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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

New Jessica Mauboy

So Jessica Mauboy's "Get 'Em Girls" will be re-released after all! I think this is great news. There's so much good stuff on that album that deserves to be heard. Songs like "Maze", "Forget Your Name" and "Fight For You" are world class urban-pop gems that really should have been singles over trash like "Saturday Night" and "What Happened To Us". I rather embarrassingly (in retrospect) said as much to Jessica's face when I met her at the Nelly/Snoop Dogg showcase in April... and she agreed that "Maze" was a missed opportunity. Take that Sony! She also told me she had recorded a Diane Warren song called "Inescapable" and it's finally here. Given the hit songwriter's track record, J Malley's new single is most likely a ballad. I would have preferred an urban-dance smash but new music from my favourite Australian Idol alumni is always good news. While we wait to hear "Inescapable", why not watch Jessica perform "What Happened To Us" live on Dancing With The Stars with Stan Walker? I love their rendition so much more than the Jay Sean version.

I stan for Stan

I really warmed up to Stan Walker last year. His sophomore album was surprisingly great, he rocked Summerbeatz, charmed everyone at the after-party and even made a Cassie Davis song sound good. The former Australian Idol has been working on album number three for the past few months and it's shaping up to be a monster if the lead single is any indication. "Loud" is another great addition to the Taio Cruz/Jason DeRulo canon of urban dance music. A couple have bloggers have likened the track to Chris Brown's "Beautiful People" and I tend to agree. The track definitely has a harder club edge than any of Stan's previous singles but he turns it out. His vocal is fire (as usual) and the production is crisp and current. I don't think "Loud" is quite as catchy as Marvin Priest's not entirely dissimilar "Own This Club" but it's definitely a grower, worming its way deeper into your head with each spin. Fingers crossed the sooon-to-be-released video is hot. I love that Australia is becoming a hot bed for urban dance music and know Stan will deliver the goods with his album! Listen to the track below.

Lionel Richie + Guy Sebastian + RedOne

Lionel Richie is poised to have his first major Australian hit since... time immemorial the early 90s with a re-make of "All Night Long". His 1983 number one smash has been overhauled by RedOne and now features Guy Sebastian on backing vocals. I know it sounds like a bad joke but the update actually kind of works and all the proceeds go to the victims of the Christchurch earthquake and Queensland floods - so there's no excuse not to at least try this shit out. Just be grateful they went with "All Night Long" instead of "Hello" or "Penny Lover"! The song has a timeless quality (which RedOne proved last year by sampling it in Enrique's "I Like It") and lends itself easily to the duet format. Although to be honest, Guy really does play second fiddle to Lionel on this. It's like he didn't want to outshine the superstar with his superior vocals - Am I forgiven Guy Sebastian stans? - and humbly took a back seat. Guy is actually on fire at the moment. I secretly love "Who's That Girl" and his joint tour with Lionel is bringing in huge crowds. He just needs to re-release his underrated masterpiece "Oh Oh" and I'll considering turning to the dark side. As for Lionel, this is easily his finest moment since 2004's "Just For You" - one of my favourite jams from that year. "All Night Long 2011" isn't on YouTube yet, but you can preview the song on iTunes. The track is already at #13 after a day, so it looks like being a big hit. I hope there's a glamorous video to accompany this hot mess. Hell, a live clip would suffice. Check out the original version below. Those high waisted leather jeans are to die for!

An Australian Flop Vs Soraya

I am so disgusted I can hardly type. Natalie Gauci - better known as the least successful Australian Idol winner in history - has dared to fuck with the reigning Queen of Spanish pop by covering the title track of her new album. Sure, Natalie co-wrote "Dreamer" and probably recorded it first but that's no excuse for stealing Soraya's thunder. The sad flop should be grateful that an international megastar would deign to sing her song instead of using it for herself. It's like Malena Gracia covering Maria Callas - not right! I just don't see the point of Natalie's version. Her voice was never going to match Soraya's glorious pipes and the production is cheaper than her wig in the tacky video (below). Admittedly, the remixes are good - which explains its current top 5 placing on the ARIA club chart - but why not mix the original? It's about time Australia was blessed by the Spanish angel's legendary beauty and breathtaking talent! Now instead of hearing Soraya in the club, I'll be tortured with this shit. Thanks a lot. And to think I spent $5.99 on Natalie's flop album when it made its way to the bargain bin at JB Hi-Fi! If you want a good laugh, check out the video clip that accompanies this abomination. Soraya would never approve...

10 Questions With Casey Donovan

A couple of months ago I wrote a post about Casey Donovan's amazing comeback anthem "Big, Beautiful & Sexy". Since then the indigenous icon has embarked on a national tour and released the song on iTunes. I really hope it takes off for her because the local music scene could do with more characters like Casey. She's so frank about her battle to lose weight and even revealed her insatiable hunger for cock (ok, I might be exaggerating - slightly) to Sydney's leading gay newspaper! Pop music's most unlikely sex symbol kindly took the time to answer some questions about Australian Idol, her raunchy new image and the best way for plus sized gays and girls to flaunt their ample assets. Start taking notes...

Casey, it's good to have you back. Where have you been hiding since 2008's "Eye 2 Eye" EP?
I have been working with Vibe Alive travelling around Australia and I also just finished a 7 month tour with The Sapphires, which was a stage show.

Your comeback track “Big, Beautiful & Sexy” is great. Who wrote and produced it?
I co-wrote this song with a good friend of mine Beau Golden, and it was produced by Lindsay Rimes.

The song is also something of a statement. Is it a response to the criticism you have received about your weight?
I think a whole bunch of things make this song [special]. I wrote it based on personal experiences and how I felt after all these years. The message in the song is to learn to love yourself and be confident and stand up and be proud of who you are.

You have a raunchy new image - I even saw you performing in a corset and tutu! How does it feel to be a sex symbol?
Hahaha sex symbol… it feels great! I love it! I step out on stage and feel big, beautiful & sexy!

Do you have any advice for plus sized boys and girls on how to best flaunt their ample assets?
Girls - boobs and legs haha. You will know what is too much! Boys - smile, smell nice and wear nice jeans and shirts… with buttons.

It’s been 6 years since you won Australian Idol. How do you feel about it now?
I feel fine. Hehehe in all honesty it was a great experience with all the ups and downs and round and rounds it has been a learning experience but one I wouldn’t change for the world.

Are you still in touch with anyone from the show?
No not really, everyone is off doing their own thing.

Sony dropped you after one album despite the fact that it sold well. Do you think they gave you a fair go?
Looking back, I think they did what they could… and then left it. I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity.

What is your favourite song from "For You"?
I love "You Believed" and "For You".

Are you recording a new album?
Hopefully at the end of the year I will be back in the studio. I work with lots of people but I'm still making up my mind!

Thanks for the chat. Good luck with everything!

"Big, Beautiful & Sexy" is available to download from iTunes now. Casey will be performing at Notes in Newtown on the 29th of September. See you there!

Courtney Act Is Back

Six long years after revolutionising pop music as we know it with the Oxford Street classic "Rub Me Wrong", Australian Idol's most fabulous graduate has finally released a second single! Courtney Act's latest musical triumph was unveiled while I was away but it deserves a belated post. The former Pop Panellist is a great friend of this blog and I'm ecstatic that she's returned to her pop roots after several years ruling the strip as Sydney's hottest drag queen. Admittedly, "Welcome To Disgraceland" is a tie-in to publicise the nightclub in which Ms Act holds court but I genuinely love this four minute trashfest. Let's face it, anything that name checks Lady Gaga, Oprah and Kate Moss was always going to push my buttons! I'm yet to venture out to Disgraceland since getting back but I hope Courtney's anthem is being blasted twice an hour. The video is predictably fabulous. It looks more expensive and professional than 90% of the locally produced film clips released this year and I can pick out half a dozen people I know, which is always amusing. The classy homage to Kylie's "Spinning Around" at the beginning is my highlight! Help keep Courtney in wigs by downloading the track from iTunes now.

Casey Donovan Is Big, Beautiful & Sexy!

I've always felt a bit sorry for Casey Donovan. The 2004 Australian Idol winner never got a fair shot. Sony clearly had no idea what to do with a curvy, chain smoking teenager and basically pulled the plug on her career after releasing a shoddy cash-in album. It's a shame because "For You" had at least one great song ("What's Going On?") - which is more than Damien Leith, Natalie Gauci and Wes Carr can say! As far as Idol alumni go, I think she ranks up there with Lisa Mitchell as the most unique and hardest to market. At least Lisa could fall back on the indie crowd, while poor Casey spent the past few years touring RSL clubs and promoting weight loss products. Well, the plucky diva has decided to take things into her own hands by independently recording a steamy comeback anthem called "Big, Beautiful & Sexy". As as you can see from the performance below - Casey is taking the song's title literally! The delicious songstress will set temperatures soaring with her saucy outfit (a figure hugging corset and tutu) and attitude filled lyrics. I honestly think this is a great song and I'd forgotten that Emma wasn't the only member of the Donovan clan with a fucking amazing voice. Bring on the finished version! To promote this smash in the making, Casey is taking her "Big, Beautiful & Sexy" tour on the road. For more information check out her Facebook. See you there! Thanks to Jacques for the heads up.