Jessica Mauboy
Encyclopedia
Jessica Hilda Mauboy is an Indigenous Australian
R&B
singer-songwriter and actress. In 2006, Mauboy was the runner-up on the fourth season
of Australian Idol
, she had auditioned for the talent show in Alice Springs to pursue a recording career. Mauboy subsequently signed a contract with Sony Music Australia.
In February 2007, she released her debut live album, The Journey
, which reached number four on the ARIA Albums Chart
, and was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA). The album contained selected songs Mauboy performed as part of the top-twelve on Australian Idol. Later that year, she briefly became a member of all-girl pop
group Young Divas
, before resuming her solo career early in 2008. Mauboy released her debut studio album, Been Waiting
, in November 2008, which spawned her first number-one hit single, "Burn
", as well as the album's other top-ten hits, "Running Back
" and "Because
". In 2010, Been Waiting was certified double Platinum by the ARIA, for shipments of 140,000 units, and became the second highest-selling Australian album of 2009. At the 2009 ARIA Music Awards
, Mauboy earned seven nominations for the album and singles; she won 'Highest Selling Single' for "Running Back".
Her second studio album, Get 'Em Girls
, was released in November 2010; it debuted at number six on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified Gold. Additionally, it spawned the hit singles, "Saturday Night
" and "Inescapable
". As of August 2011, Mauboy has released five top-ten singles, as well as two top-ten albums. Mauboy made her acting debut in the film adaptation of the 1990 Aboriginal
musical, Bran Nue Dae
(2010), for which she received a nomination for 'Female Actress of the Year' at the 2010 Deadly Awards. In 2011, Mauboy made a cameo appearance in TV series, Underbelly: Razor
. She will play a lead role in the film, The Sapphires, due to be screened in 2012.
. Her father, Ferdi, is of Indonesia
n descent who came from West Timor
, and her mother, Therese, is an Indigenous Australian. Mauboy is the youngest of five children and from an early age, she was involved in the local church choir
with her grandmother. Her home was described as the "noisiest house on the block", with her mother often singing, her father playing guitar
and the rest of the family displaying their passion for music. Mauboy attended Sanderson High School in Darwin.
At the age of fourteen, Mauboy's talents were exposed through the Telstra
Road to Tamworth
competition at the 2004 Tamworth Country Music Festival
. As the first winner of the competition, Mauboy travelled to Sydney to perform and scored a recording deal with Sony Music Australia. She then released a country-inspired rendition of the Cyndi Lauper
's hit "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
". A video for her version of the song had a release; however, the song went nowhere and Mauboy returned to Darwin until auditioning for TV talent show, Australian Idol
, in 2006.
She auditioned for the fourth season
of Australian Idol in Alice Springs, singing Whitney Houston
's "I Have Nothing
". Her audition impressed all three judges, and she progressed through to the semi-finals. Following the semi-final process, Mauboy had advanced through to the top twelve. The media cited her previous Sony contract as grounds for dismissal, but since the contract had expired, Australian Idol producers refused to remove her from the show. Throughout the series, Mauboy continued to impress the judges with her performances. In the final eleven week, following her rendition of Kelly Clarkson
's "Walk Away
", judge Kyle Sandilands
commented on Mauboy's weight, that if she wished to succeed in the music industry, she should "lose the jelly belly". Mauboy appeared stunned by the comment. In an interview with Who magazine's Alicia Neil, two years after the comment was made, Mauboy stated "I kind of took it as a joke ... I look back on it as a positive thing – it made me a stronger person." In the final ten week, Mauboy received the first touchdown of the season from judge Mark Holden
for her rendition of Christina Aguilera
's hit, "Beautiful
". During the final nine week, Mauboy had a sore throat that resulted in a mediocre rendition of Phil Collins
' "Another Day in Paradise
" and near-elimination, which landed her in the bottom three. Following that week, she never landed in the bottom three again, and ended up progressing through to the final show with Damien Leith
. The grand finale was held on 27 November at the Sydney Opera House
. After the viewer votes had been tallied it was announced that Mauboy was runner-up to Leith.
. She released her debut live album
, The Journey
in Australia on 24 February 2007. The album was a two-disc package. Disc one contained re-recorded covers of the selected songs Mauboy performed as part of the top twelve on Australian Idol, while disc two included a DVD of her performances on the series. The Journey debuted at number four on the ARIA Albums Chart
and was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA).
In September 2007, Mauboy joined as the new member of the girl group Young Divas
, replacing one of the group's original members, Ricki-Lee Coulter
, who had left in June to resume her solo career. Their second studio album, New Attitude
, was released on 24 November. Its lead single
, "Turn Me Loose", was released on 3 November, and reached number fifteen on the ARIA Singles Chart. The album debuted at number ten on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified Gold.
Meanwhile in March 2008, Mauboy signed on to the Australian Government In2Oz program, designed to promote closer ties with Indonesia. As a part of the program, she travelled to Indonesia for a three day trip performing around the country, including an appearance on Indonesian Idol
, singing Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love" and "Sempurna" with former Indonesian Idol contestants Mike, Judika and Lucky. It was during this time that Mauboy had begun to work on her first solo studio album. Following her three day trip from Indonesia, she returned to Sydney for a week-long recording session. In August, Mauboy announced that after a year with the Young Divas, she had decided to quit in order to concentrate on her solo career. Founding member Paulini Curuenavuli
had also decided to depart, leaving Kate DeAraugo
and Emily Williams
as the only remaining members. Their manager David Champion stated that the group would undergo a third line-up change following the departures of Mauboy and Curuenavuli, with a third album to be released later in the year. However both DeAraugo and Williams subsequently resumed their solo careers, and the group officially disbanded.
. It was released on 22 November; it peaked at number twelve and was certified double Platinum for shipments of 140,000 units. Mauboy co-wrote six of the album's songs, which were produced by Audius Mtawarira
, Israel Cruz
, Jonas Jeberg
, Cutfather
, Adam Reily, Fingaz, and Kwamé
. The album received positive reviews from critics. Davey Boy from Sputnikmusic
gave the album three out of five stars and wrote that it was an "impressive debut which suggests that there could indeed be quality music to look forward to in the future as she matures and gains experience".
"Running Back
", featuring American rapper Flo Rida
, was released as the album's lead single on 19 September. It peaked at number three and was certified double Platinum. The album's second single, "Burn
", became Mauboy's first number-one single, and was certified Platinum. In February 2009, Mauboy signed with UK record label Ministry of Sound
. The album's title track
was released as the third single on 6 March. The song peaked at number twelve and was certified Gold. The following singles, "Because
" and "Up/Down
", peaked at numbers nine and eleven, respectively, and both were certified Gold. In April 2009, Mauboy teamed up with Bloom Cosmetics to create two designer collection nail polishes, which included shades of sangria red and metallic green. Two dollars from the sale of each of the nail polish bottles was donated to Children's Hospital Foundations Australia to support the research into childhood illness. The album was released in Japan
on 22 April 2009.
At the 2009 Deadly Awards, Mauboy won three awards in the categories of 'Female Artist of the Year', 'Album of the Year' for Been Waiting, and 'Single Release of the Year' for "Burn". Along with Flo Rida, Mauboy served as a support act for Beyoncé on the Australian leg of her I Am... Tour in September 2009. At the 2009 ARIA Music Awards
, Mauboy earned seven nominations for the album and singles; she was nominated for 'Highest Selling Album', 'Best Pop Release', 'Breakthrough Artist Album', 'Best Female Artist', 'Breakthrough Artist Single' for "Running Back", and 'Highest Selling Single' for "Running Back" and "Burn". Eventually, Mauboy won 'Highest Selling Single' for "Running Back".
of the 1990 Aboriginal
musical Bran Nue Dae
. The film was directed by Rachel Perkins
and also starred Ernie Dingo
, Geoffrey Rush
, Missy Higgins
, and Deborah Mailman
. In the film, Mauboy played the role of Rosie, a local church singer who has a love interest for a school boy named Willie (played by Rocky McKenzie). Five days after Bran Nue Dae was issued, Mauboy signed to Universal Music for an exclusive world-wide long-term publishing agreement. In April 2010, Mauboy was part of the Byron Bay
's Bluesfest
along with many other national and international acts. In May 2010, she collaborated with four other international artists representing their continents—Sean Kingston
representing America, Jody Williams representing Africa, Tabitha Nauser
(Asia), Steve Appleton
(Europe), with Mauboy representing Oceania—on a song titled "Everyone". The song was initially recorded to be used as the theme song for the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics
. Mauboy, Williams, Nauser and Appleton performed the song at the opening of the Youth Olympics held in Singapore
on 14 August 2010. Kingston was unable to attend the performance, due to a passport mix-up.
During the 2010 ARIA Music Awards
, Mauboy mispronounced the word 'debut' as 'de-butt' twice, while referring to rock band Tame Impala
's album Innerspeaker
(which she called Innerspeak), as a finalist for the 'Album of the Year' award. Two days later, Mauboy told radio station Nova
that "I wasn't actually reading it. It wasn't going through my head ... I only got the script that day and it was just like 'have a look and see ya later, and go do your hair and make-up.' That's how the lady was when she handed me the script." Mauboy released her second studio album, Get 'Em Girls
, on 5 November 2010. She had travelled to the United States in February 2010 to work on the album in Los Angeles
, New York
, and Atlanta with a wide range of American songwriters and producers, most of whom she had not worked with previously. Mauboy co-wrote three of the album's songs. The album debuted at number six and was certified Gold. It received mixed reviews from critics. Majhid Heath from ABC Online Indigenous
gave the album two-and-a-half out of five stars, writing that its a "non-cohesive mess of similar sounding, auto-tuned ravaged pop/R&B that diminishes the talent of this brilliant young songstress".
The album's title track
featuring American rapper Snoop Dogg
, was released as its lead single on 17 September 2010, and peaked at number nineteen. Mauboy performed "Get 'Em Girls" with dance troupe Justice Crew
at the 2010 NRL Grand Final
on 3 October. Mauboy also performed the song at the 2010 Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards
on 8 October, where she co-hosted the award ceremony with Liam Hemsworth
and Jerry Trainor
, and took home the award for 'Fave Aussie Muso'. "Saturday Night
", featuring American rapper Ludacris
, was released as the album's second single on 25 October. The song peaked at number seven and was certified double Platinum. "What Happened to Us
", featuring English singer Jay Sean, and "Inescapable
" were released as the album's third and fourth singles, respectively. In April 2011, Mauboy served as a support act for American singer Chris Brown's Australian leg of his F.A.M.E. Tour
.
As from June 2011, Mauboy has been cast in a lead role in the upcoming film, The Sapphires, based on the stage show
of the same name. The film was directed by Wayne Blair, and is set in the late 1960s during the Vietnam war
. Mauboy plays the role of Julie, one of four Indigenous Australian singers. The film is expected to be released in September–October 2012. In August 2011, Mauboy was working with clothing label, Kuku, to create a collection of party dresses, available at premium boutiques. As of October 2011, Mauboy has become the new face of the video game, Nintendogs + Cats 3DS
, joining forces with RSPCA
and Nintendo
to help promote the game. In November 2011, Mauboy made a cameo appearance in the television series, Underbelly: Razor
, playing a beautiful nightclub singer. Mauboy and Stan Walker
will embark on their Galaxy Tour across Australia in January-February 2012, to celebrate the release of their duet, "Galaxy
", the fifth single released from Get 'Em Girls.
and pop
, but she also incorporates hip hop
into some of her songs. Mauboy grew up listening to country singers Patsy Cline
and Dolly Parton
, as well as rappers Tupac
, Dr. Dre
and Snoop Dogg. She likes to play the piano
while singing songs by Mariah Carey
, Whitney Houston
, and the Bee Gees
. Mauboy cites Carey as one of her musical inspirations. She says, "I've always been a big fan of Mariah Carey. I think it's her personality. As much as she has an amazing voice, she has a crazy personality and I love the fact that she’s not afraid to hide that." Mauboy has also named Houston as another one of her musical inspirations, and has stated that she is a fan of Jennifer Lopez
.
Mauboy's debut album, Been Waiting, has been described as "a blend of electro beats, heartfelt pop tunes and R&B bass lines." Most of the themes on the album deal with boys, love and break-ups. Mauboy told Star Online that:
Jarrad Bevan from The Mercury
noted that the album also contains themes about "everyday life", "family issues", and "friendship". Alasdair Duncan from Rave magazine, described Mauboy's second album, Get 'Em Girls, as "a more hard-edged take on R&B and pop than her debut, pumped full of hip hop beats, jagged synths and futuristic vocal effects." Mauboy said that she wanted each song on the album to talk about a "woman's needs", and that the album's theme was "very much about the empowerment of women and the domination of women." Aside from her vocals and piano work, Mauboy has also co-written some of her material. She co-wrote six songs on her first album, and three on her second album. Although Mauboy has no writing credits for the songs "Fight for You" and "Here for Me" on the album Get 'Em Girls she stated in an interview that while working with American producer Harvey Mason, Jr.
both came up with the melodies
and hooks
for these songs. She also experimented with an opera
tic-type voice on her song "Scariest Part". In 2010, she was nominated for 'Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year' at the APRA Awards
.
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
singer-songwriter and actress. In 2006, Mauboy was the runner-up on the fourth season
Australian Idol (season 4)
The fourth season of Australian Idol first episode aired on 6 August 2006 and concluded on 26 November.-Format Changes:Changes for the fourth season of Australian Idol included the cancellation of "Inside Idol"; a "streamlined" semi-finals ; and the contestants will be able to bring...
of Australian Idol
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...
, she had auditioned for the talent show in Alice Springs to pursue a recording career. Mauboy subsequently signed a contract with Sony Music Australia.
In February 2007, she released her debut live album, The Journey
The Journey (Jessica Mauboy album)
The Journey is a CD/DVD by 2006 Australian Idol runner-up, Jessica Mauboy. It contains recordings of all her live performances from her time in the top- 12 on Idol...
, which reached number four on the ARIA Albums 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...
, and was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA). The album contained selected songs Mauboy performed as part of the top-twelve on Australian Idol. Later that year, she briefly became a member of all-girl 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...
group Young Divas
Young Divas
Young Divas was an Australian girl group that had consisted of previous Australian Idol contestants. The original line up consisted of season one finalist Paulini Curuenavuli, season two finalist Ricki-Lee Coulter, season three winner Kate DeAraugo and runner-up Emily Williams...
, before resuming her solo career early in 2008. Mauboy released her debut studio album, Been Waiting
Been Waiting
Been Waiting is the debut studio album by Australian recording artist Jessica Mauboy. It was released in Australia on 22 November 2008 via Sony Music. While Mauboy was still a member of the girl group Young Divas, she began to work on what became Been Waiting...
, in November 2008, which spawned her first number-one hit single, "Burn
Burn (Jessica Mauboy song)
"Burn" is a song by Australian R&B singer Jessica Mauboy. It was written by Mauboy, Taj Jackson, Mich Hansen, David Musumeci and Jonas Jeberg. Following the chart success of Mauboy's lead single, "Running Back", "Burn" was released as the second single off Mauboy's debut album Been Waiting on 22...
", as well as the album's other top-ten hits, "Running Back
Running Back (Jessica Mauboy song)
"Running Back" is the debut single by Australian R&B recording artist Jessica Mauboy, which features American rapper Flo Rida. It was written by Mauboy, Audius Mtawarira, and Sean Ray Mullins, and was produced by Audius. "Running Back" was released for digital download on 19 September 2008, as the...
" and "Because
Because (Jessica Mauboy song)
"Because" is a song by Australian R&B recording artist Jessica Mauboy. The song was written by Michael 'Fingaz' Mugisha, Mauboy and Dion Howell, serving as the fourth single released from her debut album Been Waiting....
". In 2010, Been Waiting was certified double Platinum by the ARIA, for shipments of 140,000 units, and became the second highest-selling Australian album of 2009. At the 2009 ARIA Music Awards
ARIA Music Awards of 2009
The 23rd Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards took place on 26 November 2009 at the Acer Arena at the Sydney Olympic Park complex. The ceremony was telecast on the Nine Network at 8:30pm that night...
, Mauboy earned seven nominations for the album and singles; she won 'Highest Selling Single' for "Running Back".
Her second studio album, Get 'Em Girls
Get 'em Girls
Get 'Em Girls is the second studio album by Australian R&B recording artist Jessica Mauboy, released in Australia on 5 November 2010 by Sony Music. Mauboy recorded the album in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta...
, was released in November 2010; it debuted at number six on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified Gold. Additionally, it spawned the hit singles, "Saturday Night
Saturday Night (Jessica Mauboy song)
"Saturday Night" is a song by Australian recording artist Jessica Mauboy, featuring American rapper Ludacris. It was released as the second single from Mauboy's second studio album, Get 'Em Girls, on 27 October 2010. The song was written by Angie Iron, Ludacris and Brian Kennedy, who also handled...
" and "Inescapable
Inescapable
"Inescapable" is a song by Australian recording artist Jessica Mauboy, written by Diane Warren and produced by Youngboyz. It was the first single released from the deluxe edition of Mauboy's second studio album Get 'Em Girls on 15 July 2011...
". As of August 2011, Mauboy has released five top-ten singles, as well as two top-ten albums. Mauboy made her acting debut in the film adaptation of the 1990 Aboriginal
Australian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
musical, Bran Nue Dae
Bran Nue Dae (film)
Bran Nue Dae is a feature film adaptation of 1990 musical Bran Nue Dae by Jimmy Chi. It was theatrically released in Australia on 14 January 2010, and in the United States on 10 September 2010.-Plot:...
(2010), for which she received a nomination for 'Female Actress of the Year' at the 2010 Deadly Awards. In 2011, Mauboy made a cameo appearance in TV series, Underbelly: Razor
Underbelly: Razor
Underbelly: Razor is a 13-part Australian television mini-series detailing real events that occurred in Sydney between 1927 and 1936. The series depicts the "razor gangs" who controlled the city's underworld during the era and the violent war between the two "vice queen" powers, Tilly Devine and...
. She will play a lead role in the film, The Sapphires, due to be screened in 2012.
1989–2006: Early life, beginnings, and Australian Idol
Jessica Hilda Mauboy was born on 4 August 1989 and raised in Darwin, Northern TerritoryDarwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
. Her father, Ferdi, is of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n descent who came from West Timor
West Timor
West Timor is the western and Indonesian portion of the island of Timor and part of the province of East Nusa Tenggara, .During the colonial period it was known as "Dutch Timor" and was a centre of Dutch loyalists during the Indonesian National Revolution...
, and her mother, Therese, is an Indigenous Australian. Mauboy is the youngest of five children and from an early age, she was involved in the local church choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
with her grandmother. Her home was described as the "noisiest house on the block", with her mother often singing, her father playing guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and the rest of the family displaying their passion for music. Mauboy attended Sanderson High School in Darwin.
At the age of fourteen, Mauboy's talents were exposed through the Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
Road to Tamworth
Tamworth, New South Wales
Tamworth is a city in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Peel River, Tamworth, which contains an estimated population of 47,595 people, is the major regional centre for southern New England and in the local government area of Tamworth Regional Council. The city...
competition at the 2004 Tamworth Country Music Festival
Tamworth Country Music Festival
The Tamworth Country Music Festival is an annual music festival held in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia and is a celebration of Australian country music culture and heritage. The festival lasts for two weeks during late January and during this period the city of Tamworth comes alive, with...
. As the first winner of the competition, Mauboy travelled to Sydney to perform and scored a recording deal with Sony Music Australia. She then released a country-inspired rendition of the Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
's hit "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Girls Just Want to Have Fun may refer to:In music:* "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", the first major single released by singer Cyndi Lauper on She's So UnusualIn film:...
". A video for her version of the song had a release; however, the song went nowhere and Mauboy returned to Darwin until auditioning for TV talent show, Australian Idol
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...
, in 2006.
She auditioned for the fourth season
Australian Idol (season 4)
The fourth season of Australian Idol first episode aired on 6 August 2006 and concluded on 26 November.-Format Changes:Changes for the fourth season of Australian Idol included the cancellation of "Inside Idol"; a "streamlined" semi-finals ; and the contestants will be able to bring...
of Australian Idol in Alice Springs, singing Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
's "I Have Nothing
I Have Nothing
"I Have Nothing" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston and released as the third single from The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album on February 20, 1993 by Arista Records. The song was written by David Foster and Linda Thompson, and produced by Foster...
". Her audition impressed all three judges, and she progressed through to the semi-finals. Following the semi-final process, Mauboy had advanced through to the top twelve. The media cited her previous Sony contract as grounds for dismissal, but since the contract had expired, Australian Idol producers refused to remove her from the show. Throughout the series, Mauboy continued to impress the judges with her performances. In the final eleven week, following her rendition of Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
's "Walk Away
Walk Away (Kelly Clarkson song)
"Walk Away" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson on her second album, Breakaway, and was the album's fifth and final single.In March 2006, the single was certified gold by RIAA and has sold over 500,000 copies in all formats in the United States...
", judge Kyle Sandilands
Kyle Sandilands
Kyle Dalton Sandilands is an Australian radio and TV personality. He is currently the host with Jacqueline Henderson, better known as Jackie O, on the weekday morning radio program The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Sydney radio station 2Day FM, The Kyle and Jackie O Hour of Power which airs on...
commented on Mauboy's weight, that if she wished to succeed in the music industry, she should "lose the jelly belly". Mauboy appeared stunned by the comment. In an interview with Who magazine's Alicia Neil, two years after the comment was made, Mauboy stated "I kind of took it as a joke ... I look back on it as a positive thing – it made me a stronger person." In the final ten week, Mauboy received the first touchdown of the season from judge Mark Holden
Mark Holden
Mark Holden is an Australian singer, television personality and barrister. He was one of a panel of three judges on the television series Australian Idol.-Acting career:...
for her rendition of Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
's hit, "Beautiful
Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)
"Beautiful" is a song written by Linda Perry and recorded by American singer Christina Aguilera for Aguilera's fourth studio album, Stripped...
". During the final nine week, Mauboy had a sore throat that resulted in a mediocre rendition of Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
' "Another Day in Paradise
Another Day in Paradise
"Another Day in Paradise" is a song by Phil Collins released as the first single from his number-one album But Seriously . As with his song from Genesis, "Man on the Corner" "Another Day in Paradise" was written to bring attention to the problem of homelessness; as such, the song was a substantial...
" and near-elimination, which landed her in the bottom three. Following that week, she never landed in the bottom three again, and ended up progressing through to the final show with Damien Leith
Damien Leith
Damien Leo Leith is an Irish Australian singer–songwriter. He was the winner of the Network Ten music contest Australian Idol 2006Damien has also guest co-hosted 'The Morning Show' on Network Ten on 18 July 2011.He was born in Ireland and now lives in Australia with his Australian wife, Eileen...
. The grand finale was held on 27 November at the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
. After the viewer votes had been tallied it was announced that Mauboy was runner-up to Leith.
2006–2008: The Journey and Young Divas
In December 2006, Jessica Mauboy signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia – two weeks after the fourth season of Australian Idol ended. In 2007, Mauboy appeared in advertisements for the shampoo product, Head & ShouldersHead & Shoulders
Head & Shoulders is a brand of anti-dandruff shampoo produced by Procter & Gamble. Head & Shoulders Classic Clean Shampoo is the top-selling shampoo in the United States by dollar sales.- History :...
. She released her debut live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
, The Journey
The Journey (Jessica Mauboy album)
The Journey is a CD/DVD by 2006 Australian Idol runner-up, Jessica Mauboy. It contains recordings of all her live performances from her time in the top- 12 on Idol...
in Australia on 24 February 2007. The album was a two-disc package. Disc one contained re-recorded covers of the selected songs Mauboy performed as part of the top twelve on Australian Idol, while disc two included a DVD of her performances on the series. The Journey debuted at number four on the ARIA Albums 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...
and was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA).
In September 2007, Mauboy joined as the new member of the girl group Young Divas
Young Divas
Young Divas was an Australian girl group that had consisted of previous Australian Idol contestants. The original line up consisted of season one finalist Paulini Curuenavuli, season two finalist Ricki-Lee Coulter, season three winner Kate DeAraugo and runner-up Emily Williams...
, replacing one of the group's original members, Ricki-Lee Coulter
Ricki-Lee Coulter
Ricki-Lee Coulter is an Australian recording artist and television and radio presenter. In 2004, Coulter was placed seventh place on the second season of Australian Idol...
, who had left in June to resume her solo career. Their second studio album, New Attitude
New Attitude (album)
New Attitude is the second album by the Young Divas and the first to feature Jessica Mauboy who replaced Ricki-Lee Coulter after she left to concentrate on her solo career....
, was released on 24 November. Its lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, "Turn Me Loose", was released on 3 November, and reached number fifteen on the ARIA Singles Chart. The album debuted at number ten on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified Gold.
Meanwhile in March 2008, Mauboy signed on to the Australian Government In2Oz program, designed to promote closer ties with Indonesia. As a part of the program, she travelled to Indonesia for a three day trip performing around the country, including an appearance on Indonesian Idol
Indonesian Idol
Indonesian Idol is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia Asia, which began airing on RCTI on March 2004. Part of the Idol franchise, it was as a spin-off from the UK show Pop Idol...
, singing Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love" and "Sempurna" with former Indonesian Idol contestants Mike, Judika and Lucky. It was during this time that Mauboy had begun to work on her first solo studio album. Following her three day trip from Indonesia, she returned to Sydney for a week-long recording session. In August, Mauboy announced that after a year with the Young Divas, she had decided to quit in order to concentrate on her solo career. Founding member Paulini Curuenavuli
Paulini Curuenavuli
Paulini Curuenavuli , commonly known as Paulini, is an Australian R&B/pop singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as a contestant of the first season of the television series, Australian Idol in 2003....
had also decided to depart, leaving Kate DeAraugo
Kate DeAraugo
Katherine Jenna "Kate" DeAraugo, pronounced de roosh , is an Australian singer-songwriter who was the third winner of Australian Idol in 2005. After idol, DeAraugo signed to Sony BMG and released her debut single, "Maybe Tonight", in November 2005. The single debuted and peaked at Number 1 on the...
and Emily Williams
Emily Williams
Emily Williams , is a New Zealand-born Australian singer-songwriter, who rose to fame on the third season of Australian Idol in 2005, and became runner-up of the season...
as the only remaining members. Their manager David Champion stated that the group would undergo a third line-up change following the departures of Mauboy and Curuenavuli, with a third album to be released later in the year. However both DeAraugo and Williams subsequently resumed their solo careers, and the group officially disbanded.
2008–2009: Been Waiting
In late 2008, Jessica Mauboy re-located from Darwin to Sydney and prepared for the release of her debut studio album, Been WaitingBeen Waiting
Been Waiting is the debut studio album by Australian recording artist Jessica Mauboy. It was released in Australia on 22 November 2008 via Sony Music. While Mauboy was still a member of the girl group Young Divas, she began to work on what became Been Waiting...
. It was released on 22 November; it peaked at number twelve and was certified double Platinum for shipments of 140,000 units. Mauboy co-wrote six of the album's songs, which were produced by Audius Mtawarira
Audius Mtawarira
Audius Mtawarira, is a multi-ARIA Award winning Australian record producer, composer, artist and songwriter more commonly known as "Audius".-Biography:...
, Israel Cruz
Israel (singer)
Israel Cruz is an Australian singer-songwriter and record producer.-Albums:-Singles:- Songwriting credits :*Elen Levon**"Naughty" *Jessica Mauboy**"Been Waiting" **"What Happened to Us"...
, Jonas Jeberg
Jonas Jeberg
Jonas Jeberg , is a Danish songwriter and music producer best known for co'writing/ co'producing the smash hits I hate this part for Pussycat dolls and One step at a time for Jordin Sparks...
, Cutfather
Cutfather
Mich Hedin Hansen better known by his stage name Cutfather is a Danish music producer and songwriter.-Career:He is perhaps best known for his remix of "Return of the Mack" by Mark Morrison , and the song "Superstar" released internationally by Jamelia in 2003.He has worked with Danish producer...
, Adam Reily, Fingaz, and Kwamé
Kwamé
Kwamé Holland is an American emcee who enjoyed brief popularity in the late-1980s and early-1990s. He is currently a music producer sometimes credited as K-1 Million or K1 Mil.-Biography:...
. The album received positive reviews from critics. Davey Boy from Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic, or simply Sputnik, is a music website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites...
gave the album three out of five stars and wrote that it was an "impressive debut which suggests that there could indeed be quality music to look forward to in the future as she matures and gains experience".
"Running Back
Running Back (Jessica Mauboy song)
"Running Back" is the debut single by Australian R&B recording artist Jessica Mauboy, which features American rapper Flo Rida. It was written by Mauboy, Audius Mtawarira, and Sean Ray Mullins, and was produced by Audius. "Running Back" was released for digital download on 19 September 2008, as the...
", featuring American rapper Flo Rida
Flo Rida
Tramar Dillard , better known by his stage name Flo Rida , is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He released his debut album, Mail on Sunday, in March 2008. His debut single "Low", featuring T-Pain, was a #1 hit for ten weeks in United States in early 2008. Two other singles resulted from...
, was released as the album's lead single on 19 September. It peaked at number three and was certified double Platinum. The album's second single, "Burn
Burn (Jessica Mauboy song)
"Burn" is a song by Australian R&B singer Jessica Mauboy. It was written by Mauboy, Taj Jackson, Mich Hansen, David Musumeci and Jonas Jeberg. Following the chart success of Mauboy's lead single, "Running Back", "Burn" was released as the second single off Mauboy's debut album Been Waiting on 22...
", became Mauboy's first number-one single, and was certified Platinum. In February 2009, Mauboy signed with UK record label Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and...
. The album's title track
Been Waiting (song)
"Been Waiting" is a song by Australian R&B singer Jessica Mauboy. Written with Australian singer Israel Cruz and Craig Hardy, the song was released on 6 March 2009. It serves as the third single from her debut album of the same name...
was released as the third single on 6 March. The song peaked at number twelve and was certified Gold. The following singles, "Because
Because (Jessica Mauboy song)
"Because" is a song by Australian R&B recording artist Jessica Mauboy. The song was written by Michael 'Fingaz' Mugisha, Mauboy and Dion Howell, serving as the fourth single released from her debut album Been Waiting....
" and "Up/Down
Up/Down
"Up/Down" is the fifth single released from Australian singer Jessica Mauboy's debut album, Been Waiting. The song was produced by Kwamé Holland and was released digitally and physically on 28 August 2009 It debuted at number 22 on the ARIA Singles Chart, before reaching its highest peak at number...
", peaked at numbers nine and eleven, respectively, and both were certified Gold. In April 2009, Mauboy teamed up with Bloom Cosmetics to create two designer collection nail polishes, which included shades of sangria red and metallic green. Two dollars from the sale of each of the nail polish bottles was donated to Children's Hospital Foundations Australia to support the research into childhood illness. The album was released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on 22 April 2009.
At the 2009 Deadly Awards, Mauboy won three awards in the categories of 'Female Artist of the Year', 'Album of the Year' for Been Waiting, and 'Single Release of the Year' for "Burn". Along with Flo Rida, Mauboy served as a support act for Beyoncé on the Australian leg of her I Am... Tour in September 2009. At the 2009 ARIA Music Awards
ARIA Music Awards of 2009
The 23rd Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards took place on 26 November 2009 at the Acer Arena at the Sydney Olympic Park complex. The ceremony was telecast on the Nine Network at 8:30pm that night...
, Mauboy earned seven nominations for the album and singles; she was nominated for 'Highest Selling Album', 'Best Pop Release', 'Breakthrough Artist Album', 'Best Female Artist', 'Breakthrough Artist Single' for "Running Back", and 'Highest Selling Single' for "Running Back" and "Burn". Eventually, Mauboy won 'Highest Selling Single' for "Running Back".
2010–present: Acting debut and Get 'Em Girls
In January 2010, Jessica Mauboy had a starring role in the film adaptationBran Nue Dae (film)
Bran Nue Dae is a feature film adaptation of 1990 musical Bran Nue Dae by Jimmy Chi. It was theatrically released in Australia on 14 January 2010, and in the United States on 10 September 2010.-Plot:...
of the 1990 Aboriginal
Australian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
musical Bran Nue Dae
Bran Nue Dae
Bran Nue Dae is a 1990 musical set in Broome, Western Australia that tells stories and of issues relating to Indigenous Australians. It was written by Jimmy Chi, his band Kuckles and friends and was the first Aboriginal musical. The musical was originally directed by Andrew Ross, a prominent...
. The film was directed by Rachel Perkins
Rachel Perkins
Rachel Perkins is a film and television director, film and television producer and a writer. She is known for her films Bran Nue Dae, Radiance and One Night the Moon. Perkins is an Arrernte woman from Central Australia, who was raised in Canberra by parents Eileen and Charles Perkins...
and also starred Ernie Dingo
Ernie Dingo
Ernie Dingo AM is an Indigenous Australian actor and television presenter originating from the Yamatji people of the Murchison region of Western Australia.-Background:...
, Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Roy Rush is an Australian actor and film producer. He is one of the few people who has won the "Triple Crown of Acting": an Academy Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award. He has won one Academy Award for acting , three British Academy Film Awards , two Golden Globe Awards and four Screen...
, Missy Higgins
Missy Higgins
Melissa "Missy" Morrison Higgins is an Australian pop singer-songwriter, musician and actor. Her No. 1 albums in Australia are The Sound of White and On a Clear Night , and her Top Ten singles are "Scar", "The Special Two", "Steer" and "Where I Stood". From a musical family in...
, and Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman , is an Australian television and film actress. She was the first Aboriginal actress to win the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role...
. In the film, Mauboy played the role of Rosie, a local church singer who has a love interest for a school boy named Willie (played by Rocky McKenzie). Five days after Bran Nue Dae was issued, Mauboy signed to Universal Music for an exclusive world-wide long-term publishing agreement. In April 2010, Mauboy was part of the Byron Bay
Byron Bay, New South Wales
Byron Bay is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjacent to the town, is the easternmost point of mainland Australia. At the 2006 Census, the town had a...
's Bluesfest
East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival
The East Coast International Blues & Roots Music Festival, also known as Byron Bay Bluesfest, is an annual music festival held for five days over the Easter long weekend at Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia...
along with many other national and international acts. In May 2010, she collaborated with four other international artists representing their continents—Sean Kingston
Sean Kingston
Sean Kingston is a Jamaican-American singer. He pursued a music career and debuted in 2007 with the album Sean Kingston.-Early life:...
representing America, Jody Williams representing Africa, Tabitha Nauser
Tabitha Nauser
Tabitha Nauser is a Singaporean Pop/R&B singer and artiste who was the second runner-up in the 2009 season of Singapore Idol . In 2010, she was selected to represent the continent of Asia to sing the Official Theme Song of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games, Everyone...
(Asia), Steve Appleton
Steve Appleton (musician)
Steve Appleton is a British singer, songwriter and record producer.At the age of fifteen, he began playing piano in a Soho restaurant performing his own material and covers from the likes of Elton John and Billy Joel...
(Europe), with Mauboy representing Oceania—on a song titled "Everyone". The song was initially recorded to be used as the theme song for the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics
2010 Summer Youth Olympics
The 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, officially known as the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games , were an international multi-sport event for youths that took place in the city-state of Singapore from 14 to 26 August 2010, in the XXIX Olympiad. They were the inaugural Summer Youth Olympics, a major...
. Mauboy, Williams, Nauser and Appleton performed the song at the opening of the Youth Olympics held in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
on 14 August 2010. Kingston was unable to attend the performance, due to a passport mix-up.
During the 2010 ARIA Music Awards
ARIA Music Awards of 2010
The 24th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards are a series of award ceremonies which included the 2010 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fine Arts Awards and ARIA Awards. The latter ceremony took place on 7 November at the Sydney Opera House and was...
, Mauboy mispronounced the word 'debut' as 'de-butt' twice, while referring to rock band Tame Impala
Tame Impala
Tame Impala are a psychedelic rock band from Perth, Australia. They are signed to Modular Records. The band came to prominence in 2010 with the release of their first debut album, Innerspeaker. Their name refers to the impala, a medium sized antelope...
's album Innerspeaker
Innerspeaker
-Charts:-Personnel:* Kevin Parker – vocals and instrumentation on all tracks, except for:* Dom Simper – bass on "The Bold Arrow of Time", guitar on "Runway, Houses, City, Clouds", sound effects on "Jeremy's Storm"...
(which she called Innerspeak), as a finalist for the 'Album of the Year' award. Two days later, Mauboy told radio station Nova
Nova (radio network)
Nova is a name given to a group of Australian radio stations. The group comprises five stations all owned by DMG Radio Australia, apart from the Perth station, which is a joint venture between DMG and the Australian Radio Network....
that "I wasn't actually reading it. It wasn't going through my head ... I only got the script that day and it was just like 'have a look and see ya later, and go do your hair and make-up.' That's how the lady was when she handed me the script." Mauboy released her second studio album, Get 'Em Girls
Get 'em Girls
Get 'Em Girls is the second studio album by Australian R&B recording artist Jessica Mauboy, released in Australia on 5 November 2010 by Sony Music. Mauboy recorded the album in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta...
, on 5 November 2010. She had travelled to the United States in February 2010 to work on the album in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and Atlanta with a wide range of American songwriters and producers, most of whom she had not worked with previously. Mauboy co-wrote three of the album's songs. The album debuted at number six and was certified Gold. It received mixed reviews from critics. Majhid Heath from ABC Online Indigenous
ABC Online
ABC Online is the brand name in Australia for the online services of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, managed by ABC Innovation. It covers a large network of websites including those for ABC News, television, radio, and video-on-demand through ABC iView.ABC Online is one of Australia's...
gave the album two-and-a-half out of five stars, writing that its a "non-cohesive mess of similar sounding, auto-tuned ravaged pop/R&B that diminishes the talent of this brilliant young songstress".
The album's title track
Get 'em Girls (song)
"Get 'Em Girls" is a song by Australian R&B recording artist Jessica Mauboy. The song features American rapper Snoop Dogg, who co-wrote the song with David Buchanan and producer Bangladesh for her second studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's lead single on 17 September 2010...
featuring American rapper Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, was released as its lead single on 17 September 2010, and peaked at number nineteen. Mauboy performed "Get 'Em Girls" with dance troupe Justice Crew
Justice Crew
Justice Crew are an all-male hip-hop dance and pop music group based in Sydney. They are most notable for winning the fourth season of Australia's Got Talent in 2010. The group consists of Emmanuel Rodriguez, Samson Smith, Len John Ruela Pearce, John Len Ruela Pearce, Lukas Bellesini, Paulie...
at the 2010 NRL Grand Final
2010 NRL Grand Final
The 2010 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2010 NRL season. Played on Sunday, 3 October at Sydney's ANZ Stadium, the match was contested by the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters. It was the first time the two sides met in a grand final. They...
on 3 October. Mauboy also performed the song at the 2010 Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards
Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards 2010
The 8th annual Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards was held on Friday 8 October 2010 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Nomination entries closed on 1 August 2010 and the nominees for this year's season, were revealed on 15 August 2010...
on 8 October, where she co-hosted the award ceremony with Liam Hemsworth
Liam Hemsworth
Liam Hemsworth is an Australian actor. He took the role of Josh Taylor in the soap opera Neighbours and as "Marcus" on the children's television series The Elephant Princess and appeared in the American film The Last Song, released on 31 March 2010...
and Jerry Trainor
Jerry Trainor
Gerald William "Jerry" Trainor is an American actor, comedian and voice actor, widely known for playing Spencer Shay on iCarly. He is also known as Crazy Steve on Drake & Josh and the title character, Dudley Puppy, on T.U.F.F. Puppy...
, and took home the award for 'Fave Aussie Muso'. "Saturday Night
Saturday Night (Jessica Mauboy song)
"Saturday Night" is a song by Australian recording artist Jessica Mauboy, featuring American rapper Ludacris. It was released as the second single from Mauboy's second studio album, Get 'Em Girls, on 27 October 2010. The song was written by Angie Iron, Ludacris and Brian Kennedy, who also handled...
", featuring American rapper Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
, was released as the album's second single on 25 October. The song peaked at number seven and was certified double Platinum. "What Happened to Us
What Happened to Us
"What Happened to Us" is a song by Australian recording artist Jessica Mauboy, featuring English recording artist Jay Sean. It was written by Sean, Josh Alexander, Billy Steinberg, Jeremy Skaller, Rob Larow, Khaled Rohaim and Israel Cruz...
", featuring English singer Jay Sean, and "Inescapable
Inescapable
"Inescapable" is a song by Australian recording artist Jessica Mauboy, written by Diane Warren and produced by Youngboyz. It was the first single released from the deluxe edition of Mauboy's second studio album Get 'Em Girls on 15 July 2011...
" were released as the album's third and fourth singles, respectively. In April 2011, Mauboy served as a support act for American singer Chris Brown's Australian leg of his F.A.M.E. Tour
F.A.M.E. Tour
The F.A.M.E. Tour was a concert tour by American recording artist Chris Brown to support his fourth studio album, F.A.M.E. . The tour began in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia in April 2011, and Brown headlined 32 concerts in North America starting in September 2011.- Background :On January 19,...
.
As from June 2011, Mauboy has been cast in a lead role in the upcoming film, The Sapphires, based on the stage show
The Sapphires (play)
The Sapphires is an Australian play written by Tony Briggs and directed by Wesley Enoch. It is set in 1968 and it tells the story of The Sapphires, a singing group of four Koori women who tour Vietnam during the war.It was inspired by the true story of Briggs's mother, Laurel Robinson, and aunt,...
of the same name. The film was directed by Wayne Blair, and is set in the late 1960s during the Vietnam war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Mauboy plays the role of Julie, one of four Indigenous Australian singers. The film is expected to be released in September–October 2012. In August 2011, Mauboy was working with clothing label, Kuku, to create a collection of party dresses, available at premium boutiques. As of October 2011, Mauboy has become the new face of the video game, Nintendogs + Cats 3DS
Nintendogs + Cats
is a real-time pet simulation video game for the Nintendo 3DS. It is a sequel to the Nintendogs games for the Nintendo DS systems. It was announced alongside the 3DS during Nintendo's E3 press conference, and is a launch title, being released February 26, 2011 in Japan, March 25, 2011 in Europe...
, joining forces with RSPCA
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a charity in England and Wales that promotes animal welfare. In 2009 the RSPCA investigated 141,280 cruelty complaints and collected and rescued 135,293 animals...
and Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
to help promote the game. In November 2011, Mauboy made a cameo appearance in the television series, Underbelly: Razor
Underbelly: Razor
Underbelly: Razor is a 13-part Australian television mini-series detailing real events that occurred in Sydney between 1927 and 1936. The series depicts the "razor gangs" who controlled the city's underworld during the era and the violent war between the two "vice queen" powers, Tilly Devine and...
, playing a beautiful nightclub singer. Mauboy and Stan Walker
Stan Walker
Stan Walker , is an Australian recording artist and actor. In 2009, Walker was the winner on the seventh season of Australian Idol. He subsequently signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia....
will embark on their Galaxy Tour across Australia in January-February 2012, to celebrate the release of their duet, "Galaxy
Galaxy (song)
"Galaxy" is a song by Australian recording artist Jessica Mauboy, which features fellow recording artist Stan Walker. It was written by Richard Vission, Ferras Alqaisi, Brett McLaughlin, Dominique Calvillo, Chico Bennett and Brad Ackley. Production for the song was handled by Vission, Bennett and...
", the fifth single released from Get 'Em Girls.
Musical style and themes
Mauboy's music is generally R&BContemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
and 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...
, but she also incorporates hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
into some of her songs. Mauboy grew up listening to country singers Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline , born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore, Virginia, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s...
and Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, as well as rappers Tupac
Tupac
Tupac is a relatively uncommon male name. Notable people with the name include:*Túpac Inca Yupanqui , tenth Sapa Inca of the Incan Empire*Túpac Amaru , last indigenous leader of the Inca people in Peru...
, Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
and Snoop Dogg. She likes to play the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
while singing songs by Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
, Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
, and the Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
. Mauboy cites Carey as one of her musical inspirations. She says, "I've always been a big fan of Mariah Carey. I think it's her personality. As much as she has an amazing voice, she has a crazy personality and I love the fact that she’s not afraid to hide that." Mauboy has also named Houston as another one of her musical inspirations, and has stated that she is a fan of Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
.
Mauboy's debut album, Been Waiting, has been described as "a blend of electro beats, heartfelt pop tunes and R&B bass lines." Most of the themes on the album deal with boys, love and break-ups. Mauboy told Star Online that:
It's definitely something that I had in mind and that I really wanted to put down quickly before I forgot about it. Being in the studio gave me that inspiration to keep going ... I wanted the album to be mixed up and messed up. That's what it's all about as I was in a messed-up relationship at the time and that's the base line of the album and I just wanted to forget about it.
Jarrad Bevan from The Mercury
The Mercury (Hobart)
The Mercury is a daily newspaper, published in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, by Davies Brothers Pty Ltd, part of News Limited and News Corporation...
noted that the album also contains themes about "everyday life", "family issues", and "friendship". Alasdair Duncan from Rave magazine, described Mauboy's second album, Get 'Em Girls, as "a more hard-edged take on R&B and pop than her debut, pumped full of hip hop beats, jagged synths and futuristic vocal effects." Mauboy said that she wanted each song on the album to talk about a "woman's needs", and that the album's theme was "very much about the empowerment of women and the domination of women." Aside from her vocals and piano work, Mauboy has also co-written some of her material. She co-wrote six songs on her first album, and three on her second album. Although Mauboy has no writing credits for the songs "Fight for You" and "Here for Me" on the album Get 'Em Girls she stated in an interview that while working with American producer Harvey Mason, Jr.
Harvey Mason, Jr.
Harvey Mason, Jr. is a songwriter, record producer and movie producer. He has written and produced songs for some of the biggest legends in the music industry including Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Whitney Houston, and Luther Vandross as well as today’s superstars like Britney Spears, Jordin...
both came up with the melodies
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
and hooks
Hook (music)
A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
for these songs. She also experimented with an opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic-type voice on her song "Scariest Part". In 2010, she was nominated for 'Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year' at the APRA Awards
APRA Awards
The APRA Music Awards are several award ceremonies run in Australia and New Zealand by Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually....
.
Discography
- The JourneyThe Journey (Jessica Mauboy album)The Journey is a CD/DVD by 2006 Australian Idol runner-up, Jessica Mauboy. It contains recordings of all her live performances from her time in the top- 12 on Idol...
(2007) - Been WaitingBeen WaitingBeen Waiting is the debut studio album by Australian recording artist Jessica Mauboy. It was released in Australia on 22 November 2008 via Sony Music. While Mauboy was still a member of the girl group Young Divas, she began to work on what became Been Waiting...
(2008) - Get 'Em GirlsGet 'em GirlsGet 'Em Girls is the second studio album by Australian R&B recording artist Jessica Mauboy, released in Australia on 5 November 2010 by Sony Music. Mauboy recorded the album in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta...
(2010)
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Bran Nue Dae Bran Nue Dae (film) Bran Nue Dae is a feature film adaptation of 1990 musical Bran Nue Dae by Jimmy Chi. It was theatrically released in Australia on 14 January 2010, and in the United States on 10 September 2010.-Plot:... |
Rosie | Nominated—Deadly Award for Female Actress of the Year |
| 2012 | The Sapphires | Julie | Lead role |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Underbelly: Razor Underbelly: Razor Underbelly: Razor is a 13-part Australian television mini-series detailing real events that occurred in Sydney between 1927 and 1936. The series depicts the "razor gangs" who controlled the city's underworld during the era and the violent war between the two "vice queen" powers, Tilly Devine and... |
Nightclub singer | Cameo role |
| The One The One (TV program) The One is an Australian television program broadcast by the Seven Network, hosted by Andrew Daddo. The program pits several psychics against one another, participating in trials which challenge their purported abilities in activities such as clairvoyance, telepathy and mediumship to determine who... |
Herself; Guest appearance | 1 episode |
See also
- List of awards and nominations received by Jessica Mauboy
- Young Divas discographyYoung Divas discographyThe discography of the Young Divas, an Australian pop girl group, contains two cover albums, four singles, and four music videos. The group formed in 2006 by Sony BMG Australia, and consisted of previous Australian Idol contestants: Ricki-Lee Coulter, Paulini Curuenavuli, Kate DeAraugo and Emily...