Multiple Grammy Award-nominated RnB star Brian McKnight announces full band tour of Australia

Brian McKnight is bringing his full band to Australia. Source: Supplied

 

 

The Daily Telegraph reports

He has written songs for some of the world's biggest artists, now Brian McKnight is heading to Australia to give us a taste of some of his work.

The R&B icon and Grammy award-nominated artist is heading to Sydney in March alongside his full band to wow audiences with his urban show.

"Last time I came by myself, this time I have my whole band and my crew and we will be able to give you the full Brian McKnight experience," McKnight told Confidential.

"It will be a lot more dynamic."

The singer, songwriter and producer has worked with some of music's biggest names including

Mariah Carey, P. Diddy, Justin Timberlake, Nelly and Australia's very own Guy Sebastian.

"Guy is one of the most talented people I have ever met," he said.

"Everyone can sing in a studio but he can sing just as well sitting right next to you.

"I love working with really talented people and he is right at the top of that list. "

The Butler did it for Guy Sebastian's US success

Guy Sebastian / Picture supplied Foxtel/Mark Rogers Source: Supplied

 

 

 

Jonathon Moran, The Daily Telegraph, reports

Guy Sebastian is enjoying renewed success in the US thanks to Oprah Winfrey flick, The Butler.

His track, Battlescars, has just notched up one million sales - platinum - in America alone and is currently getting high rotation on US radio after being used in Winfrey's new film soundtrack.

"UI was sitting on my couch and The Butler came on and suddenly my song was playing," he told the Sydney Confidential on Nova with J. Mo and Elle radio show on the phone from Los Angeles last night.

"And I keep hearing it on radio over here. I'm used to hearing my songs on the r4adio in Australia but definitely not over here so it is really cool."
Battlescars is a collaboration with American Grammy Award winner Lupe Fiasco the pair recorded at Sebastian's Surry Hills studio.

Sebastian, 31, will return home to Sydney for the annual Nickelodeon Slimefest event at Olympic Park Sports Centre on September 27. And he's recorded a new track for the occasion while he's been working on his next album in LA.

"I just wrote a song called Dare To Be Square for Nickelodeon's anti-bullying campaign just here in my little studio in LA," he said.

Guy Sebastian set for US move after signing deal with US label Cherry

 

Guy Sebastian pictured at his recording studios. Picture: Sam Ruttyn Source: News Limited

 

The Daily Telegraph reports

Guy Sebastian looks set for a career in the US, signing a record deal this week.

The Sydney based singer has signed a deal with a company called Cherry.

"I've just signed a deal so we will see how it goes, literally just two days ago," he told Confidential. "It's exciting."

Sebastian, 31, will soon travel to the US to begin working on his next album.

It is a decade since he won the very first Australian Idol, beating Shannon Noll to the title and instant national stardom.

It's been a good 10 years, he said.

"When I think about how much I've crammed into a decade, I've done seven albums, tonnes of tours, it's been full on," he said.

"We've (he and wife Jules) had a kid (son, Hudson) and gone through heaps of ups and downs. It feels like 10 years, it really does."

Out of all of the Australian Idol alumni, Sebastian has arguably enjoyed the most success here and overseas. The same can be said for original American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, who also became a huge international star.

But despite making an impression on the US market with his Lupe Fiasco collaboration, Battle Scars, Sebastian is yet to fully crack the hugely competitive but potentially highly lucrative American charts.

He's also had some success in the US with his songs Who's That Girl (featuring Eve) and Like It Like That. Signing with Cherry could well be his ticket to mainstream success there.

Meanwhile, Sebastian's wife is a stylist and has her own show on MTV called Style Me and was nominated for an ASTRA Award last week.

"Jules is a natural," he said.

"She is really funny, and it was shot really well. I'm a proud hubby, she is a good sort as well."

Twenty-four years since living back home in Oz, Dannii excited to return

Dannii Minogue arrives in Melbourne / Pic: Splash Source: The Daily Telegraph

Johnathon Moran, The Daily Telegraph, reports

Twenty-four years since Dannii Minogue last lived in Sydney, the new The X Factor judge is looking forward to setting up home here.

With the reality TV production based out of Sydney's Fox Studios, Minogue will be spending a lot more time here in the coming months.

"The last time I lived here was when I did Home and Away, when I was 17," she said. "It is amazing I'm still alive. Entertainment years are like dog years, it is a long time."

Minogue, 41, began her new role on X Factor last week, replacing Mel B on the judging panel. LMFAO’s Redfoo has replaced Guy Sebastian while Ronan Keating and Natalie Bassingthwaighte return to the show for another year.

Guy Sebastian ready to bail out of the X Factor

Guy Sebastian / Pic: Ian Currie Source: The Daily Telegraph

Joel Christie, The Daily Telegraph, reports

Guy Sebastian is unlikely to return to The X Factor this year, according to widespread TV industry speak.

As the Battlescars superstar prepares for his biggest tour to date, performing more than 40 concerts across the country, well-placed sources say his priorities no longer lie with the Channel 7 talent search.

"He's the best artist (Australia) has - that's clear as day," a TV heavy told Confidential. "He's got this massive tour, the album is still new and then there's America. At the moment he definitely isn't on board (with X Factor). He's done three years and that's plenty."

The rumours follow confirmation that fellow judge Mel B has taken a seat at the panel on America’s Got Talent in LA, throwing in to doubt her return and sparking speculation she will join Nine's local version Australia's Got Talent.

As we reported this week, Mel has packed up her Sydney home and moved to the US.

She is replacing Sharon Osbourne, who is thought to be locked and loaded for AGT here with Chris Isaak.

The other half of The X Factor Australia panel, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Ronan Keating, are expected to reprise their roles on the series, which is in the auditioning stages.

Both Seven and Sebastian's management did not return calls yesterday.

The inaugural Australian Idol winner is the most successful judge on The X Factor and arguably the most popular, having won the last two years with his charges Reece Mastin and Samantha Jade.

Battlescars has brought him some much-wanted attention in America, where the single shot to No.1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Chart.

Guest vocalist Guy Sebastian has a good ear for the right song with Canadian rapper Swift K.I.D.

Guy Sebastian is moving from success to success. Picture: Sam Ruttyn Source: The Sunday Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph reports

Guy Sebastian is set for another tilt at the top 10 but this time as the guest vocalist.

The Australian chart king has lent his voice to Bed Of Clouds, the debut single from Canadian rapper Swift K.I.D., who was all over the airwaves with the Belgian DJ Laurent Wery's hit Hey Hey Hey (Pop Another Bottle) a couple of years ago.

Sebastian has an uncanny knack for picking the right partners for pop gold, smashing the airwaves with Jordin Sparks (Art Of Love), Eve (Who's That Girl) and Lupe Fiasco (Battle Scars).

"I really loved that track Hey Hey Hey Swift K.I.D. cut with Laurent Wery a couple years back - (he's) a cool

cat and got some good things coming," the Australian singer said.

Bed Of Clouds will be released today with a Kris Moyes video, which was shot in Los Angeles during Sebastian's recent American promo tour.

Guy Sebastian records The Police classic Message in a Bottle for charity

Guy has recorded The Police classic 'Message in a Bottle' for The McGrath Foundation. Picture: news.com.au Source: news.com.au

Kate Midena, news.com.au, reports

It's been a big year for Australia's favourite Idol, Guy Sebastian.

On the back of the release of his seventh album Armageddon, Guy has achieved more number one singles than any other Australian male artist in Aussie music history - and news.com.au got to see exactly where the magic happens.

Gyprocked, wallpapered and decked out by the man himself, Guy's studio is where he recorded most of Armageddon, including the emotion-charged song Get Along, written before he and wife Jules' first child Hudson was born.

"Yeah it's a tough song to sing, I think anything that has to do with my kid makes me pretty emotional. And I guess you can't sing songs with words like ‘Dear God, Dear Soul, Dear Mohammed, Dear Mary, can we get along?' without it happening, there's just so much tied in to that.

"There's lyrics in there that people might skim over, like the second verse which says "some set fire to crosses", as in the KKK; "some fight to ride the bus they choose", that's to do with the whole Rosa Parkes incident, so the lyrics are quite interlaced with a lot of back story as well. As I'm singing them I know what I mean and that's why I tend to get emotional."

The studio also happens to be where he worked on his latest project - a charity song for The McGrath Foundation and Mount Franklin.

"We decided to record The Police classic of Message in a Bottle - which is obviously in line with the message campaign that Mt Franklin and the McGrath Foundation are running - and it meant that I could do my own spin on it, giving it an islandy, reggae type treatment. But I didn't want to change it too much. Sting is the master!

"Obviously this is supporting breast cancer, it's so common and affects so many families. I've been affected myself with family so it just makes sense for me to be involved.

"The proceeds all go to charity which is amazing - it's the first time that I've been involved in something where literally every cent that can be is donated. I'm paying for the recording of it here in the studio which means there are no costs to recoup or anything like that so it just worked for everyone."

X Factor hits top-note in ratings

X Factor winner Samantha Jade with Guy Sebastian.

 

Andrew Murfett, The Sydney Morning Herald, reports

Although it obliterated the competition served up by the other networks last night, the grand final edition of The X Factor did not draw the blockbuster viewing numbers some expected.

The series, which has dominated early week ratings nationally for the last quarter, crowned Samantha Jade Gibbs its winner in a glittering concluding episode last night.

Although the final five-city metro figure of 2.162 million was certainly impressive, and delivered the Seven network its second-strongest market share figure for the year, it did not come close to equalling the conclusion of Nine's blockbuster The Voice in June.

It should be acknowledged, however, that it compares favourably with last year's X Factor finale, which landed 2.02 million viewers.

The average figure for last night's episode was 1.87 million. Again, this bested last year's final instalment figure, which was 1.72 million. The good news for the network is that it sets Seven up for a huge win in the second-last week of official ratings for the year.

The series has averaged about 1.5 million viewers an episode this season – an extraordinary result in itself – so the finale figure offers a modest increase.

Still, having being such a dominant force in ratings in the last quarter, Seven were quietly hoping for an even better result. The Nine network was able to draw 2.65 million for the last Voice episode this year and a colossal 3.09 million for the announcement of the winner.

Similarly, Nine was also able to grab 2.969 million for its announcement of the winner of The Block this year and 2.191 million for the final episode.

Seven's Dancing With The Stars finale this year averaged 1.234 million viewers. Its monster ratings smash My Kitchen Rules picked up 2.812 million viewers for its winner's announcement in late March and 2.198 million for its final episode.

The top-rating Australian reality TV broadcast of all-time remains the 2010 conclusion to MasterChef , which yielded a whopping 3.9 million viewers.

Why can't we all just get along, asks Guy Sebastian

Religious journey ... singer Guy Sebastian with baby son Hudson. Source: The Daily Telegraph

 

The Daily Telegraph reports

Guy Sebastian has been forced to defend himself following his recent admission that he has moved away from the fundamentalist Christian movement that shaped his early years.

The Battle Scars singer - who recently admitted his religious beliefs had "changed" as he grew older, married and welcomed a child - posted a lengthy statement on his Facebook page in response to online backlash from some of his devout Christian fans.

He opened up last week about his spiritual outlook admitting his beliefs began to change when a churchgoing friend fled the country after coming out as gay.

"He moved countries, he was that scared about the whole religious thing because he was brought up in the church. My friends and I were like, 'Dude, why did you leave, what did you think we would say?' It became not a big deal at all," Sebastian said in a Daily Telegraph interview, adding; "Look at gay marriage. I don't think anyone has the right to tell someone who they can and can't be in love with."

Yesterday Sebastian elaborated on his position, saying religion was now a "personal thing" and urging his fans to be accepting.

"It saddens and concerns me for the sake of my child that we live in a world still full of intolerance, hatred and prejudice. Hudson is the inspiration for me to write my latest song 'Get Along' as I want to do what I can to make a positive impact in the world," Sebastian wrote.

"I understand how it's possible that a minority of extremist religious organisations had encouraged some members to behave in unreasonable, socially unacceptable and even violent ways.

"Dogmatic teachings invariably lead to such outcomes. However, I do think this is the minority and not what most people in the world want. But it seems societies around the world are becoming more aware, educated and open-minded, and are evolving as I am also evolving to embrace a deeper spiritual understanding about life rather than mere submission to rigid rules."

Guy Sebastian headbutts would-be thief trying to break into Sydney home with wife Jules and baby Hudson inside

Guy Sebastian: Headbutted would-be theif who tried to break into home with wife Jules and baby Hudson inside. Picture: Richard Dobson Source: The Sunday Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph reports

Displaying the protective traits of a new father, Guy Sebastian was forced into a tussle with a would-be thief during an attempted break-in at his eastern suburbs home on Sunday night.

Responding to a panicked midnight call from his home-alone wife Jules, Guy Sebastian sped from his Surry Hills recording studio to the couple's Clovelly house - beating police who had also been summoned after the terrified new-mother heard someone trying to enter through the front door.

"(Jules) was freaking out, (saying), 'He's turning the front door knob, he's trying to get in the front door'," Sebastian told music editor Kathy McCabe yesterday.

"I told her to call the cops and she starts freaking out again because he was walking around the side of the house where Hudson's window is."

Sebastian rushed to the scene on his Harley-Davidson - dropping the loaner motorbike twice en route.

Sources say a "king headbutt" from the singer was all that was required to detain the man who the singer described as "out of it". "The bloke's seen me and started legging it," he said.

"I grabbed him and apprehended him until the cops got there. He was trying to get free. I just had him pinned with his arms in - it was pretty full on. After about five minutes the cops came and that was that. That wasn't a great day."

Police arrived and arrested and charged the man with break and enter and were yesterday at the scene inspecting the property.

Cash can't buy love but it'll hire Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, or DJ Havana Brown

Source: The Sunday Telegraph

Elle Halliwell, The Sunday Telegraph, reports

Fancy a celebrity name at your wedding? Top Aussie stars are moonlighting as wedding singers and MCs - and some of them are quite the bargain.

If the price is right, you can have Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy or DJ Havana Brown perform at your nuptials, or Hamish and Andy, Grant Denyer or Tania Zaetta as your master of ceremonies.

"It often depends on the scheduling, but for a lot of Australian performers corporate gigs and weddings are where they make their money," one talent agent, who did not want to be named, told The Sunday Telegraph.

"They don't make much from the record companies, they make a little bit from touring and that's about it. They can do up to 30 gigs a year, but because they're not publicised, nobody really hears about them."

The most expensive is singer Delta Goodrem at $100,000 per function, followed by David Campbell at around $80,000 per appearance.

And the best value for money? Underbelly actor Salvatore Coco, who has been recently spruiking his talents as a wedding MC at bridal expos. The former Heartbreak High star hosts on average 50 weddings a year, and charges between $500 to $1500 a job.

"These jobs, at the end of the day, are going to feed you," Coco says.

"Plus, you just never know who is in that audience."

Naughty Boy George's Oz visa hassles

JMo & Elle, The Sunday Telegraph, reports

EIGHTIES British singer Boy George is Sydney bound after overcoming "some issues" with his visa.

Boy George, who fronts Culture Club, which will headline the Sydney Resolution New Year's Eve concert later this month, admitted he was concerned his criminal record may have prevented him from playing the gig.

The 50-year-old last visited Australia in 2007 for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

"There has been some issues but I think I'm okay, I'm coming," Boy George told us on the phone from his London home on Friday.

In 2009, Boy George - born George Alan O'Dowd - was jailed after being found guilty of falsely imprisoning a male escort in his London flat.

But that's in the past, he says. "Obviously there's a problem with a few places (getting a visa) but one just has to get on with it," he said.

"I'm living my life on life's terms and dealing with those things. Those things are consequences of my past behaviour, there's no way of avoiding them."

Also playing the New Year's Eve spectacular at Glebe Island (under Anzac Bridge) is Jamiroquai, the Pet Shop Boys, Pseudo Echo and Guy Sebastian.

George also commented on fellow British singer George Michael, who is seriously sick with a mystery illness.

"He's in the right place, he's being looked after and that's all you can hope for," he said of his former foe. "I did ring. He's not great but he's not on death's door or anything like that."