Natalie Gauci
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Natalie Gauci

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"Natalie Gauci - Take it or Leave it"

This is Melbourne singer Natalie’s first EP. She has a very good vocal range that covers various spheres in funk, jazz, soul, and pop. She is ably supported by some well-regarded local musicians. There is charm and lyrical substance to her music and can lift off into a rock attitude. Natalie has grown from a teenage performer through various little jazz bands on the independent circuit and corporate gigs. There is certainly much more to see and hear from Natalie in the years ahead.

- Media search.com


"Down To Earth Singer Living LIfe of the stars"

Monday, 10th December 2007
Down-to-earth singer living life of the stars

Jennifer Mifsud

If a lucky birthday is something people look forward to, then the Australian public must have given Natalie Gauci an unforgettable present for hers. She speaks about the experience after winning Australian Idol, the most coveted song contest down under.

She listened to critique and cried... then she listened again and she matured, singing her way into people's hearts to win the coveted Australian Idol song contest in Australia, securing herself a Sony BMG record label.

Her single Here I Am, released immediately after the show, made it to the second place in the Australian singles chart after just three days.

And her first album, Natalie Gauci: The Winner's Journey, hit the shelves of Australian music stores with a bang on Saturday. She marked the occasion by performing live at Westpoint Shopping Centre in Blacktown, Sydney before tackling a long line of fans wanting her autographs.

Life is "an absolute whirlwind... very exciting and a lot of work at the same time", she said, giggling mischievously. "But I'm being well looked after... I'm in a nice apartment. I haven't been dumped in a van, behind the building, or anything," she laughs heartily. "I get picked up in limos... it's totally not me."

She said that winning Australian Idol meant that she could do what she felt she was born to do, write and record albums.

"Music means the world to me. It means everything that is me. Without it I wouldn't know what to do."

The contest had given her the best exposure she could ever have hoped for, she said. Her fans connected with her, and she feels they will follow her throughout her career.

"I will definitely work hard to keep the music flowing... to keep it out there, because I'm all about that. I'm all about music."

But Natalie's Australian Idol experience was not plain sailing. Her audition was nerve wracking to say the least.

"Good looking usually means hopeless singer," was the first thing the 26-year-old Maltese descendant from Melbourne heard from Australian judge Kyle Sandilands as she walked in. Without a hint of discouragement, Natalie went on to perform Free Falling, a song for which she penned both music and lyrics. Mr Sandilands's comment "made me want to do better", she said.

Judge Marcia Hines, an American soul singer, and Australian Mark Holden liked her performance. But British judge Ian "Dicko" Dickson picked an argument with Mr Holden saying that he couldn't take someone on the show when he didn't know whether she could sing a well-known pop song. Natalie, in a spontaneous outburst voiced the refrain of Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive - and she did!

An impressed Mr Dickson retracted what he had just said. "I think you're one of the best people we've seen, I think you've got some of the best musical instincts, I think you've got the total package. I think you can win this competition," he told her. "Ditto ditto," was Mr Holden's reply. But Ms Hines gave her sound advice: "(You can win this competition)...basically it's the kiss of death," she told her while emphasising that she had to work hard to make it.

That audition kicked off a rollercoaster ride that ended with victory over favourite Matt Corby at the Sydney Opera House on November 25 making her the first wildcard contestant to win Australian Idol. The next day, she spent 12 hours with the press. It was her lucky birthday.

Natalie is the daughter of Ray, originally from Marsa, and an Italian mother, Teresa, who run the Golden Tower Restaurant in Swanston Street, Melbourne. She is the eldest of three siblings, the others being Elizabeth, 23, and Michael, 22.

Sounding rather embarrassed, she admitted she does not speak Maltese, having found it to be a tough language to learn. "I'll just get dad to teach me a word each day," she said.

Described by a music blogger as the "master of turning hideous pop songs into gold", Natalie started singing when she was four years old. Aged 14, she attended the Victorian College of Arts in Melbourne where she had her first formal singing lessons. She feels that the fact that her mother was a singer influenced her a lot. Aged 20 she decided to give the music industry a try and hasn't looked back. She is now a full-time singer, singing a mixture of pop, jazz and soul. Nina Simone and Alicia Keys are among her favourite singers.

In April last year she funded and released a solo EP, Take It or Leave It, making it to the top 500 in the Billboard World Songwriting Contest which featured two million entries. She was also invited by the Oz City Song Circle to perform with other Australian artistes at the Genghis Cohen in Hollywood.

While living the Australian Idol experience, Natalie's personal life took its own twist - she broke up with her boyfriend, who lives in London. She thinks that long distance relationships don't really work because one expects things that aren't - Times of Malta


"Best Birthday Gift for Idol Winner"


Best birthday gift for Idol winner
Article from: AAP

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November 26, 2007 04:00am

NATALIE Gauci received the best birthday present when she beat crowd favourite Matt Corby to be crowned the 2007 Australian Idol.

The Melbourne songstress, who turns 26 today, beat the Sydney teenager in front of a crowd of thousands at the Sydney Opera House.

"(It is) definitely the best birthday present," Gauci said after her win. "This is going to change the rest of my life."

Less than one per cent separated the two competitors in the final count - the closest result in Idol history.

The former hairdressing apprentice sang Man in the Mirror and her new single, Here I Am, and received a standing ovation.

When her name was read out as the winner, a stunned Gauci was almost speechless.

"I can't believe it," she said. "Thank you so much. Oh my god, this is amazing."

Corby embraced Gauci and was gallant in defeat: "I'm so happy for her, she is frigging unbelievable."

It has been a long road to the winners podium for Gauci, who made it on to the show by claiming the final wild card spot in the top 12 after she failed to make it through the semi-finals.

She has battled with nerves and had to put up with ongoing commentary about her dress sense.

However, Gauci impressed audiences with her renditions of Rihanna's Umbrella, Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush, and Crazy by Gnarls Barkley.

Her version of Here I Am was also a hit with the Idol judges, who praised her treatment of the song.

Last night she said she was excited about the journey she was about to undertake, but still couldn't quite believe what had happened.

"It doesn't feel like reality at all," she said. "It feels like I'm dreaming and I haven't woken up yet."

About 5000 fans packed the Opera House forecourt tonight to cheer their Idols on, and were entertained by Idol alumni Young Divas, Damien Leith and Shannon Noll, as well as electro-rockers Rogue Traders.

Reformed Oz music icons The Divinyls sang their hit, Boys In Town, which Gauci covered during the competition.

The top 12 finalists were then joined on stage by Lionel Richie, as they sang his hit All Night Long, and the sky over the harbour lit up with fireworks.

"I must tell you I have not played here in my life," Richie said. "This is the first time but what a first time. I'm loving it."

Of Gauci and Corby, Richie said: "As far as I'm concerned they've both made it. I applaud you both."

Gauci's single is available to purchase via digital download, and will be in stores from Wednesday.

The Winner's Journey album and DVD will be in stores on December 8, and Gauci will release her debut studio album and embark on a national tour next year.
- AAP


"i'll be back says Natalie Gauci"

Natalie Gauci

Natalie Gauci has launched off suggestions she’s a failed Idol, insisting she’s working hard to produce an album she’s happy with before she unleashes it on the public.

“I don’t want to release something just for the sake of it. Idol did change my life but you’ve got to take perspective. My album is going to be ready when it’s ready. I am just taking one step at a time,” she told The Sunday Telegraph.

She’s also been taking some much needed time off following her whirlwind Australian Idol journey, holidaying in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia with a new beau. But it’s back to the grindstone now, with Nat preparing to jet off to the UK to continue work on her debut disc.

Natalie expects to release it in 2009, but I’m happy to wait as long as it takes. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather this than the old method of releasing an album a week after winning Idol! - Oz Music Scene


"Who - First for Celebrity News"

Natalie Gauci – The Winner’s Journey (Sony BMG)
Dec 20 10:45am

I love Natalie. I always have. She's single-handedly given Australian Idol a sudden, quite unexpected sense of credibility. On The Winner's Journey she kicks off by taking the potentially tawdry winner's single beyond its predictable big-voice/big-hair formula into something that's actually heartfelt and endearing and then proceeds to relive her finest moments from the series.

Her renditions of Man In The Mirror, Boys In Town and Crazy showcase her flexibility, sophistication with arrangements and sentiment, as well as overall good taste. And she shows Rihanna how Umbrella should have been done in the first place before blowing Timbaland out of the water with her version of Apologize. Perhaps most appealing is the confidence with which she makes over Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill (not a mean feat), while Orange Coloured Sky and How High The Moon remind us of what's really going on here: the technical precision of her classical jazz vocal skills being brought to bear on a wide range of modern genres.

My only query is why she didn't include I Will Survive, which I think was the turning point for Nat in the series: the night she rose above the ranks of mere contestant also-ran into the realm of finalist contender (and an effort I know won her a swag of fans that have stuck with her ever since). Not to worry though - I'm really looking forward to what Nat has in store for us in the future. Go Nat - rock on girl!

by Armagan Acikalin - The Winner's Journey Album Review


"Natalie Gauci Heads To Malta"



Natalie Gauci is one busy bee. As soon as the Australian Idol completes her Winner’s Journey tour, she’ll be on a plane to Malta.

Natalie, who is of Maltese descent, has been invited to perform on the final night of the Malta Song for Europe Festival. This festival decides which song will represent Malta at the Eurovision Song contest held in May.

Natalie is thrilled at the opportunity to visit her father’s homeland for the first time.

“This is such fantastic news,” she told Times of Malta. “I can’t wait to be there.”

The festival is a massive deal in Malta, so plenty of people will watch our Nat perform. Hopefully this will pave the way for Natalie receiving the international attention she deserves. - Oz Music Scene


Discography

The Winner's Journey
First studio album
* Released: December 8, 2007
* Formats: CD, digital downloads - * AUS: Sales 70,000+ AUS: Platinum

EPs

Statistics
Take It or Leave It

* Released: April 2006
* Scored in the top 500 in the 2007 Billboard World Songwriting Contest.[30]

Singles
2007 "Here IAm" Gold (ARIA)
The Winner's Journey

Photos

Bio

Natalie Gauci is a singer and songwriter. A star since birth, an impassioned Natalie officially began her road to stardom upon receiving a scholarship undertaking music tuition at The Victorian College of the Arts. Natalie immediately formed her own band and played numerous gigs around town. From the age of 17 she began writing quality songs – many of which have appeared on her solo album. All of this while also working as a music teacher.

In 2005, Natalie began writing and producing her debut EP. Take It or Leave It was then released nationally in 2006. Following an appearance on Triple J Unearthed and appearing on the Billboard World Songwriting Contest top 500 in 2007. Natalie then performed in Los Angeles as part of the "Oz City Song Circle" to wide critical acclaim.

Natalie successfully auditioned for the 2007 series of Australian Idol which was to uplift her career. Natalie went on to win the series and has since released her debut album with Idol/Sony selling over 70,000 copies, reaching Platinum status.

In January 2008 Natalie commenced her sold out Winner's Journey Tour across the width and breadth of Australia. She took her musicians from the Natalie Gauci Band, as well as her long time keyboard collaborator and music director.

After the Australian Winners Tour, Natalie was invited to perform at the final night of the Malta Song for Europe 2008 on January 26. In March 2008 she returned to the studio to work on a new album, whilst continuing to play gigs regularly. In June 2008 she went to Los Angeles to continue writing and recording. She has currently formed a new 7 piece band and is performing all new material.

Natalie’s writing and music genre has taken on pop/jazz and hip hop flavours inspired by some of her favourite artists - Gnarls Barkly, Nina Simone, Dina Washington, Kate Bush, Madonna, Michael Jackson and many more.