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| |simon| | |tamara| | |daniela| | |anna| | |jason| |
The Story of Scandal'usWho said, "Dreams don't come true"? Scandal'us are living proof that they do! They believed enough in their own dreams to queue up with thousands of other hopefuls at Australia's largest ever search for music talent. They are also living proof that there is "no fame without pain" as they had to endure a gruelling audition process that saw the thousands of hopefuls reduced to hundreds, then to 36 finalists and then, after several high pressure and tear-filled auditions, down to the final five. On top of that, their formation was witnessed by millions of Australian viewers as the whole process was filmed for the second series of the top rating Network Seven reality television program, 'Popstars'. |
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But what was it that made these five shine out so much over the thousands of other hopefuls? As the Popstars program showed, other finalists also demonstrated an incredible amount of vocal skill, dancing ability and musicianship. So what was it that gave these guys the edge? The judges deliberated long and hard but, in the end, they put it down to that elusive "X Factor" that differentiates a real star from an "also-ran". And so, a mere five months after the original auditions, Scandal'us was presented to the world. So, who are these five talented new popstars? They are Adelaide's Anna Belperio and Daneila Scala, Melbourne's Jason Bird, Hobart's Simon Ditcham and Sydney's Tamara Jaber. What's incredible is how strongly they have bonded as a band in such a short period of time. As fans of Video Hits and avid listeners of the Hot30, they shared a love of R&B and an appreciation for artists including Craig David, Jennifer Lopez, Mya, Destiny's Child and Pink. With this in common, they were determined to make a record as good as anything produced by those artists, but with a sound of their own that would display a uniquely Australian flavour of pop/R&B. |
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Scandal'us made Australian music history by being the first Australian group to enter the charts at No.1 with their debut single and then hold it there for three weeks. The single "Me, Myself & I" is nearing double platinum (Australia) sales and is also featured on the group's debut album, "Startin' Somethin'", already certified gold (Australia) selling over 72,000 copies. Me, Myself & I and its stylish video have captured chart and radio hearts. The only other Australian act to go straight into No.1 with their debut single was Bardot, from the first Australian series of Popstars, who maintained that position for just two weeks. Anyone who has heard their album, Startin' Somethin' can be in no doubt that the quality of their talent is already shining through. The tracks display attitude, killer hooks, strong melodies and above all something sassy with it's own personality. Be warned, bland manufactured pop this ain't. Check out the depth of the album with tracks such as the slammin' R'n'B cut History, the killer mid tempo ballad Startin' Somethin', and ten other perfect pop tracks. The finished 12-track album will surprise and beguile all - quite simply it is the most exciting debut Australian pop album you will hear this year. With a band average age of 20, this really is the new sound of Australian pop. After releasing their second single from the album- Make Me Crazy, Scandal'us was invited to tour with the local British 'Popstars' phenomenon Hear'say in a major tour of England, Scotland and Ireland last August/September. Les Gock, manager for Scandal'us said: "The Hear'say tour is an extraordinary opportunity and will combined with a major media push for the group." |
| Since their return from the overseas tour, Scandal'us has appeared at the 'Rumba' pop festival in Sydney and Melbourne and at last years 'Carols in the Domain'. After struggling to follow up their No.1 hit Me Myself and I, Scandal'us left their record label, Festival Mushroom Records, and manager Les Gock late last year in favour of industry veteran manager Geoffrey Schuhkraft. With firm interest from other record companies Schuhkraft believes that the group can overcome these recent obstacles saying, "They're an incredibly talented group of kids. A lot of people are quick to pan them, but you can't deny the talent." |
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A "totally committed, more determined than ever" Scandal'us will begin a national tour of mainly regional areas, starting in mid-February and running through May this year. Expect big things from Scandal'us - the first hit single was only just Startin' Somethin'. |
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