you 0:04:51.400 --> 0:04:53.720 know you've got Chrissy, mail Abby and Hughesy and all 0:04:53.760 --> 0:04:57.080 of them guessed some very crazy things. Yeah, who were 0:04:57.080 --> 0:04:59.680 those judges? Did you think maybe the craziest guests? 0:05:00.440 --> 0:05:05.280 My favorite, yes, was when Hughesy said, is Aretha Franklin alive? 0:05:06.480 --> 0:05:07.080 He is not? 0:05:09.640 --> 0:05:12.920 That was pretty awesome, you know, Jesse j I mean, 0:05:13.320 --> 0:05:15.840 can't complain. That's pretty cool. Yeah. 0:05:15.920 --> 0:05:20.760 And then you know Tina Arena, she's awesome. Delta, you know, yeah, it's. 0:05:20.600 --> 0:05:23.240 A good company to be in. Dewy, Yeah, I was. 0:05:23.200 --> 0:05:26.200 Like, yeah, come on, throw out more amazing names please. 0:05:28.360 --> 0:05:29.880 A really good question to ask you at this point 0:05:29.960 --> 0:05:31.760 is what was your favorite song? You know, some people 0:05:31.839 --> 0:05:33.039 come on the show and then they get to do 0:05:33.120 --> 0:05:35.680 one maybe two. You got to sing like a whole 0:05:35.680 --> 0:05:38.840 album worth of snow Fox songs. I want to yeah, 0:05:38.839 --> 0:05:40.040 which was your favorite? 0:05:40.240 --> 0:05:44.440 My favorite was Joni Mitchell song Both Sides Now. I 0:05:44.520 --> 0:05:47.960 really enjoyed singing that song, and you know the arrangement 0:05:48.080 --> 0:05:51.880 that Dorian West put together, and you know, with Gary 0:05:51.920 --> 0:05:54.560 Pinto and I we worked on this and it just 0:05:54.680 --> 0:05:57.679 came out so beautifully and I just loved doing that song. 0:05:57.839 --> 0:06:00.400 So I might steal that for my next show. 0:06:00.960 --> 0:06:04.160 Well, yeah, you've made comment about singing covers before, and 0:06:04.200 --> 0:06:06.880 you know, you do an amazing job at putting your 0:06:06.920 --> 0:06:10.279 own arrangements in with other people's songs. What are you thinking? 0:06:10.320 --> 0:06:12.760 Do you think that with your next album, you would 0:06:12.839 --> 0:06:15.239 be able to include some covers like that Joni Mitchell 0:06:15.279 --> 0:06:15.720 song or. 0:06:15.920 --> 0:06:19.520 Yeah, so my last album that came out this year 0:06:19.920 --> 0:06:22.159 just before Mark Singer, we filmed it. 0:06:22.200 --> 0:06:23.520 Actually it's called in Between. 0:06:23.560 --> 0:06:26.760 It was all original, all about my experience, and you know, 0:06:26.760 --> 0:06:28.839 I wrote all the songs on that. But the next 0:06:28.880 --> 0:06:31.760 album I am actually releasing, funny enough on an album 0:06:31.839 --> 0:06:34.000 next week, and it's a Christmas album, so that is 0:06:34.040 --> 0:06:39.320 a lot of different covers and Christmas classic and includes 0:06:39.520 --> 0:06:42.960 an original song called Baby's First Christmas Day, which is 0:06:43.200 --> 0:06:46.000 you know, definitely about my experience with my new baby. 0:06:46.400 --> 0:06:48.360 But you know, I actually have been. 0:06:48.240 --> 0:06:51.440 Thinking about including maybe it could be a cover from 0:06:52.200 --> 0:06:55.040 this year onto the next album or an EP, and 0:06:55.200 --> 0:06:57.360 I thought it'd be nice to maybe not a full 0:06:57.400 --> 0:07:00.279 album of covers like the old days, but it could 0:07:00.279 --> 0:07:02.400 be you know, it could be nice to have like 0:07:02.480 --> 0:07:04.760 one cover in there, you know, just a nice touch 0:07:04.880 --> 0:07:08.640 to just I don't know, like an classic songs is 0:07:08.680 --> 0:07:11.120 always a classic for a reason, right, and it's a 0:07:11.120 --> 0:07:13.400 masterpiece that one. So I'm thinking about it. 0:07:14.240 --> 0:07:16.960 You've been working with studios for so long now, has 0:07:16.960 --> 0:07:19.680 it changed the way in which we're making music? In 0:07:19.680 --> 0:07:22.280 two thousand and three to when you first started, Like, 0:07:22.320 --> 0:07:24.600 what are the biggest changes about being an artist and 0:07:24.680 --> 0:07:26.400 working with companies today? 0:07:26.640 --> 0:07:30.160 A lot I've actually changed, for sure since I first 0:07:30.200 --> 0:07:33.200 started to record, and you know, when I was I 0:07:33.200 --> 0:07:36.880 suppose off X Factor, which was ten years ago, and 0:07:37.160 --> 0:07:40.840 the whole world has changed a lot, and it's evolving 0:07:40.920 --> 0:07:44.520 so quickly and so now, and through COVID as well, 0:07:44.600 --> 0:07:48.400 everyone's changed. A lot of people work remotely, and I'm 0:07:48.480 --> 0:07:51.160 really loving that because I can work with musicians and 0:07:51.200 --> 0:07:55.320 songwriters from all over the world. There's less restrictions around geography. 0:07:55.600 --> 0:07:58.160 So you know, for example, like my last album and 0:07:58.200 --> 0:08:01.760 this next Christmas album, it was all all the musicians 0:08:01.800 --> 0:08:05.920 were based out of Nashville, and I didn't have to 0:08:05.960 --> 0:08:09.200 be there physically, Whereas when I did I hear a 0:08:09.240 --> 0:08:14.640 song album in I think twenty eighteen, I flew over 0:08:14.680 --> 0:08:17.320 there in person and recorded it. You know, had to 0:08:17.360 --> 0:08:19.240 do it in person, that was kind of the only 0:08:19.280 --> 0:08:22.960 way to do it, Whereas twenty twenty three, I worked 0:08:22.960 --> 0:08:25.720 with them through Zoom and just a lot of back 0:08:25.720 --> 0:08:28.120 and forth. But yeah, I didn't have to fly and 0:08:28.760 --> 0:08:32.160 you know, as somebody who's got a life outside of 0:08:32.440 --> 0:08:35.280 just work, you know, as a baby and you know, 0:08:35.720 --> 0:08:37.280 mass singer and everything else. 0:08:37.600 --> 0:08:39.560 It's great that I can do that. 0:08:39.800 --> 0:08:41.960 Yeah, isn't that strange as well? Like you don't even 0:08:41.960 --> 0:08:44.000 get to meet these people, like a lot of people 0:08:44.000 --> 0:08:47.400 you're collaborating with, and you're such a personal experience and 0:08:47.480 --> 0:08:50.599 to get music out, you know, is like a process. 0:08:51.040 --> 0:08:55.160 The facts in the room with them must feel strange 0:08:55.160 --> 0:08:56.640 at times, I guess. 0:08:56.440 --> 0:09:00.200 Yeah, definitely, But you know it helps if you have 0:09:00.640 --> 0:09:03.080 worked with them in person before. You know, if you've 0:09:03.160 --> 0:09:05.559 never ever met them and you were trying to make 0:09:05.600 --> 0:09:08.400 a record with a stranger, I suppose that. 0:09:08.080 --> 0:09:08.640 That could be. 0:09:08.880 --> 0:09:10.800 I don't know if I could do that or get 0:09:10.800 --> 0:09:12.960 the same result out of that. But you know, with 0:09:13.040 --> 0:09:16.199 the Christmas record, I got to do the record with 0:09:16.360 --> 0:09:19.200 Rick Price and those musicians in Nashville, and I actually 0:09:19.240 --> 0:09:21.360 know them and we you know, we had a good 0:09:21.440 --> 0:09:23.719 laugh about it and talking about the memories we had 0:09:23.800 --> 0:09:27.680 last time free COVID and so doing it remotely with 0:09:27.800 --> 0:09:30.840 people that you actually trust to know and love. I 0:09:30.880 --> 0:09:34.160 think that's the key that there's still that personal connection. 0:09:34.360 --> 0:09:37.640 You're not just talking to a computer necessarily. It's not 0:09:37.679 --> 0:09:40.599 like AI, you know what I mean exactly, write me 0:09:40.640 --> 0:09:42.440 a song, Write me. 0:09:42.440 --> 0:09:43.360 A song, and I'll sing it. 0:09:43.440 --> 0:09:43.640 You know. 0:09:43.679 --> 0:09:45.640 The Sound of Silence is one of my favorite songs 0:09:45.679 --> 0:09:47.240 of all time. And I just want to tell you 0:09:47.440 --> 0:09:50.160 that after a couple of drinks, if there's a karaoke bar, 0:09:50.559 --> 0:09:53.160 that is my go to song. And I love that 0:09:53.280 --> 0:09:55.360 I cannot sing it. I cannot sing it, but I 0:09:55.440 --> 0:09:58.960 just love I can imagine what that song means to me. Like, 0:09:59.080 --> 0:10:02.360 I just think that's so powerful. It surprises me still 0:10:02.400 --> 0:10:03.800 to this day that you just didn't take out that 0:10:03.880 --> 0:10:05.240 whole Eurovision competition. 0:10:06.360 --> 0:10:08.319 Thank you. I love that. I love that you're singing 0:10:08.320 --> 0:10:10.520 it at karaoke. It's yeah. 0:10:10.600 --> 0:10:14.240 When I still sing it, everybody sings along, and it's. 0:10:14.160 --> 0:10:17.360 Just it's something very beautiful and very magical about the 0:10:17.440 --> 0:10:20.199 lyrics and about the way in which that song is delivered. 0:10:20.360 --> 0:10:22.280 I feel like it's it's kind of like the John 0:10:22.320 --> 0:10:27.280 Farna and You're the Voice song. Like that's powerful, empowering songs, 0:10:27.400 --> 0:10:27.560 you know. 0:10:28.200 --> 0:10:31.360 Yeah, And I think, yeah, that's a big power ballads 0:10:31.559 --> 0:10:34.360 always going to be a winner. In most situations, everyone 0:10:34.480 --> 0:10:36.720 just sings long and they just you know, have their 0:10:36.760 --> 0:10:40.920 phones up in the air, and yeah, so it's definitely 0:10:41.040 --> 0:10:44.920 as a singable. 0:10:43.640 --> 0:10:46.560 Song, definitely, And you know, there's always so much consideration 0:10:46.600 --> 0:10:48.440 about who is going to go to Eurovision. You know, 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:50.560 which Ozzie's going to go and represent us next. Do 0:10:50.679 --> 0:10:53.240 you have an idea as to who you think could 0:10:53.240 --> 0:10:56.439 go and represent Australia in the next Eurovision, To. 0:10:56.480 --> 0:10:59.520 Be honest, no, I don't know either, Anna, and I'm 0:10:59.679 --> 0:11:03.320 always looking at you know, what's happening and trying to 0:11:03.040 --> 0:11:07.840 get the latest news update. But I think from what 0:11:07.960 --> 0:11:10.480 I know, it's very up in the air, and you know, 0:11:10.520 --> 0:11:13.880 whether Australia is going to be even competing next year, 0:11:13.920 --> 0:11:14.600 which would. 0:11:14.440 --> 0:11:16.840 Be such a shame because it's I love that we're 0:11:16.880 --> 0:11:17.160 in it. 0:11:17.160 --> 0:11:22.280 It's such a fun celebration and you know, culturally it's amazing, 0:11:22.679 --> 0:11:26.240 Like the Eurovision fans that I met through twenty sixteen, 0:11:26.240 --> 0:11:29.440 they're still like, I feel like I'm still part of 0:11:29.480 --> 0:11:33.320 that community, and so I hope that we continue to 0:11:33.320 --> 0:11:34.720 be a part of it next year. 0:11:34.960 --> 0:11:37.160 I think community is so important, and I think you know, 0:11:37.200 --> 0:11:39.319 when you do tap into a community like that which 0:11:39.400 --> 0:11:41.920 then allows you that kind of access, especially like on 0:11:41.960 --> 0:11:45.240 a global platform, it's just so powerful. And I think 0:11:45.360 --> 0:11:48.680 music artists need those platforms, you know, I think it's vital. 0:11:48.880 --> 0:11:53.120 Definitely being in Australia is awesome, but I think sometimes, 0:11:53.320 --> 0:11:57.480 you know, it's necessary to branch out and reach out globally, 0:11:57.600 --> 0:12:00.640 and Eurovision is definitely one of those platforms that I 0:12:00.679 --> 0:12:03.840 got to meet a lot of fans overseas and yeah, 0:12:04.000 --> 0:12:07.520 I really do you know, cherish those fans that are 0:12:07.600 --> 0:12:10.400 said on board and yeah, it's just so amazing to 0:12:10.800 --> 0:12:13.600 you know, have people that appreciate my music outside of 0:12:13.640 --> 0:12:14.240 this country. 0:12:14.360 --> 0:12:16.920 Well, of course, you know, there's something about your voice 0:12:16.960 --> 0:12:18.760 at times that I'm sure people have said this to 0:12:18.760 --> 0:12:21.439 you before, but I hear nodes of Delta goudroom. There's 0:12:21.480 --> 0:12:24.240 really Yeah, does that because you've listened to a lot 0:12:24.280 --> 0:12:27.320 of Delta as is she an artist that you you know, admired. 0:12:27.600 --> 0:12:30.240 I wondered where that sound at times comes from, because 0:12:30.280 --> 0:12:32.120 all of a sudden, it'll just be like a particular 0:12:32.200 --> 0:12:34.400 note and you go, that sounds like Delta. 0:12:34.640 --> 0:12:37.200 I do admire her hugely. She's incredible. 0:12:37.200 --> 0:12:40.680 I did go to her twentieth anniversary show the other 0:12:40.800 --> 0:12:41.959 night I'm in Brisbane. 0:12:42.000 --> 0:12:43.280 That was a you know, not. 0:12:43.320 --> 0:12:46.920 Long ago, and she's just incredible for having such a 0:12:46.960 --> 0:12:49.840 long career and such loyal fans and the following, So 0:12:49.920 --> 0:12:53.200 I definitely do, you know, admire what she does. And 0:12:53.679 --> 0:12:55.920 you know, I'm not sure, you know, I didn't grow 0:12:56.040 --> 0:12:59.280 up necessarily listening to her because I you know, came 0:12:59.280 --> 0:13:03.880 from when I was a young age. Maybe I was 0:13:03.920 --> 0:13:06.880 like trying to get used to what's what's happening in Australia. 0:13:06.960 --> 0:13:09.400 So but I know she was such an you know, 0:13:09.640 --> 0:13:13.320 iconic artist from twenty years ago and she's still going 0:13:13.360 --> 0:13:13.920 so strong. 0:13:14.000 --> 0:13:16.200 So yeah, that that's a big compliment. 0:13:16.480 --> 0:13:18.640 You know, also as well, I was looking today because 0:13:19.080 --> 0:13:21.200 today is like a celebration of dummy IM day for me. 0:13:21.640 --> 0:13:24.080 I read about this this moment. Were you nearly walked 0:13:24.120 --> 0:13:27.080 away from music? What is your relationship with being an 0:13:27.120 --> 0:13:29.199 artist in twenty twenty three? Are you glad that you 0:13:29.240 --> 0:13:31.040 didn't walk away from singing? 0:13:31.400 --> 0:13:33.360 Look, it's it's I love music. 0:13:33.440 --> 0:13:36.760 Music is always something that's been around me and I've 0:13:36.760 --> 0:13:39.600 been surrounded with since I was a baby. You know, 0:13:39.760 --> 0:13:44.320 my mom has been in music, and you know, I 0:13:44.360 --> 0:13:46.680 could never live away from music. 0:13:46.920 --> 0:13:49.000 But there were really difficult. 0:13:48.640 --> 0:13:51.120 Times in my career when I was you know, signed 0:13:51.120 --> 0:13:54.439 to my previous label and you know that the whole 0:13:54.480 --> 0:13:56.719 there was a big story that came out a few 0:13:56.760 --> 0:14:00.400 years ago, and you know, I spoke probably only one 0:14:00.440 --> 0:14:03.000 of the very very few artists that spoke up about 0:14:03.280 --> 0:14:05.160 the issues that were happening in there. 0:14:05.200 --> 0:14:07.880 And you know, those were really really tough years for me. 0:14:08.360 --> 0:14:12.080 And yeah, for me to even think about quitting music, 0:14:12.320 --> 0:14:15.160 that's that's a huge deal because I don't ever want 0:14:15.200 --> 0:14:18.000 to do that, but it was even that difficult. I Yeah, 0:14:18.040 --> 0:14:19.760 at one point, I think I wasn't going to quit, 0:14:19.760 --> 0:14:22.440 but I said I'd rather go home and sing sing 0:14:22.480 --> 0:14:26.320 at my church for twenty people rather than recording albums 0:14:26.360 --> 0:14:29.520 that I didn't get to have a say or get 0:14:29.560 --> 0:14:32.120 pressured into doing things. You know, I just felt very 0:14:32.440 --> 0:14:35.640 it was a very toxic culture. So I've come out 0:14:35.840 --> 0:14:39.000 through the other side, which I am, you know, really 0:14:39.040 --> 0:14:42.720 proud of myself and also grateful for the people that 0:14:42.840 --> 0:14:46.000 stuck by me, like my you know, manager and yeah, 0:14:46.040 --> 0:14:50.480 so to be here today and so happy doing what 0:14:50.560 --> 0:14:54.840 I loved still and performing and for my fans, I am, 0:14:55.080 --> 0:14:56.320 you know, I'm very lucky. 0:14:56.080 --> 0:14:58.120 Because not everybody came through the other side. 0:14:58.160 --> 0:15:00.840 You know, what about being a mom hasn't as being 0:15:00.920 --> 0:15:03.800 a mom now helped you feel more inspired about music. 0:15:04.120 --> 0:15:10.520 I think being a parent definitely makes you appreciate your 0:15:10.920 --> 0:15:15.640 work a lot more. You have to maximize the time 0:15:15.720 --> 0:15:18.720 that you are allowed to you know, you can like 0:15:18.840 --> 0:15:23.120 every moment you spend on something like on your work 0:15:23.520 --> 0:15:27.000 is time that you could be spending with your baby. 0:15:27.400 --> 0:15:29.920 So I definitely try to make the most of it. 0:15:29.960 --> 0:15:32.400 And I know that it's worth it and it's good 0:15:32.440 --> 0:15:36.240 for me and my family and for Harrison as well, 0:15:36.360 --> 0:15:41.000 So I definitely appreciate it more. And I think once 0:15:41.080 --> 0:15:43.440 he's a bit older, he's going to appreciate coming to 0:15:43.520 --> 0:15:47.160 my concerts and knowing that, you know, his mom has 0:15:47.160 --> 0:15:49.600 a life outside of just being a mom, And I 0:15:49.600 --> 0:15:50.760 think that's really important. 0:15:50.920 --> 0:15:53.680 You're like a superhuman, like you're a superhero that you 0:15:53.800 --> 0:15:57.200 have this other life. You know that is so powerful 0:15:57.280 --> 0:15:59.280 and so powerful the way that you can reach and 0:15:59.320 --> 0:16:01.400 touch people. Think think that that would be so impressive 0:16:01.440 --> 0:16:03.880 for him when he grows up to see how much 0:16:03.920 --> 0:16:06.080 you've made an impact on music here in Australia. I 0:16:06.120 --> 0:16:08.240 think that that's going to be really exciting to watch. 0:16:08.520 --> 0:16:11.680 Yeah, definitely, and you know, as a person with you know, 0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:15.200 from a different background and immigrant, and you know, also 0:16:15.240 --> 0:16:18.120 as a woman, as a mother, I feel like I'm 0:16:18.160 --> 0:16:19.760 not just doing it for myself. 0:16:19.800 --> 0:16:22.920 It gives me a bit of responsibility. I feel to 0:16:23.440 --> 0:16:25.160 just do my job well. 0:16:25.360 --> 0:16:29.440 Because other women, other moms feel really encouraged by that, 0:16:29.520 --> 0:16:33.640 and other people from different backgrounds, Asian backgrounds that I 0:16:33.680 --> 0:16:35.000 hear a lot of people come up to me and 0:16:35.040 --> 0:16:38.040 tell me that that. You know, it's inspiring and gives 0:16:38.040 --> 0:16:42.000 them courage to continue to do their jobs and follow 0:16:42.040 --> 0:16:45.200 their dreams. So I feel like that's something that I'm 0:16:45.280 --> 0:16:45.640 proud of. 0:16:45.920 --> 0:16:47.800 You should be, You should be, you know. I also 0:16:47.840 --> 0:16:49.960 read a comment today that this person had put on 0:16:50.120 --> 0:16:53.840 TV Tonight's website that you're the last true star to 0:16:53.920 --> 0:16:57.640 come out of a televised singing competition in Australia. Why, yeah, 0:16:57.760 --> 0:16:59.480 it's so you know, why do you think it's so 0:16:59.520 --> 0:17:02.360 hard to merged from under the pressure of winning a 0:17:02.400 --> 0:17:06.159 reality TV show to becoming a successful music artist. 0:17:06.440 --> 0:17:11.560 You know, I have thought about that, and I mean, 0:17:11.840 --> 0:17:15.480 I'm really lucky because when I was on XCER, TV 0:17:15.800 --> 0:17:20.520 was a big thing, like everybody watched, everybody tuned in 0:17:20.600 --> 0:17:23.320 a lot of people tuned in back then, something like 0:17:23.640 --> 0:17:27.080 one third of the country. Watched the final and I 0:17:27.160 --> 0:17:30.159 had that platform, but it's not like that anymore that 0:17:30.560 --> 0:17:35.960 you know, there's a lot more again, it's a lot 0:17:36.000 --> 0:17:37.119 more fragmented. 0:17:37.200 --> 0:17:38.760 That's yeah, that's the word fragmented. 0:17:38.880 --> 0:17:41.720 And that's why, you know, I know that I'm like 0:17:41.840 --> 0:17:44.840 one of the last to be you know, emerging from 0:17:44.960 --> 0:17:49.399 a platform TV platform and like a household names you 0:17:49.560 --> 0:17:52.800 like and so I don't know like and and even 0:17:52.840 --> 0:17:56.320 so it's I think it was I wasn't expecting to, 0:17:57.200 --> 0:18:01.720 you know, have this kind of level of career when I. 0:18:01.400 --> 0:18:02.160 Won that show. 0:18:02.280 --> 0:18:05.480 I honestly thought I was going to be doing this 0:18:05.520 --> 0:18:07.280 for maybe two or three years and then I'd go 0:18:07.320 --> 0:18:10.720 back home and you know, do my local gigs and 0:18:10.760 --> 0:18:11.360 things like that. 0:18:11.560 --> 0:18:14.879 Not at all pop. I mean, people love you, you know. 0:18:15.480 --> 0:18:17.439 I think it's amazing, like you're one of our biggest 0:18:17.480 --> 0:18:20.639 music artists in this country, like with people have really 0:18:20.640 --> 0:18:22.919 come on a journey with you, and I think that 0:18:23.080 --> 0:18:26.320 you're very beloved by people. And it's true when you 0:18:26.400 --> 0:18:29.120 read those comments about it, you think, well, who else 0:18:29.200 --> 0:18:31.199 is coming out from underneath these shows? When we've got 0:18:31.240 --> 0:18:33.520 two big singing shows in Australia at the moment with 0:18:33.640 --> 0:18:36.159 the voice still happening in Australian idol. Do you have 0:18:36.240 --> 0:18:38.440 advice for those sorts of people that are going through 0:18:38.480 --> 0:18:42.040 those competitions on how they can turn that experience into 0:18:42.119 --> 0:18:43.400 becoming someone like you. 0:18:43.800 --> 0:18:47.160 Well, I think for me, you know, there's still so 0:18:47.280 --> 0:18:50.399 much great talent coming out of Australia, right like, I 0:18:50.440 --> 0:18:52.480 see it so much, but it's just a lot more 0:18:52.600 --> 0:18:56.560 fragmented in the way that they get found. So I 0:18:56.840 --> 0:19:01.360 guess these days it's finding your people. I think that's 0:19:01.400 --> 0:19:05.240 the most important thing, finding your fans, your community and 0:19:05.440 --> 0:19:07.320 just really focusing on that. 0:19:07.560 --> 0:19:09.520 I think that's the way to go. And that's even 0:19:09.560 --> 0:19:09.840 for me. 0:19:09.920 --> 0:19:11.919