Here I Am (Natalie Gauci song)
Encyclopedia
"Here I Am" is the debut single for 2007 Australian Idol
winner Natalie Gauci
, written by Lindy Robbins
and Tom Leonard. This single was performed by the final two contestants – Gauci and Matt Corby
– during the penultimate episode of Australian Idol 2007.
After Gauci won the competition on 25 November 2007, the song was available online through BigPond Music
, a major sponsor of Australian Idol. The single was released as a CD single
on 28 November 2007.
had originally panned the winner's single and were unimpressed after hearing the demo of the song.
Matt Corby was most uncomfortable with the song, who says that the pop
song is "cheesy". "This competition has made me look like I'm into pop, but I'm not," he says. He stated that the song was not the direction he was going to take, and wants to take a creative control for his music, as blues and roots was his most passionate music style. "It's so far away from what I would release or write, but I have to cop it on the chin – it's part of the competition," he states.
Top 3 finalist Carl Riseley
had also performed a version of "Here I Am" with a swing style. He commented that his version sounded "bloody horrible".
"Here I Am" was the first Australian Idol winner's single to not debut in the #1 position on the Australian Singles Chart. "Here I Am" sold only 7,463 copies in its first week, lower than all previous Australian Idol winners' singles. The single was certified Gold
for shipments of 35,000 in its second week on the chart.
Australian Idol
Australian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
winner Natalie Gauci
Natalie Gauci
Natalie Gauci is an Australian singer of Italian and Maltese descent. Gauci undertook music tuition at the Victorian College of the Arts, formed her own band that played gigs in Melbourne, while also working as a music teacher...
, written by Lindy Robbins
Lindy Robbins
Lindy Robbins is a songwriter from Los Angeles. She has contributed many recognizable songs to popular culture.-Career:She started singing with her late, gifted musician father Walter Wissman when she was three-years-old, and was an acclaimed performer in NYC and LA before becoming a full-time...
and Tom Leonard. This single was performed by the final two contestants – Gauci and Matt Corby
Matt Corby
Matthew John "Matt" Corby is an Australian singer-songwriter, who was the runner-up to Natalie Gauci on the fifth season of Australian Idol in 2007.-2007:...
– during the penultimate episode of Australian Idol 2007.
After Gauci won the competition on 25 November 2007, the song was available online through BigPond Music
BigPond
BigPond is an Australian Internet service provider and is a product of Telstra. BigPond is Australia's largest ISP and based in Melbourne.- Internet :...
, a major sponsor of Australian Idol. The single was released as a CD single
CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
on 28 November 2007.
Background
Natalie Gauci was at first confused when she heard the demo, as it only contained male vocals. She realised that the writers of the song also wrote songs for The Backstreet Boys, and decided to make an overhaul of the song to record her own version. "Now the song sounds like I wrote it, I reckon," she says. "I feel very proud."Reception
Before the Australian Idol grand final, it was reported that both Gauci and Idol runner up Matt CorbyMatt Corby
Matthew John "Matt" Corby is an Australian singer-songwriter, who was the runner-up to Natalie Gauci on the fifth season of Australian Idol in 2007.-2007:...
had originally panned the winner's single and were unimpressed after hearing the demo of the song.
Matt Corby was most uncomfortable with the song, who says that the pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
song is "cheesy". "This competition has made me look like I'm into pop, but I'm not," he says. He stated that the song was not the direction he was going to take, and wants to take a creative control for his music, as blues and roots was his most passionate music style. "It's so far away from what I would release or write, but I have to cop it on the chin – it's part of the competition," he states.
Top 3 finalist Carl Riseley
Carl Riseley
Carl Riseley is an Australian singer and recording artist.-Early life and career origins:Born on the Gold Coast in 1982, Riseley started out playing the cornet, and progressed to the trumpet when he was sixteen. Riseley joined The Royal Australian Navy band in April 2003, as a trumpeter...
had also performed a version of "Here I Am" with a swing style. He commented that his version sounded "bloody horrible".
"Here I Am" was the first Australian Idol winner's single to not debut in the #1 position on the Australian Singles Chart. "Here I Am" sold only 7,463 copies in its first week, lower than all previous Australian Idol winners' singles. The single was certified Gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
for shipments of 35,000 in its second week on the chart.
Track listing
CD single- "Here I Am" (Lindy RobbinsLindy RobbinsLindy Robbins is a songwriter from Los Angeles. She has contributed many recognizable songs to popular culture.-Career:She started singing with her late, gifted musician father Walter Wissman when she was three-years-old, and was an acclaimed performer in NYC and LA before becoming a full-time...
, Tom Leonard) – 3:50 - "All in My Mind" (Natalie Gauci, James Kempster) – 3:46
Charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| ARIA Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
2 |