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This Popstar Is Moving On Wednesday, May 01, 2002 www.warnermusic.com.au

“This is one for the average person from the street,” says former Perth furniture polisher Scott Cain, chosen by a telephone ballot of Australian television viewers to be the first solo Popstar. 

“It proves that an ordinary person like me can turn up at the auditions and, while staying true to himself, can end up a pop star.” 

No one is more aware of the quantum leap Scott has taken with the release of I’m Moving On, written by Greg Alexander of chart-topping outfit the New Radicals (You Get What You Give), than the victorious 21 year-old. 

“Before this I was working in a factory,” he says. “And a couple of months later I’m here and elevated to some kind of celebrity status.” 

“It’s a big move, especially considering I have no real musical background, except that I grew up singing and dancing in my lounge room with my family. That’s pretty much it, except for about six months when I played with a band. We did rocky sort of funky stuff. It was a great band, but because I had no other musical experience I didn’t put much into it and I didn’t really know what I was doing.” 

Intensive weeks spent with the Popstars finalists, vocal coaches, choreographers and being tutored by the Popstars industry experts/judges has changed that. 

“I’ve learned so much about music and I’ve been able to find out what’s right for me and what I should be doing. It’s fair to say I’ve learned heaps.” 

Fellow Popstars finalist Danielle Stearman, who made it all the way to a head-to-heat final vote-off for the title, says Scott’s devotion to making the most of his steep learning curve is one of many good reasons why he’s the ideal Popstar. 

“He definitely deserves this,” she says. “Watching him as the process has gone on, he’s learned so much and has proved he has so much talent there, which we’re really only starting to see now. I’ve watched his confidence grow, and through it all he has been honest and himself.” 

Popstars judge and label manager of WEA Records, Matt Medcraf agrees: “Scotty is a larger than life character. He’s animated and has so much energy as well as a great voice, despite being for the majority untrained. He’s a classic example of what Popstars is all about. He started off a little rough diamond and now shines. He has truly nailed his song in all aspects.” 

A self-proclaimed ‘ordinary guy’, Scott says that while his fun and outgoing personality may have helped him score crucial audience votes during the early weeks in the Popstars household, his vocal abilities have now been polished to meet that of some other contestants who have worked for years on their skills. 

“My last performance in the workshop wasn’t that good vocally,” he admits. “It was more of a dance performance with heaps of attitude. I think it’s that attitude that got me through…but now I know my singing is where it should be as well.” 

Now, it is on with life as a pop star, and Scott could not be happier with his debut, I’m Moving On. 

“I heard Greg on the demo and I thought, ‘this is a great song and he’s got a great voice’…but I wasn’t sure about some of the lyrics at first,” he laughs. “They seemed a little corny. But now I think it’s a fantastic pop song that’s fun and got a great feel to it. It’s a song that people are going to like to listen to and at this point in my career, that’s the best thing that I could ever have hoped for. 

“I’ll wait until later, when I’ve got some songwriting experience before I start to put all that deep and meaningful stuff about me in my songs.” 

Regardless of where his new career takes him, Scott is determined to always put his fans first. 

“My agenda from here is to stay me, because that’s who people voted for,” he says. “ I don’t want to lose my street value. Even the clip to the single is me. It’s filmed in a street and has skateboards and all of that sort of stuff in it – because that’s me, who I am. 

“And hey, I want to make this my living. I don’t want to go back to the factory!”