Kate Ceberano is a survivor in the Australian music landscape. From her role as the vocallist in '80s group I'm Talking, through the late '80s 'Brave' era, Jesus Christ Superstar, the pop-filled 'Pash' project in the '90s, right through to her more recent jazz-tinged albums 'Nine Lime Avenue' and 'So Much Beauty'. She's an artist not afraid to constantly evolve. And with her first Christmas album now in the shops, we sat down with Kate to talk the 'C' word, the bawdy showgirl within and putting up with poor interviewers.
“Most of them get so introverted with their questions, they forget that they’re listening for an answer. It’s actually what’s wrong with a lot of TV hosts too. My least favourite response to an answer is this; (Puts on announcers voice).. ‘Soooo… Kate, so tell me, you’ve been doing a Christmas album and…?’ So then I answer, ‘yes actually, it’s been an album I’ve had in my mind… blah blah blah’. And at the end they go ‘alright! And next you’ve also been’…
So in effect, every answer gets answered with ‘Alright!!’ as if he’s ticking off a box. And I said to one guy after doing 50 in succession, I got a little bit short and I said ‘Are you even listening to me?’
‘Alright!!!’ was the response. Look, in a hundred, you could only say that it’s about two and a half percent that are truly stupid (of journalists) and they hide it well.”
Alright… It’s hard to believe that Kate’s iconic album ‘Brave’, which spawned the hits ‘That’s What I Call Love’, ‘Young Boys Are My Weakness’, ‘Bedroom Eyes’ and the title track, is now 20 years old. But Kate tells us it’s as relevant today as it ever was.
“This last tour we did was 25 years of live music and in that, there was a large chunk of it devoted to ‘Brave’. The thing that strikes me is that the song ‘Brave’ is still relevant for me and it’s certainly been a mantra for me for the extent of my career ‘cause it’s basically stating the hopes that I can be actually brave and the hopes that I can become more able to face the things you need to face,” she says, laughing when we ask her whether it bothers her that the ‘Some Boys Are My Weakness’ thing haunts her still.
“Well there’s a point, isn’t there, where it just gets a bit icky ‘cause you’re sort of like at a certain age (dropping into accent) un certain age as they say in France.”
The 25 years that have encompassed Kate’s singing career seem to have flown by, but Kate assures us, “No, I know exactly where they went. I know I worked freakin’ hard at one thing or another, but the main thing is that I’ve been pursuing a very artistic life. Sometimes that’s very public, but then sometimes that’s very private too. The things that one does in the pursuit of art is not always witnessed.”
“Like, for instance, today I was telling somebody about an incident that happened to me in New York, which was extraordinary and it wasn’t an experience that anyone has reference to ‘cause back then we didn’t have video cameras or iPhones or – you couldn’t sit there and record something…
Being in New York and you’re downtown in a club and the singer’s just fled from the stage ‘cause she can’t cope. It was a private party and she was a model who had thought she wanted to go into jazz and my girlfriend had organised a concert of presenting her to these people. Very very hip downtown scene and this singer had just completely lost it. And my girlfriend, who I’d only met the night before at a club, she said, ‘you sing! You sing! Get up and sing! Can you sing!? What are you going to sing!?’ And I had one of those defining moments where because of the experience I had, I was able to get up and say ‘hey, ‘Skylark’ in the key of G and don’t come in ‘til the bridge’. You know, you’ve got this control that only in Australia could you have learnt that skill.”
It’s the skills that Kate’s learnt throughout her 25 plus year career that she hopes will lead her into the next chapter – part performance, part Shirley MacLaine, part Mae West and two parts Bette Midler – if only someone could financially back it.
“That’s my ambition, you know. The thing that I need is money. I’ve got to state it because this is what’s wrong with this country because per capita we don’t have the concentrated effort to put $26 million, which is what a show like that costs.
“If we import Wicked, that’s what that costs and that’s why we love it. It’s got the full ambition of all of America’s greatest talents behind it with creative designer, the writers, the script editors, the lighting, the costumes. Now any less than that and it’s going to look tawdry and homespun and I don’t want that. And yet I know that I could pull of, with all the skills I’ve attained over 25 years, a divine miss Kate. I need like Baz Lurhmann. I need someone or Hugh Jackman to come back. I need a producer of that ilk… See the problem is… if you spend that kind of money in this country, you can’t export it necessarily, so you can’t really get it back. But if it was a show that was kind of generic and it wasn’t relying on a local audience – on a local fanbase only, but was a really great show….
We tell her she could take it to Vegas!
“Yeah!? Or Broadway even! I want to. I dream of it. I’m on it. I actually wrote a one-woman play and put it up at the cabaret festival a couple of months ago in Adelaide for the purpose of starting to sharpen the pencil as it were in the direction of livretto and monologue and music. And it was beautiful. The show was really powerful and well received. But it’s not the sort of thing that I can do in the long run here – I just can’t make a living doing it right now. But it’s done. The cat is out of the bag and this thing is really real for me. It’s something I will want to… So… I’ve said it and it’s out there.”
This year Kate has released her first ever Christmas album ‘Merry Christmas’ (pictured).
And despite some people who’ve questioned it’s release given Kate’s Scientology beliefs, Kate says the album’s intentions are pure and simple.
“In a nutshell… I think Christmas belongs to family, first and foremost. I don’t think it matters necessarily what you believe religiously, I think people innately all believe in family. And that’s we honour – and that’s what anybody honours – anybody who isn’t a Grinch. Let’s face it, all the Grinch is really is someone who didn’t get what they wanted for Christmas, so we know what makes Grinches. Somebody should have just bought them that present. They didn’t buy them that present from thereafter they were like ‘fuck you, I’m never going to follow Christmas again’.”
Erm.. Did Kate Ceberano just drop the ‘f’ bomb? Surely not.
“For me, it’s a private joy knowing that other people know me to be a certain way. It’s never going to be a public persona – they won’t believe it. You could tell them I speak a language like that, but they go ‘Ceberano? Oh no – she’s a Scientologist – she’d never say anything like that!’ They’re imposing their own stereotype all across me! I mean, I am so bawdy. And I’m not saying it to gloat, it’s just I’m a rock and roll girl – I was born and raised in a tour bus. It’s authentic, but they see something different.”
We suggest it may be this bawdy side of Kate that sees her purring sexily all over the Christmas classic ‘Santa Baby’ on the new album.
“Oh you’re just hearing it through different ears. If you listen to it through a child’s ears… It does sound like a little baby singing it to me. I think that there’s something that…” (we interrupt, saying she’s pulling our leg) “You’re seeing me as sexy! Kids are not seeing me as sexy, so there’s like the double life of Veronique is what I’m saying.”
At this point, a couple of Universal Music reps have meandered into the boardroom, and we plump for a vote. It’s unanimous – Kate's version of ‘Santa Baby’ is sexy.
(Kate, innocently) “I can’t help it. It’s not my fault if they write lyrics like ‘come on down my chimney tonight’ – that’s someone’s innuendo, it’s not mine!! Come inside my chimney tonight? No. (Laughter). Come and trim my Christmas tree! Well they’re the words! I’m just singing how it was written!”
We tell her we’ll have to get this well-hidden Kate Ceberano out to the general public.
“Listen, you could try, but they won’t believe you. Because even myself I can’t put my own scandal out there. You could and they’d be like ‘gee these guys are a bit down on Ceberano. They clearly don’t understand her, the sexy Scientologist would never use words like that.’,“ she jokes.
But she does admit to having a little crush on a certain Irish crooner who joins her for a duet on the new album.
“Ronan Keating… I have to admit, I’ve got a little bit of a crush. I gotta say. Because he’s got a great sense of humour and he’s a musician – I’m a bit partial to both those things. I’ve found his interest in me, thinking that I’m a middle-aged mum compared to him, the fact that he was interested and he was sincere really blew me away. I was saying ‘I really like your voice and I love singing with you’ and I was going (GUSHES). Wiping spit off the table.”
More laughter ensues. Joy and laughter. Two essential ingredients for the festive season – and two that Miss Kate Ceberano delivers in spades. Merry Christmas indeed.
Kate's album 'Merry Christmas' is out now.
Santa arrives overnight tomorrow night.
We know, we know... Gosh, they've been out of touch a bit, haven't they? Yes indeed we have - we still haven't even posted a Chart Watch segment this week with Susan Boyle's record-breaking Australian sales (more about them when they come through). But as we keep mentioning, we've been traversing the music stores here in Europe, trying to find some great goodies to bring back just for you.
Kate Ceberano is a survivor in the Australian music landscape. From her role as the vocallist in '80s group I'm Talking, through the late '80s 'Brave' era, Jesus Christ Superstar, the pop-filled 'Pash' project in the '90s, right through to her more recent jazz-tinged albums 'Nine Lime Avenue' and 'So Much Beauty'. She's an artist not afraid to constantly evolve. And with her first Christmas album now in the shops, we sat down with Kate to talk the 'C' word, the bawdy showgirl within and putting up with poor interviewers. 
This year Kate has released her first ever Christmas album ‘Merry Christmas’ (pictured). 
Well it's pretty much the same again at the top of the ARIA singles and albums charts this week - Ke$ha's on top for a seventh consecutive week and Susan Boyle has now shipped more than seven times platinum (490,000 units) to stores since her album was released just five weeks ago. But how many copies did she sell this week? Find out in our pre-Christmas chart watch!
Due to unprecedented demand in Sydney, Lady Gaga has decided to up the anti as part of her forthcoming Monster Ball tour of Australia. Originally slated for Hordern Pavillion in March, Michael Coppel has announced that due to the size of the show, the Sydney dates (March 17 and 18) will now be played at the larger Sydney Entertainment Centre. Extra tickets will also be released to co-incide with the change in venue. Gaga has even recorded a special message just for Sydney fans. Click HERE to see!
It'll be later today when the official chart results from the UK come through - whether X Factor winner Joe McElderry has been successful or not in debuting in the No.1 position in England and therefore scoring the coveted UK Christmas number one. But the video for his debut single has been revealed - and it's the usual fare. Joe's singing to the camera with plenty of love and feeling as we're treated to a trip back through his X Factor journey. 
Aaah the lovely Alexander Burke, who tore up the X Factor finale stage with a rendition of previous single 'Bad Boys' with eventual runners-up JLS. Well 'Broken Heels' is Alex's third single and it'll be physically released early in the new year. But she's whacked out the video - and it seems she's going straight after the lucrative American market (she's told UK TV she'll release her album there next year). She looks amazing there in the changing rooms as she and her fellow players ready themselves to head out onto the pitch (though how she'll handle the pitch in those heels is completely beyond our pop comprehension). But apparently they can do it better in broken heels, so perhaps that's what'll end up happening. But one thing that we don't get is... 'Lex is No.17 in the change rooms, but No.18 on the field. What gives?
As you're probably well aware by now, we at auspOp are on a little pop sabbatical to the UK at the moment (hence it being slightly quieter on the pop post front). But while in Manchester in the north of England, we came across this little gem from former Stock Aitken Waterman poppet Sonia at a record fair. It's her 1993 Eurovision entry 'Better The Devil You Know'. Only in the UK and only in the late '80s and early '90s could you get away with wearing a sailor's hat on a CD single sleeve, but we couldn't resist.
We fell a little bit in love with Corinne Bailey Rae a couple of years ago when she sang us into a trance with her breakthrough Aussie single 'Put Your Records On'. Well she's back with a brand new single called 'I'd Do It All Again' and we're rather excited to present to you the video (we're excited at the moment - we haven't seen it yet, so things could most definitely change). Let's watch it together shall we and come up with a few pointers as to what we think of it...
* The support acts have been revealed for La Roux's forthcoming Australian tour. They'll be joined onsatge at their three concerts in March (Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide) by Aussie performer Bertie Blackman, along with local electropop duo Tim & Jean.
* With his single 'Down' now moving down the charts, Universal Music Australia has serviced 'Do You Remember' - the second single for UK soul artist Jay Sean - to Australian radio. The singer's album 'All Or Nothing' was released yesterday..jpg)
* Kylie Minogue's 'Live In New York' album is making rather a big impact on the Aussie iTunes store. The album, featuring songs recorded live onstage at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom during her recent US tour, is available only digitally in Australia, but is currently topping the albums chart, even beating out the likes of Susan Boyle and Australian Idol winner Stan Walker.
What in the world? You've left us alone for three bloody days while we sweated on everything hoping that you'd eventually return to us and now all of a sudden you're back bombarding us with al kinds of new pop information? You betcha buns! Vanessa Amorosi has revealed the video for the second single from her album 'Hazardous'. It's one of those blue-screen jobs, where Ness has been stuck in a chilly old studio somewhere (looking rather hot in her little singlet top, we have to admit), while images of flames and people parkouring (is that even a word) are plastered around her. And that's pretty much all you get for the price of admission, kids. It should have been so much more.
The boys from US outfit The Fray have experienced some pretty decent chart success here in Australia, what with two top five albums, a top five single and even a No.1 single ('You Found Me') last year. And the boys are giving back to their Aussie fans, this week announcing their return to our fair shores for a series of shows in March and April next year. Along with an appearance at Bluesfest in Byron Bay on April 05, they'll play shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide with tickets for all dates on sale on Monday December 21.
It's shaping up to be a battle royale here in the UK this weekend, with a campaign by the BBC to get 'Killing In The Name', the 1992 hit by Rage Against The Machine to the Christmas number one position ahead of X Factor winner Joe McElderry's debut single 'The Climb'. From all reports so far, Rage Against The Machine is ahead in the sales race - and is currently No.1 on the UK iTunes store. 
We know what you've been thinking... Gosh - they've dropped off the planet!? And while yes, it would appear that we've been lost for days, it's certainly not been our fault. Given a hectic little European schedule over the Christmas/New Year period, we're hooked up to the world wide web via Britain's T-Mobile. Sadly, T-Mobile has classified anything on 'blogger' as 'explicit content' and we've been trying desperately to rectify the situation for the last four days - near on impossible when you're in the depths of country Britain. So our apologies - but we're still here, we still love you and there's a post or three being prepared as we speak.
Susan Boyle has pulled off a stunning sales result this week with her debut album 'I Dreamed A Dream' - and not since the debut of Pink's 'Funhouse' album has a weekly sales figure been so high. How high? Read on in our weekly chart watch segment.
18 year old South Shields singer Joe McElderry has won the sixth series of Britain's X Factor this evening (London time). He won the show over Olly Murs in what seemed like a tight tussle for votes between the pair. It was later revealed that Joe had secured more than 60% of the vote to win. Guest performances on the final came courtesy of Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke with JLS, George Michael and Sir Paul McCartney. Joe will release his debut single 'The Climb' (better known to Australian audiences as the top ten hit for Miley Cyrus) on Wednesday this week.
We gave you a little hint at the identity of the final performers for the 2009 series of Kia Soul Live At The Chapel back in late October - and now it's official. Aussie rockers Jet will hit the Chapel stage this Thursday. The band will perform tracks from their back catalogue, along with songs from their latest album 'Shaka Rock'. For those not luck enough to be invited to the event in person, you can catch it when it premieres on the 7 Network on Sunday January 10 at 10am and on Channel [V] on Saturday February 06 at 5pm.
Things seem to be going rather well in Kate Ceberano's world - not only has her latest album, 'Merry Christmas' now been classified gold (for sales of 35,000 copies or more) just two weeks out from the big day, she's also hitting the shops again. Well just the one shop, to be honest - and it's at the Warringah Mall in Sydney next Saturday, December 19. She'll perform tracks from 'Merry Christmas' from midday on Saturday, staying on to sign copies of the album shortly after. She'll also appear at Carols In The Domain later the same evening and at Perth's IGA Carols by Candlelight the following night. In the meantime, look out for our interview with Kate, posting within the next few days.
The Pet Shop Boys release their brand new 'Christmas' EP in the UK on Monday, and to celebrate, they've released this little live video of one of the songs featured on it - 'All Over The World', the original version of which is featured on their album 'Yes'. Taken from their most recent tour (they're also set to perform at London's O2 Arena on Monday week), the clip features dancers, shots of Neil, shots of Chris, shots of the crowd and some singing buildings. Yes, you read right.
So many HMVs, so little time, as we track down little goodies for you. But what should we bring home? That's the question on our lips as we explore the treasures that London has to offer. The Pet Shop Boys release their Christmas EP on Monday, Mini Viva release their new single on Monday. There are albums from Westlife, Alexandra Burke, Will Young, Cheryl Cole. Singles from Alphabeat, Agnes, Sugababes, Cheryl and a pretty shit one tracker from Alesha Dixon... But what to bring home for giveaways early in the new year? Let us know if you have a preference or if there's something you'd like us to give away on the site and we'll take a pick or five from there.
Poor Julia Stone - there she is having a nice little lay down, performing her brand new single 'And The Boys' to the camera which is perched precariously high above her. Little does she know that by one minute into the new video, it would appear that her house is on fire. Strangely, though, there seems to be no panic in the singer's eyes - she simply pushes her hand through the smoke, while continuing to sing the track. But before we know it, she's out in the great outdoors, flying across a number of different surfaces (waves, asphalt etc). It's altogether mesmerising.
* Lady Gaga put in a mesmerizing turn at Tuesday's Royal Variety Performance in London. The star belted out 'Speechless' from her 'Fame Monster' album while suspended high above the stage (pictured). Gaga met the Queen post-performance.
US hip hop star Lupe Fiasco has announced an Australian tour. With a new album due for release early next year, the star will head to our shores in late February for four live dates, one each in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide. Support for all dates will come from both Phrase and Lowrider, with True Live, Space Invadas, M.A.F.I.A. & Mat Cant being added to the Melbourne date. Tickets for all four shows are on sale on Friday December 18.
Irish singer and Boyzone frontman Ronan Keating has added to his list of forthcoming Australian concert dates. With Tina Arena in the support role, Ronan will now play two extra shows - a second at the Sydney Entertainment Centre and a new show at the Cairns Convention Centre. The new additions take to eleven the number of live dates Ronan will perform on his first Aussie tour in eight years. Tickets for the new dates are on sale on Monday.
Gotta love the gang at Universal Music! They're giving away a free track from Aussie popstress Washington. Fans of the singer/songwriter can snap up the No Device remix of her track 'Cement' simply by clicking on the logo above, or by clicking HERE! The original version of the track is available on Washington's 'How To Tame Lions' EP, which is available digitally now. Gosh, that was easy, wasn't it? And you know how we love free stuff!
* It would appear that Sony Music is keen to keep the Stan Walker ball rolling, with the release of the Idol winner's album 'Introducing' being pushed forward. Originally slated for release this Friday, the album is already in the shops.
We only clapped our eyes on the tracklisting for this one over the weekend, but kudos to Sony Music Australia for bringing together some of their brightest stars for a 17 track collection of Christmas favourites. 
We have absolutely no idea what it is or where it's coming from, but there seems to be something new on the local horizon for Aussie songstress Tina Arena. Revealed in the Universal Music release schedule this week is a title called 'The Onstage Collection' - and what's more, it's a CD/DVD release. More details about it will undoubtedly come to light in the coming weeks and months, but it's currently on the schedule for a February 05 instore date. Tina hits Australian shores in support of Irish crooner Ronan Keating for a national tour next month.
Brother and sister duo Angus & Julia Stone have had quite the few years, travelling the world, capturing ordinary Australians under their spell with their debut album 'A Book Like This'. And with their new single 'And The Boys' being serviced to radio officially today (Triple J's been flogging it for a little while) and the announcement that their new album 'Down The Way' will be released in March, Angus & Julia have today announced that they'll be hitting the road throughout March and April to give the new songs (and some past favourites) a good going over. Tickets for all dates go on sale tomorrow.
Plenty of post-ARIAs love in both the official Aussie singles and albums charts this week - pretty much all the night's performers improved, with The Temper Trap finally getting some love with 'Sweet Disposition'. But as with last week, Susan Boyle is completely unstoppable on the ARIA albums chart, outselling her nearest rival by almost THIRTY THOUSAND COPIES!! Let's check out the charts;
We mentioned midway through last month that Manchester outfit Delphic had inked a deal with Modular Recordings to release their brand new album 'Acolyte', which they'll do in Australia on January 22. And here's the video for the album's first single - 'Doubt'. And putting it plainly, it's impossible not to like. Starting off all clean lines and surfaces, the clip's faces slowly fall victim to a series of little platinum coloured objects - blocks, marbles and what looks like a field of ARIA Awards. Awesome clip, awesome song - now to wait and see if Australian radio (outside the usual suspects - the communities, the 'J's) is progressive enough to give them a go.
Fans of Central Coast threesome Short Stack (who, let's face it are more disciples than fans) will be lapping up the band's latest concert in style, as Shaun, Andy & Bradie take to the stage at the iconic Sydney Opera House for the very last show on their acclaimed 'Stack Is The New Black' tour on Saturday April 24. 
