Australian Idol Natalie Gauci tuned in for success

Cameron Adams
December 13, 2007 12:00am

NATALIE Gauci may be the most motivated Australian Idol ever. Little has been left to chance in her mission for musical success.

Gauci started writing songs at 17, but only plucked up the courage -- and finances -- to record them in April last year.

Her self-released EP, Take it or Leave It, was a dream come true for the Melbourne-born singer, as was forming jazz/soul outfit the Natalie Gauci Band.

"I'd sit at home and play these songs and they wouldn't go anywhere," Gauci, 25, says. "To get them out and have a band was such a big thing for me."

The band belted out originals at local pubs and clubs, and covers at weddings and corporate functions.

"I always have a niche when I sing -- it's funk or jazz or a bit of pop," Gauci says. "But the pop I sing is Alicia Keys or Joss Stone, it's not like Kylie. Though I have done Kylie -- I can't lie -- when someone requested it."

Live gigs, along with Gauci's work teaching music, funded the EP, which cost about $4000 for recording and a photo shoot for the cover.

"I was proud of that," Gauci says. "It wasn't like I was doing waitressing to play for it, the weddings paid for my EP."

As well as selling her EP at gigs, Gauci started selling her talent.

She uploaded the EP (featuring Take it or Leave it, Hand in Hand and Unopened) on Triple J's Unearthed website, listing her influences as Nikka Costa, Nina Simone, Eva Cassidy and the Brand New Heavies.

"I wasn't sure what was going to happen with that, I just put my stuff up on their site," Gauci says.

Eighteen months on, and post-Idol, her original songs are still getting votes.

"I actually forgot it was up there," Gauci says. "I have the songs on sonicbig, MySpace, Facebook and my website, so they're out there."

Gauci became the first Australian Idol axed "wild card" contestant (a lifeline from the judges) to win the popular talent program.

Having spent years trying to get her music heard, she appreciates the overnight platform the show has given her.

"If I was sitting at home just doing nothing and this just came to me, I don't think I'd want it as much. I don't think I would have worked as hard on the show to get where I wanted to be," Gauci says.

"I've learnt how to have a good work ethic. It's got to do with the way I've been brought up as well. When I get a challenge, I like to work as hard as I can to overcome it."

Gauci warmed to the show after it last year let contestants perform original material.

She auditioned with an original song, "which is absurd, I know, because the show is about covers".

That started a debate between judges Mark Holden and Ian Dickson.

"They argued about why I was doing an original on a covers show, which is a good point. It didn't hit me until we started the show there'd be a conflict of interest," Gauci says.

Once in the Top 12, Gauci was waiting for originals night; which last year let self-penned compositions of Damien Leith and Bobby Flynn shine.

This year, that night never came.

"We kicked up a fuss," Gauci says. "They explained that it's just too much work. Some people didn't have originals, not everyone plays an instrument, so it would have been an unfair advantage."

The Idol contracts, signed with FremantleMedia, are notoriously strict. They take a cut of every Idol's post-Idol income for three years.

"I sat and read it all," Gauci says. "I thought 'If I'm going to do this I'm going to just have to sign it'. It's Idol, it's what the show is about. I've made that sacrifice; I'm not going to complain about it."

Gauci got her first taste of Fremantle's power when it came to her album The Winner's Journey.

Rumours suggest conflict between Fremantle and her label Sony BMG changed plans for the album.

Unlike last year's winner, Damien Leith, whose Winner's Journey simply used audio and video footage from the show, Gauci hit a snag.

Fremantle have reportedly kept all audio and video from Idol, which they own, to release themselves.

So a week before Idol ended Gauci and Matt Corby rush-recorded their favourite covers from Idol in a studio.

After she won, an interview was quickly filmed to include on the album's bonus DVD, which last year featured Leith's Idol performances.

"I've signed with Fremantle, everything I've done on the show is theirs to own. They can say yes and no, the record company doesn't have a say. So we (Gauci and Sony BMG) came up with a DVD that is about my journey, rather than the show. That's better for me, we have control over what is being released.

"With Fremantle we didn't have control. I think they want to do their own thing. I'm just praying they're going to do something OK."

Gauci says re-recording her Idol covers while preparing for the Idol finale was interesting.

"I didn't realise I'd win. We were so busy. I just thought, 'That'll do'. Now I'm really proud of it."

Corby made headlines when he slated winner's single Here I Am, then claimed he was misquoted.

"To be honest, I think Matt's very young," Gauci says diplomatically.

"He needs to stand by what he said. I've always said the same thing. When I first heard it I couldn't relate to it, it was very masculine, it had guitars on it. I thought it was going to be a male-driven show and they wanted to kick me out.

"So I took the song and had time alone with it, stripping it back. I had no choice anyway, I had to make it something that would be mine. I ended up really liking it."

For the first time the Idol winner will embark on a national tour weeks after the show's finale. Luckily for Gauci, the quick turnaround means she can use her own band.

"If I didn't have a band I'd understand if they booked one for me, but it'll just work better now."

She's already worked out the set list -- 60 per cent songs from the show, including her jazz covers, and 40 per cent originals.

The next challenge is negotiating her creative input into her debut original album. She's already thinking of potential co-writers but has, as ever, set her sights high.

"I'm hoping to go to America and write. I want to write with Alicia Keys, she's one of my idols. I reckon I could learn so much from her."

The Winner's Journey (Sony BMG) out now. Natalie Gauci, with Matt Corby, the Palms at Crown, Jan 8-10, $66/$77, Ticketek.


http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,2...5006024,00.html