Ricki-Lee's New Video Is Not Crap

My feud with Ricki-Lee is officially on hold. I really like "Burn It Down" and think the video is her best effort since "Don't Miss You" - you know the one where she gets drunk on a boat? Fuck, I love that song. More importantly, I respect the fact that she's still promoting Fear & Freedom despite its chart run. Hopefully, this song can turn it around. "Never Let Go" is equally amazing - so there's some life left in the album. I also approve of her releasing a signed physical single of "Burn It Down". More pop acts should do this. I'm hoping for a personal dedication!

Anyway, here's why Ricki-Lee's "Burn It Down" video is not awful:

1. She has ditched the scary blond zombie look from "Crazy"
2. There's no awkward choreography
3. The storyline is authentic - I totally believe Ricki-Lee would throw food in your face and steal your car
4. Kudos to her for picking up a hot hitchhiker and fucking him on the hood of her car
5. I totally identify with the scene where she wakes up half-naked in a strange place after a big night out

See you on New Year's Eve, sweetheart!

7.5/10

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Cosima's Back - Right Here, Right Now

The first season of Australian Idol was such a hotbed for talent. Guy Sebastian continues to churn out number one hits, Shannon Noll still rules the RSL circuit and Paulini is somewhere hanging her head in shame, hoping you'll forget "Fireman" ever happened. And then there's Cosima "nodules" De Vito. The diva disappeared for a while after the release of her underrated sophomore album but she's back with a new single called "Right Here, Right Now". It's a different sound for her. I like that she decided against releasing another ballad and avoided the indignity of chasing the pink dollar with a gay dance anthem. Instead, Cosima has opted for a pop/rock track that showcase her powerful pipes. "Right Here, Right Now" isn't quite instant enough to make an impact on radio but it's a step in the right direction and her faithful fans will lap it up. You can download the track from iTunes now!

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Lisa Mitchell Goes Pop, Slays Your Fave Etc

I've had a soft spot for Lisa Mitchell since she first appeared on Australian Idol and spent every episode looking bored as fuck. Gems like "Coin Laundry" and "Neopolitan Dreams" should have been bigger hits but they were just a bit too quirky for non-indie radio. Her last single "Spiritus" was even weirder but I loved it and dragged the haters on Pop Panel. It's time for the second taste of her soon-to-be-released sophomore album and "Bless This Mess" raises the bar even higher. This demented ditty is the best thing Lisa has ever released.

As usual, the track is a bit nutty but it has a glorious pop sensibility that we haven't heard before. That chorus is undeniable and the whole thing reminds me of Jane Wiedlin's "Rush Hour". I'm not sure why because it's not very '80s and there are no dolphins to be seen in the classy black and white video (below). Speaking of which, how refreshing to see an Australian made clip that doesn't look like it was thrown together by an intern. More importantly - when did she become so gorgeous? If the rest of the album sounds like this the other ethereal indie-pop bitches will need to find a new genre because Lisa has a lock on this shit.

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A Visual Representation Of Ricki-Lee's 'Fear & Freedom' Chart Run

Shame. I really like "Never Let Go" and "Raining Diamonds".

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Ricki-Lee Robs Britney, Sinks To New Low

Ricki-Lee's descent into irrelevance continues apace with the latest single from Fear & Freedom. The weight-loss spokeswoman has always been a basic bitch but - until recently - her music has been flawless. I still love the sticky-fingered diva's first two albums and ranked "Raining Diamonds" as one of the best singles of 2011. Even "Do It Like That" (AKA the world's cheapest Beyoncé rip off) was palatable in its remixed form but there's no excusing "Crazy" (AKA the world's cheapest Britney rip offf). Seriously, this is just "Till The World Ends" - only with cheaper production, a far less catchy vocal hook and worse choreography.

I don't get it. Ricki-Lee has many failings but she can sing like a demon and has attitude to burn. Why is she copying international heavyweights and hiding her killer pipes under layers of autotune? I'd take the catchy pop/rock songs from her (scrapped) third album over this shit any day. The video doesn't help. Ricki-Lee looked better when she had the body of a front-row forward. Her face is too gaunt and the blond hair makes her look ancient. I'm not impressed with the mental hospital set-up either. It's been done a million times before  - most recently on Lady Gaga's "Marry The Night" - and straight-jacket dance routines have been regularly used by divas since Kylie's Intimate & Live performace of "Limbo".

Everything about "Crazy" is tired, desperate and deritive. It's time for Ricki-Lee to take several aisles of seats.

2/10

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Ricki-Lee Copies Beyoncé, Remains Basic

After years of loyal stanning, Ricki-Lee really plummeted in my estimation after bashing Breezy on Facebook in a calculated move to improve her social media presence. She might be as basic as a cheeseburger without the cheese but I've never been able to fault her music - until now. "Do It Like That" sounds like a reject from Mariah's Rainbow album. It's so dated and embarrassing. The hook is catchy in a late '90s kind of way but the whole thing falls flatter than Taylor Swift's chest. How you can go from a stone cold smash like "Raining Diamonds" to this garbage? Those diet pills are clearly messing with her head. Unfortunately, the visual is just as bad. The first half blatantly rips off Beyoncé's iconic "Crazy In Love", while the second half swagga jacks King B's exercise video "Move Your Body" - only with really bad dancing and outfits. Just because you're skinny doesn't mean you can walk around without pants! So basic.

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First Look At Stan Walker's New Single Cover

After a couple of questionable single choices, Stan Walker has selected a real winner for the third cut from Let The Music Play. I mentioned "Music Won't Break Your Heart" in my list of DNA's 12 best songs and wondered why hasn't been unleashed on radio. I slightly prefer his other DNA collaboration "Who We Are" but this is a very hot record and should re-establish the Kiwi crooner as a chart force. It reminds me a lot of Breezy's "Turn Up The Music", which is a very good thing. Watch Stan talk about the song (below) and stay tuned for what I hear is going to be a rather spectacular video clip.

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Paulini & The Gayest Song Of 2012

I know I'm a bit late to the party on this one but I've needed time to process my excitement about Paulini's emergency worker-themed comeback anthem. As readers of this blog know all too well, I stan hard for the Fijian pop princess. For a recap of the diva's entire career (up to 2007) read this and this. After her memorable stint in Young Divas, the Australian Idol alum fell on hard times. There was her iconic domestic violence charity single "Scarless" and a random duet with Ronan Keating but the last time I saw her, she was singing her heart out to three disinterested homosexuals near the Mardi Gras entrance-gate. Happily, Ms Curuenavuli is back with the campest song of 2012. Can I get a hallelujah?

Co-written by Paulini and Cascada's favourite producers (I'm not kidding), "Fireman" is gayer than Oxford Street on a Saturday night. The lyrics, which basically explore stunning themes like being hosed down by men in uniform, are hilarious and the slick production is tailor-made for gay nightclubs. It's basically ten kinds of amazing. I love the chorus and the "cool me down" breakdown. The verses sometimes verge on farcical but the 29-year-old's killer vocals help pull the song back from the edge when it veers into Village People territory. To be honest, I prefer Paulini in R&B mode - her brilliant Beyoncé's knock-off "So Over You" is one of my favourite Australian pop song ever! - but if she keeps on churning out epic pop trash like "Fireman", I'm on board.

Watch the soft porn video below and download the song from iTunes now. On a slightly different note, can somebody please tell me where these firemen work? I'm about go start a fire.

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Emily Williams - Uncovered

Those not so Young Divas are all starting to crawl out of the woodwork! Ricki-Lee relaunched late last year with "Raining Diamonds", Kate DeAraugo is currently fighting the battle of the bulge on Excess Baggage and Emily Williams is gearing up to release her debut album - 5 years after coming second on Australian Idol. It will be interesting to hear what she comes up with. And while I wasn't a huge fan of "Spellbound" (although, to be honest, that probably had more to do with the truly heinous film clip), I love Emily's voice and have my fingers crossed that she found the right songs to show it off. The album drops Friday so we'll know soon enough! If you need a reminder of the powerful pipes on this criminally underrated diva, check out her fabulous rendition of "I Will Always Love You" on Idol way back in 2007 (below).

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Win A Signed Stan Walker CD

Searching for the gift that keeps on giving this Christmas? Look no further! I'm giving away five signed copies of Stan Walker's latest CD. "Let The Music Play" is a great pop album and features the hits "Loud" and "Light It Up". More importantly, it boasts Stan's stunning duet with Jessica Mauboy (below)! To enter all you have to do is tweet me - @poptrashmike - the answer to the following question:

Stan and Beyoncé both covered the same song on previous albums. Name it!

Here's a hint - it was on "B'Day". Briefly.

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Stan Walker On Why Beyoncé Is The Best And Other Important Topics

Stan Walker is a man on a mission. The 21-year-old released this third album in as many years today and he's hoping it will propel his already hugely successful career to the next level. Earlier this afternoon I spoke with the Australian Idol winner about his move towards dance music, killer seagulls and the undeniable awesomeness of Justin Bieber. Even more excitingly, I discovered that Stan stans for Beyoncé and we had a good chat about why she is better than your fave. "Let The Music Play" is a great pop album that belongs in your collection. Pick it tomorrow morning, along with a copy of "4"!

You seem to have embraced dance music this time around. Are the first two singles a taste of what's to come on the album?
On the album it's more than just dance. Dance is the most prominent [genre] but there's a bit of gospel, a bit of R&B, a few culture-inspired songs. Dance is definitely the most... but it's really based around pop. I wanted to take people on a journey and not just restrict it to just pop and dance. So it's got elements of soul, gospel and R&B in there.

What prompted the move towards dance? Your last album was quite urban.
It's just me evolving as an artist. If anything this [album] is the greatest I've done because I've never sung like this. This is stretching me vocally, as a writer - because I wrote the album - and just being relevant and just being me. Expressing myself through music and where I'm at.

You said you wrote the album. Who else did you work with? I know DNA and Jon Asher have a couple of songs on there.
I wrote 85-90% of the album and then I had a few tracks from Jon. And I have a couple of covers. A Dave Dobyn one and an Eva Cassidy one. When I'm in the studio I worked with everybody in Australia and a couple of people in America. But writing was so awesome. I had to step it up. It was good. I found stuff in me that I didn't know I could do. I didn't realise I had the potential to write these sort of songs. The next singles that I bring out will all be songs I've written.

What inspired the Eva Cassidy cover?
"Songbird" is a great song. One of my favourite songs. One of my family's favourites as well. My mum sings this with me on there. A bit of a surprise. I've always wanted to have someone from my family do something with me. And I got my mum... it just shows more of who I am.

I didn't know you come from a musical family.
Yeah, my whole family sings and plays instruments.

Can you tell me a bit about your current single "Light It Up". How did the collaboration with Static Revenger come about?
That track was the longest process of getting the right mix. We sent it to him and he made it what it is today. We were trying different things, different people and it just wasn't hitting it and he just got that mix. It was the one. So he's the man.

You're also killing it with "Galaxy". Did Jessica (Mauboy) approach you?

It was originally mine! And then we ended up doing it together and then we ended up doing it more for her single. It was meant for us both from the start. We always wanted to do a song together. We're like brother and sister. We work together all the time, we're good friends and we've been looking for a song. We love it, ay. We love it so much. It's an awesome song.

Where did you film the video? It looks really cool.
We filmed it on the cliffs of Clovelly.

So it was just don't the road? I thought it looked familiar!
Man when people watch it they think it's a big international production but yeah just down the road. [Laughs].

Have you picked out the next single?
We're brainstorming it at the moment. Trying to work out which song we're going to do. How we're going to do it. I've sort of decided but I haven't. It's hard because I love them all and it's like what is the song that will carry me to the next level.

You've come a long way in such a short period. Already up to album number three. What's been the biggest change for you since leaving Australian Idol?
The growth, the character. I've grown up so much. I realised that this is quite a tough industry. It's challenging, it's hard work and it's caused me to grow up. Caused me to be stronger. I was definitely in the honeymoon period when I was on Idol and now this is the relationship. For better or worse if it was marriage.

What are you listening to now? You're always sharing your favourites on Twitter.
I'm loving David Guetta. He's incredible. He's my favourite dance act. He's a genius. He gets these full on dance-y beats and he puts vocal beasts on them - Jessie J, Usher, Chris Brown...

Jennifer Hudson
Oh my gosh that's my favourite song! And Sia. He's got vocal beasts on there and I just think that's so brilliant. So him and Justin Bieber. He's the man, ay? People underestimate his talent because he's a teen. I bought some of his Christmas songs on iTunes. He's gansta, man! I love him, ay. I just love his style.

And you were tweeting about your favourite R&B albums recently.
I love Amy Winehouse. She's a beast, man. But my favourite album is actually Beyonce's new album.

My favourite topic!
Man. I get frustrated how people can even criticise that and say this and that. They do not understand. People were like "Run The World" that's such a dumb song. I go, "you try and sing that. You try and sing it like she sings it!" And put all that into that simple song. There's no way anybody else could sing it. Beyoncé is the best. She's crazy. "Love On Top", man. That's already at a high level and she does four key changes. It's like listening to old Jackson 5. She said in an interview "it was never about radio, it was never about making a hit. It was about stuff I love" and I just admire her so much for doing that.

So what's your favourite song from "4"?
Track number two.

"I Care". Such a good song!
[Starts singing] "I Care" and "Love On Top".

Have you seen any clips from the Roseland concert?
Yeah I watched the DVD. It was incredible.

Speaking of tours. You've got your own coming up with Jessica Mauboy. What can we expect?
Everything! I think later next year I'll put on my own tour but this is definitely a big taste of what's to come. I don't want to give away too much but it'ds definitely going to be more than anybody's seen of me. I got a full band. I got my dancers. It's a full show. We get to show people who we are. We get to share the depths of us. Me and Jess we both pride ourselves on our live performances, so we can't wait.

Can I just ask about Twitter? I think you're one of my favourite people on there. You're so authentic.
I love Twitter. Twitter is really cool, ay? It's an awesome tool. Just to be able to connect with fans, friends. I'm quite straight up, ay? I talk about everything. Like when I was in New Zealand and I saw this giant seagull walk over and swallow another bird.

Sorry?
They are huge in New Zealand. It just swallowed him whole! I thought I was tripping. I couldn't believe it. So that's the kind of thing I have to tweet. Cannibal birds.

That's incredible. Thanks so much for your time!
Thanks heaps.

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Stan & Jessica's Blockbuster Video

A couple of days ago I posted the cover of Jessica and Stan's awesome duet and today the video arrived. Ever since "Get Em Girls" did for green Lycra what Jaws did for swimming, I'm kind of terrified when J Malley drops a new clip. They always seem to go horribly wrong and spoil an otherwise great song. Happily, Sony stretched the diva's budget to four figures this time around and "Galaxy" is largely inoffensive. I'm not sure about that peach dress or the cheap floating crystals but I like the red moon and meteors.

More importantly, Stan is there for eye candy and he works his trademark chest clap for extra emotional impact. They look so cute together! And after seeing them perform the song on tonight's X Factor, I'm even more excited about their joint tour. The current King and Queen of Aus Idol sounded great and I loved their pared back version of "Galaxy". This is a good song and deserves to be a big hit. The ballad is rocketing up iTunes - #14 at present - so, mission accomplished.

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Jessica & Stan Fly The Idol Flag

Jessica Mauboy and Stan Walker have finally blessed the world with the duet we've all been waiting for! No, really. I love them both and think a collaboration is smart for several reasons:

1. It gives them something to sing on their upcoming joint-tour of RSL clubs - no shade, this is actually happening and I already have tickets!
2. They are two of the nation's most successful pop stars and I'm a firm believer in cross-promotion.
3. Anyone is a better duet partner than Jay Sean.

As for the song, it's a total grower. After returning to the top 5 with her double platinum smash "Inescapable", I thought J Malley should go with another upbeat number like "Run" - or the still brilliant "Maze" - but "Galaxy" is fun too. It reminds me a lot of "No Air" (AKA the last time Jordin Sparks was relevant). It doesn't knock your socks off on the first listen but slowly creeps up on you like a pervert. Radio will love it and I'm sensing a sexy beach-themed video if the cute single cover (above) is any indication. We'll know soon enough. The song hits iTunes tomorrow and the delicious duo perform the song on next week's X Factor. Here's a sneaky listen below.

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Ricki-Lee Returns With Raining Diamonds

There has been a flurry of activity from Australian Idol alumni of late. Jessica and Stan are about to release a cute duet, Shannon is predicted to hit the top 10 with his awesome new album and Anthony Callea recently reached number 88 on iTunes with "Oh Oh Oh Oh". But Ricki-Lee has outdone them all with "Raining Diamonds". The 25-year-old diva was a staple of this site for years until everything went tits up with her scrapped "See No, Hear No, Speak No" album and she threw in the towel to become a weight-loss spokeswoman. That opus was actually rather amazing and should still be released for her fans at some stage. But I digress. Ricki-Lee's enormous talent was being wasted and I applaud EMI for dragging her newly pert butt into the studio and re-launching the career of one the nation's best pop stars.

And what a way to return! "Raining Diamonds" is an absolute monster. Written by Billy Mann and produced by David Schuler, this is the angelic songbird's finest moment since she slayed Agnes by radically improving "Love Is All Around". Imagine Kelly Clarkson singing a towering house anthem and you get some idea of what Ricki-Lee's latest sounds like. From the opening "woah woah woahs" to the glorious Casey Donovan-sized chorus, "Raining Diamonds" is an absolute triumph that perfectly showcases the stunner's powerhouse pipes. I loved the maligned "See No, Hear No, Speak No" era but it did sound slightly dated. Happily, Ricki-Lee has tapped into something much more current. Leona Lewis wanted "Collide" to sound like this. Dev would kill for a song like "Raining Diamonds" (if she could actually sing). Listen to one of 2011's best singles below. The song is already rocketing up iTunes, so get downloading.

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Anthony Callea - Oh Oh Oh Oh No

Four years have passed since Anthony Callea released his last single. During that time he came out of the closet, hooked up with Tim Campbell (hi!), left Sony and spent a lot of time in America working on his independent comeback. The only thing the pint-sized pop star forgot to do is record a decent song. "Oh Oh Oh Oh" is awful. As much as I like the idea of an openly gay Australian pop star who isn't Darren Hayes, I still have (admittedly low) standards. And there is nothing redeeming about this generic club-banger.

The pocket rocket made a fuss about working with frequent Black Eyed Peas collaborator DJ Poet in recent interviews but a big-name producer doesn't guarantee a good song. As this shocker proves. The lyrics are awful, the production sounds dated and Anthony's powerhouse vocals are hidden under levels of autotune that would make T-Pain balk. I don't get it. The 2004 Australian Idol runner-up has a great voice. Why not record a track that shows it off? On the bright side, I recently caught Mr Callea supporting Sophie Ellis-Bextor in Sydney and the first song he performed was vastly superior to this. Very good even. If that's already in the can, it needs to be released sooner rather than later.

In the meantime, check out Anthony's #88 Australian iTunes smash "Oh Oh Oh Oh" below.

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Shannon Noll - 'A Million Suns' Interview

Shannon Noll has been flying under the radar for the past couple of years but he's back with his long-awaited fourth album "A Million Suns". Now with a new record label and fresh outlook the music industry, the former farmer is hoping to re-capture the spark that resulted in ten straight top 10 hits between 2004 and 2007. A lot has changed since the 36-year-old rose to fame on Australian Idol but he remains one of the country's favourite singers and proved he still knows his way around a catchy pop/rock chorus on "Switch Me On", which is turning into a sleeper hit. The album delivers more radio-ready goodness and should please the anyone who loved classics like "Drive", "Shine" and "Lift". Check out what Shannon has to say about his comeback, Idol and the surprise involvement of Sophie Monk on "A Million Suns" (available now!) in our chat at Universal HQ last week.

You've been missing from the music scene for the past couple of years. What have you been up to?
Mate, I've been writing mainly. I wrote 57 songs for this album, so that was over that 2 year period and we did a lot of acoustic work. I did the big show around the country and then I went around the country again acoustically and then nearly around it again with another acoustic show.

You did the acoustic thing for a long time.
Yeah so now I'm really looking forward to getting back into the rock side of the show, bringing back the lights and all the guitars and rocking out again. So it seems like I haven't been doing a lot but I've just been under the radar.

Going back to your first three albums, I was looking at the stats and they did huge numbers. Is it daunting to have those expectations to live up to?
Mate, definitely. But that had a lot to do with the hype of the show and things always will taper off a little bit but they were great albums and I'd like to think I've got another one in a similar ballpark. At the end of the day, I listen to them all with equal thoughts about them. That's the most important thing. Being happy with the finished product.

How has the music world changed since you had all those hits?
Just with how everything works now. These first couple of singles we put out. They're on sale the day the day they go to radio instead of being at radio for 6 weeks. So now they debut really low and you've got to try and get them up as opposed to trying to start them up high and then they go down. It really has changed. It's a whole new world and there's no physical singles anymore.

It's a shame because I love them.
Yeah I know. But that's just the way we're going. The industry has definitely had to evolve and move forward to try and combat the downloads. This is how it's changed.

I love the first song "Switch Me On". Did Benji Madden co-write that?
Yeah I wrote that one with Benji. We're both signed to EMI publishing in Australia. So I think he was out here with a couple of days up his sleeve and someone said he wanted to do some writing. So he was aware of my music already because of his connection with Sophie Monk, who's a friend of mine and she put him on to me. So when the opportunity came up he was up for it.

I've heard the rest of the album, which is awesome, your next song "My Place In The Line" has a bit of a "What About Me" vibe to it...
It has! It also has a "Lift" sound to it. I wrote it with the same guy I wrote lift with. It's similar to that style. The first one was a little bit more uptempo and bit rock. That's the Good Charlotte influence in there as well. The current one now is more similar to the stuff that I've done in the past.

I was speaking to Benn Jae (the director of Shannon's past two video clips) a couple of weeks ago and he was telling me you're almost not in the video.
Yeah I'm just intercut into it. There's a storyline with it, explaining the lyrics and the song's about trying to find the place where you fit in and the story explains that in the way of two young people who are struggling to fit in, so they end up finding each other. I'm intercut through it, just doing performance pieces. But I love having a story, like a mini-movie type thing.

Is the title track ("A Million Suns") going to be a single because that's, for me, the song that really just pops out.
That's great because we're actually having a conversation about what single to go with next. I'm fairly sure it probably will be, mate. Just because it's different and I think it's more current in a way, more like the music that's going around these days. That's why I wanted that track on there because it's a little bit left of centre and a little bit more now.

The lyrics to that one are a little unusual. What is the inspiration for that song?
It's about that time when you're trying to find... you're striving to do something and you're waiting for something to happen. Which was like me before the show (Australian Idol), driving tractors and singing along to the radio. Singing to the steering wheel and hoping what you believe in your heart... is possible, comes true. It's all combined by the million suns. Out home where I come from it gets really, really hot and sometimes it feels like there are a million suns out there.

I really like that one. I think it's a real standout. I also love "Come Home" and "Long Way Home". There almost seems to be a bit of a theme throughout a lot of these songs...
Yeah, there is a little bit.

Have you been in the dog house?
Yeah! "Come Home" definitely is a reconciliation song but "Long Way Home" explains all the not-so-glamorous parts of the business. I think before you're actually involved in it, you just look at the glossy parts. It's not all parties and gigs and after-parties. It's a business and it's a career. There's so much involved in the day-to-day. Like I've got friends back home who just think that I do gigs and that's it. You'd be surprised at the actual amount of time taken up by the interviews and by the writing and by the recording - all them things you do in the day time. And then you've got the weekend work as well.

For me the big surprise on this album was the cover of "It's A Man's World". That seemed a bit adventurous. Are you moving into the Jazz field?
No. It's just everybody I worked with in the States that had no idea who I was or where I came from or anything, said time and time again I must have negro in my family somewhere because the soul or technique I use with my vocals. It's soul, I think. It's a big ask trying to do a song that James Brown sang. There's only one James Brown but it's a song that really suited my voice with the gravel in it and that sort of thing. I love it and we wouldn't have done it if we didn't think it was going to come up good and everybody who's heard it.. and I wanted to add another dynamic to the show too. So I'm going to put it in the live set as well. And it's something that just takes it away from the ballads and the rock stuff and the mid-tempo stuff. It's a complete different place in the show. It's a real moment.

Did you also cover it to show your versatility?
Definitely. It's an example to say what do you think about that? I enjoy that. It's another string to my bow.

Do you think that there's any kind of lingering stigma attached to Australian Idol or is that just so long ago now that nobody remembers or cares?

Mate, at the end of the day, I got my start in Idol and I'll never forget that but it's not the reason why I'm here today. There's been a lot of hard work and time put in to continue my career. The show was only ever an opportunity and it was up to the individual then to make the most of it and push forward and try and create a career from it. Given the fact that I got the start with it, I think that plus what I've done in the last 10 years is the reason why I'm still here.

That's a really good point because how many hundreds of people have gone through that show...
Yep!

And maybe five are still working.
Yeah, that's right. That's the whole thing about it, there's no guarantees with it and it doesn't mean for one minute that you've made it. It's a foot in the door. You've got to keep your head down and work as hard as you can to walk through that door.

Do you think that's what set you apart from a lot of Idol alumni - that you went out there and played show after show?
Yeah the whole thing is... the live side of it is what I dig, that's my love. That's why I do music. So it was something that was natural for me to do next. Going to a show is so different from sitting in your room and listening to a CD. You get the vibe and it's entertainment. It definitely helps because a lot of people, who are your fans... they'll be your fans but if they can get to see a show then they'll be a fan forever. As much as they'll support somebody else the next year, they'll still keep you in their heart.

Do you think your approach has something to do with the fact that you're a little older than some of the kids that go through Idol. They just seem to think that it's all just going to fall in their lap, while you went out there and grabbed it.
I actually think it's a little bit more that we were the first. The first show was massive and because of how Guy (Sebastian) and I handled it, people saw that and thought that was because of the show initially. There was no template for us because it was the first season. We went out and did the best we could to try and make a future out of it and I think a lot of people who were sitting at home watching it, just thought that came because we were on the show. They didn't see the behind-the-scenes, the hard work put in to build it into something special. So I think a lot of the kids that go on the shows these days think that just because they've got into the top 5 or 10 that they think that we did post the show, is what happens.

Do you still remember that moment 8 years ago when you thought fuck it I'm going to apply for that show?
Yeah, definitely.

Does it feel like fate?
Yeah I'm a strong believer that things happen for a reason. I saw the ads for it (Australian Idol) back in Condo but they didn't show where the auditions were. I was 6 hours drive from Sydney. I just happened to have to go to Melbourne to pick up my wife and the kids because she was down there for a dress fitting for her sister's wedding and her sister said to me "are you going on Idol?" and I said I dunno, I dunno where the auditions are. So she got on the computer and said they're here in Melbourne next week. There are too many parts of it that came to pass for it just to be a luck thing. I was put in that situation so close to when the auditions were on that it was fairly uncanny.

That's a cool way of thinking about it. Getting back to "A Million Suns", are you going to promote it the same way you did the first couple - by playing as many shows as you can?
Yeah, that's been the best thing about the little bit of downtime in the last two years. I'm so excited again. I think I'm more excited now than I was after the show. Because I've been around and done the shows in the past, I know what's coming and I know how to approach it. I'm really excited about it. Plus the repertoire now is great. I've got all the singles that have been really massive and now the only other songs in the set are the new ones off the new album.

So it's your greatest hits plus your new stuff?
Exactly! There's six or seven tracks on there that are from the previous albums but they're all songs that people wouldn't let me leave the building if I didn't play.

One question that I've always wanted to ask - with your greatest hits album was that originally supposed to be a fourth studio album?
Um... I sort of got pushed into a corner with that one because that was at Sony's discretion in the contract to release a 'best of' whenever they wanted. I mean, I wouldn't have done it... I think it was a little bit early for it in my opinion. You do a 'best of' when you've got a 'best of'. I don't think the time was right for it then but it was out of my control. That was the beginning of the end for my relationship with Sony.

"Summertime" also broke your run of all these huge hits.
Yeah, it did. Like I said, it was something that I had no say in, so I just had to go with it. It was a little bit disappointing at the time because I was wanting to do another studio album and then I got thrust into that but you can't worry about that sort of stuff. You just move on and keep looking forward.

Were there more songs from those sessions that didn't make the greatest hits?
We sort of had a handful but we weren't ready for a new one and they just wanted to do it right then and there. I think I should have just kept working in the studio until I had the next album instead of putting that one out. And the once that one was out that sort of put me out of the market for the next 18 months.

Then you had a lot of interesting things happening in the UK...
Well in saying that... if you... what they do when they release you internationally is they put all your biggest hits together on one album and that's what that 'best of' really did, so it was handy for that reason. So it worked out well in that respect. It gave me the album that I needed to release.

Is the international market something you're thinking about with "A Million Suns"?
Mate, you know. It's always been in the back of my mind from the start but it doesn't hold the priority it used to. I just want to try and get back on track here in Australia. I've written this album in Australia for Australians. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it but my first thought is to try and make it work here. As I'm getting a bit older, I sort of realise How lucky we are to be living here in this country. And I'd prefer to be here that have to relocate. You can go over there and waste a lot of time, do you know what I mean?

The songs have a distinctly Australian vibe. Did you take your inspiration from where you came from?
Definitely. I wrote with guys who knew my history and knew my past. The ideas that they put on the table are ideas that I just clicked with straight away because they were so me. They knew where I was coming from, what I'm about and where I was at at that point. So it was awesome to know that instead of going and writing with a bloke from America who has no idea what you're about or what you stand for.

Do you feel in a way that you have come full circle with this album?
Yeah, definitely. I think now for the first time really, new label. I feel now it's legitimate. Not that I disrespect the past at all because I'm so lucky but now it feels right. It feels like it's real now and not propaganda from a TV show. I'm with a new label. Signed as an artist not a celebrity.

Good luck with the album. Thanks for your time.
Thank you!

Here's the awesome video for Shannon's latest single "My Place In The Line". Get downloading!

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Shannon Noll - 'A Million Suns' Showcase

For a while there Shannon Noll was Australian Idol's biggest success. And based on sales - he probably still is. The 36-year-old's first three albums went nine times platinum between them and he had a run of ten straight top 10 hits (eleven if you include "Rise Up"). Unfortunately for Nollsie, his brand of perky pub-rock fell out of favour and he's been quiet for the past couple of years. But the rest seems to have done him good. "Switch Me On" (below) was a real return to form and the nicest man in the music business has plenty of other tricks up his King Gee sleeve if last night's album showcase is any indication.

Nollsie kicked off the acoustic set with the album's Benji Madden-penned lead single. I love "Switch Me On" and I love his pared-back live version even more. I don't think Shannon's ever sounded better. He followed that with "A Million Suns". The album's title track sounds like a real gem - as does his next single "My Place In The Line", which closed the showcase. After that, Universal played the album and liked what I heard. There are a lot of similarities to his first two offerings - that would be the influence of Bryon Jones - but the songs have a grittier feel this time around. Pay particular attention to the contributions from DNA and Adam Reily, which sound very promising. "A Million Suns" is released on October 14. Pre-order it now for the bargain price of $15!

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