Singers From Australia

"I feel proud to be recognised and rewarded for creating music that tells stories of my roots and culture."

"There is a sense of pride that comes with being recognised, acknowledged and rewarded for music that tell stories of your roots and culture. Music that captivates rhythms of the islands. Music that is not only sang in English, but also in Creole and French. I would not have created what I am creating now without that sense of culture, community and purpose."

"In a way, I see myself and my band have created a platform in promoting music and culture of the Indian Ocean island region – Seychelles, Mauritius, Rodrigues, Reunion, Mayotte and Madagascar – while also developing our own sound."

"Don’t be afraid to shake your coconuts!"

"I speak about our history, our ancestors, the slave trade, the European colonial rule, and the melting pot and diversity of what makes the Creole culture and its people."

"I have been doing this for a while now and each time, the audience is always fascinated because the majority of people in Australia have never heard of the Seychelles or know very little about the culture and the music."

"Malcolm is, without a doubt, one of the best things that happened to rock music. Despite him not being in the spotlight, his contribution is more than just of a backing musician. A whole bunch of guitar noobs would say that playing AC/DC is easy, but none of them could reproduce what Malcolm did. Every true rock fan is aware that Malcolm was AC/DC's secret weapon. An essential component that kept things together and locked in with the drums. We could probably write a book worth of quotes with countless musicians praising Malcolm."

"Love is all we leave when we are gone live on In every heart of those we touch In every dream that means so much Yes I believe that all of us live on."

"I’m waking up this morning Grateful for the gift of one more day The light of hope is dawning It fills my heart and lifts my fears away Sometimes there’s a miracle just beyond the pain When you can see the rainbow in the rainLive on, live on Brighter skies will come again Cry the tears you cry and then live on, live on Love is all we leave when we are gone Live on."

"I found for me personally the easiest way to think about things [in the transition to veganism] was to not actually think about the products I was boycotting as food, but for what they actually were—for instance, the flesh of an animal or the embryo of a chicken."

"So many people don’t know about what happens behind closed doors in slaughterhouses and with animal testing. We’re a small minority of people up against large corporations with billions of dollars, but if we can sort of chip away and slowly spread awareness through whatever medium it is, whether it be music or television or anything, it’s going to help toward positive change. … According to PETA, some of the biggest animal-testing companies are Colgate and Gillette … and so whether it’s just having a shave in the morning or brushing their teeth with toothpaste, it’s not just women who are funding animal testing …. Changes in government legislation won’t come without social change. … [We activists] are trying to get information out to people so they know what they’re getting involved in on a daily basis."

"Around the time I was first getting into hardcore/metal/punk and going to shows, I had a lot of friends who were vegan and vegetarian and after having a few conversations with them regarding the subject I realised I'd never really thought about things the way they did. I was never pressured into anything and I found myself doing my own research on the subject matter and after finding some cold hard facts about the meat and dairy industry which disturbed me deeply, I made the decision to go veg and then a year later vegan and I've now been vegan for eleven years with no problems whatsoever."

"I love Rudy and I remember I was leaving for two months and I wept for like 12 hours on the plane because I wasn’t going to get to see him. So yes. I can relate to my self. … But it was only four years — and not that many boyfriends ago."

"I think about you And you think about me I'm thinking what my name is I have amnesia I don't even know you I need my memory back"

"I never think of anything what I said Ever since I lost my memory, it's like they ran away There was an enemy that's stepped on my feet I ran away and trip me on the street"

"My memory helps my speech So I can think of a word and get it right I can't remember someone else Because my memory has changed"

"I don't remember a thing There's fresh in my mind I've got a weakness bump on my head When a rock hits me harder, I'm dead"

"It was bizarre and … kind of a fluke … I'm very lucky, it kind of fell into my lap, honestly. I was auditioning for a part for an American project that was filming in Australia, and a manager kind of saw my tape through that, and sort of contacted my Australian representative, and it kind of all just fell into place."

"I love people and people watching. I love music. I am intrigued by musicians more than I am actors. I have a bigger respect for them."

"My tattoos symbolise something to me, after all they will remain with me forever."

"Jeremy: I wanted to find out what this show has taught you about music and performing"

"Marcia: (Laughs) Well done Hayley! Sex kitten to boot."

"Dicko: The mountain was too high, the river too deep. Cabaret."

"Mark: That was the best you could do."

"Marcia: You look great, you're beautiful and this song suits you. You were being yourself and you did great."

"Dicko: Can I say that you look absolutely fabulous tonight? I thought that was going to be a great song for you, but I can still hear you thinking. You're worth a lot more than you realise, you have to learn to feel more. I think that your greatest barrier is yourself..."

"Mark: I felt that you were singing it to your husband, but I'd suggest that you should block everyone else out and REALLY sing it to your man."

"Marcia: I appreciated the simplicity and when you just stand there and people hear your voice it's beautiful."

"Dicko: You looked beautiful and I enjoyed that. I didn’t think that you over thought that at all."

"Mark: I would say that you are the nuclear power puff girl, you are indestructible. You've asked for positive assistance in guidance and what I'd say is when you're phrasing things you don’t need to end each line the same way, it's about what you don’t do rather than what you do do... And you do look beautiful."

"Carley: I was wondering if there are any pre-performance habits that you have before you go on stage."

"Marcia: Hayley well done, yeah? Well done. Um, you mightn't have been able to dance but you knew where one was and you knew where to start the song. That's all that really matters, yeah? And, ah, great choice of song as well."

"Mark: Yeah, I mean, I concur. The change in the hair, you really light up the screen Hayley, you just, it's beautiful what you're doing. Um, the choice of song. I would never in a million of years have thought of that song for you and you almost got away with it but the bravery and the choice. Congratulations Hayley. Good on you."

"Dicko: Yeah, I agree. Exactly what this competition is about. Um, growing, moving out of your comfort zone. That was absolutely terrific. Mark, in the last audition said that you dressed too old, a little cruise ship. I think you've listen to what he's said and come back and you look fantastic tonight. Every inch the rock star. And, um, I think I've heard that really good fireworks come out of Canberra so you're going to go off like a rocket."

"Marcia: Lovely. Yeah, go the rock chick. Yeah, um, you've been so great through this competition. Um, we've said no, you've come back blah blah blah blah. (sic). You know, um, its great to see you grow Hayley. Uh huh, and step out of that place that's comfortable because that's what being a performer is. Congratulations and a great choice of song."

"Dicko: Yeah, you're a fantastic lesson in persistence, actually. You came and were rejected, and then came again and have got this far. That was an absolutely fantastic song for you and I think we're beginning to see which songs are your comfort zone. I guess the question is, how are you gonna do with more up-tempo stuff? I don't recall hearing you sing too many up-tempo songs so far and if you get to the next round, that's something which you will be tested on. But that was, I thought, one of the performances of the night. I think you're doing exactly what a contestant should do in this competition and that's to rise to the occasion, rise to the challenge and grow. And that's what you're doing. You're growing on me too. I thought that was tremendous, I really do. Well done."

"Mark: Lucky last. We haven't given you an easy time, have we? We haven't actually affirmed you... I know Marcia has. Marcia's really been your supporter, hasn't she. I know Dicko and I have really given you a kinda tough time. But you're still here. You're definitely growing on me. I'm still a bit concerned about the sort of cabaret aspects of the way you present yourself, but gee, the way you're singing is really, really, really, really fine."

"Marcia: It's lovely to see you stand so still and so metered, and sing so beautifully. I do believe in you very much Hayley, but I mean, I believe in everyone who has performed tonight. I fought for you, and I will always fight for you no matter what, because I think you're a very beautiful singer."

"Marcia: You look lovely. People talk to me about you and I say you're one of the kindest souls I know.'"

"Dicko: There was something missing from that performance. It was the tick tick tick of your mind working. That was the first time we saw you sing without thinking about what you're doing. Now the trick is to follow along on that road. Simple melody sung beautifully - well done."

"Marcia: Hayley, I congratulate you from a singers point of view because that's a very hard song to sing. George are the bomb. You did a great job."

"Mark: Yeah, I'm sorry to say, I'm agreeing with Dicko again. There's a mentor of mine who used to say to me, you've got to have a body of fire, mind of ice so that you're mind is going through all of those strange timings and knowing where it's got to go but outwardly you just seem to be going and being released, being free. We see too much of the work with you on that song. We're seeing too much of it. We're seeing too much of the worry and the thinking and not enough of the release. You saw too much of it to me but you know, once again your risk taking is fantastic. I really admire you for that."

"Dicko: Hayley, hair looks great by the way. Curls are good for you. I've got to say, look, I don't think you're a natural at this. You have to work really hard at everything you do and it's pleasing to see the way you're moving in the right direction. I think that was a really tough song to chose. Some of those timings in there, it was a bit like a maths exam at times for me trying to keep up. But I think it's a really good style for you. That type of song. That type of artist, George as well. The only problem I have with you, I've had it for the past few weeks, is I can see you concentrating and I can hear you thinking about what you're trying to do as you're doing it and I don't know. Sometimes I just think if you could switch all of that off and just let yourself go a bit I think you'd be a lot better for it. But that was very good."

"Marcia: First of all, thank you very much for listing me as a highlight. That's very, very kind. I really mean it. You know, Hayley I've believed in you since the day we saw one another in Canberra and these guys have been giving you a pretty hard time. And I've just believed that you've metamorphosized into what you've just done. I really believe in you as a singer, as a person and I know you're one of the only people that helps in the kitchen in the house. That's good too. But you did a great job Hayley. I'm so proud of you."

"Mark: Hayley I know that during this last week there's been a little, um, sort of non-verbal tension between us and it's never really been about you as a person. It's definitely not because you as a person, there's so much to admire. There really is. Your heart and your will is just enormous and there are so many people who have had hits without having classically great recording voices and they've done it on the strength of their spirit and the strength of their heart and you've got all of that and heaps."

"Dicko: Oh my God, you can dance can't you. Hey look, fantastic song for you. You look wonderful. If you can't do bling on a disco night when can you? That was just a real eye opener for me. That was just a real, real joyous experience for me. What we've noticed, and certainly at the finals stage is there is the performance that defines someone and shows their true star potential. For me that was yours. That was terrific."

"Dicko: I thought you sung a dismal song really well. You said it was a challenge for you. It was a challenge for me to listen to it cause I just couldn't follow it. I wanted to party tonight. I thought there were some great songs and that was just a bit of a speed bump in the evening for me and it's a shame cause I think you are growing. I wanted you to tear it up tonight and I think the song weighed you down but I thought you delivered it well."

"Marcia: One of the hardest things to do as a singer is to stand still and deliver a song and you did it. And you did it very well and I congratulate you."

"Mark: I constantly admire your strength but I don't know - I heard pitching problems."

"Dicko said that he thinks Mark has a problem with her and thinks she doesn't have a recordable voice. Mark agreed but said if David Hasselhoff can sell records so can Hayley."