Q ’n’ A: Jessica Mauboy

You’ve come off the back of The Sapphires, and completely changed gears. 

Certainly. I must say the decision for the direction of the album was due to a number of things. Coming off the back of Sapphires, and that real soul music, I fell in love with it, and it was hard to have not that much time to put an album together, and really think about what I wanted to do. I had some idea of where I wanted to go, but I didn’t have that time, so when I did have that opportunity to sit in the studio and just free flow, it made it easier, and I had travelled and worked in the States with friends and various people, and just not having that pressure and not having something trying to tell me what I wanted to do was nice. I had stories and it was nice to be able to sit in the studio and have it all come out.

But, moving in another direction, it was just something that I had to naturally go with, with my experience, and the two years that I spent away, there were times were I felt sad, because I just wanted to write and be in the studio, and I just didn’t have that time.

With that in mind, the focus has been on your acting recently. Is that something you will pursue or pull back from? 

The Sapphires was definitely a special project to work on, and I felt that on a personal level. It was a story I wanted to help tell. It’s so true to Australia and there’s so much history there, and I wanted to be able to be a part of learning that, and also telling it. I feel that being a part of the music world has allowed me to become a role model in my community and the rest of the country. It was something I wanted to do, and I fell in love with, and I just naturally performed. It just naturally flowed, so if another film happened to come by, and it naturally fit me, and I could play the role, and felt I could do it, then I would do it. But right now, I have so much material and the little bubble that I’m in, I’m in the musical world and I am very happy.

How does the new material differ from Get ‘Em Girls? 

It’s not that different. It’s between my first album Been Waiting and Get ’Em Girls. Both flavours. It’s a bit of old school in with the new. I’m such a big ‘90s fan and grew up with the ‘90s, and I love how artists had such big vocals and yet such simple bedding on the tracks – and they use such little effects. So I think I hit the spot with that, but it’s not that different, it’s not a completely different direction; I felt really controlled with this album, and I’m happy to have been able to spend day and night creating a whole bunch of music. I had to cut it down to 14 tracks, and it was really hard. It’s better than having nothing though.

Have you finalised a tracklisting yet? 

Not quite yet. I have three more songs to put vocals on, in another two weeks it should be ready. It’s getting closer by the minute.

How is this period of the record being almost complete, but knowing it’ll be a while before people hear it? 

I’m getting impatient [laughs]. With myself, though, I know it all sounds amazing, it’s just a little bit over the fence, so I’m just waiting for that gate to open. Like I said, in another two weeks everything will be finished.

And while this is all happening, your profile is rising in America. 

I know, it’s so crazy. Just when I think it’s coming down, someone in the industry picks [The Sapphires] back up again. Whoopi Goldberg tweeted three times about how she had seen the film, telling her fans to go out and watch it, saying that she loved the soundtrack and all the songs, so it is crazy to think that such high-profile celebrities are coming on board, having seen the film – it just gets bigger and bigger. I’m so proud of the film, and had a blast making it. It definitely tops the list of everything I’ve done. 

How do you feel about the controversy around the American artwork? How is it watching that unfold? 

I’d [initially] only seen the articles, I hadn’t seen the visual artwork and it shocked me a little bit, because I had been reading all these little comments about, “Why are these women being whitewashed, bluewashed? Why are they background, and Chris O’Dowd’s in the front?” And it was crazy because I hadn’t seen the image, so I was quite shocked. But when I had seen the image, I understood where [the controversy] was coming from then.

You know, I think my first thought was, “Wow, I can’t believe it’s being released in America, physically”, that’s huge, so I celebrated that, in that sense. Then I’d seen the image and was like, “Owww, I know where you’re coming from” and then my first thought was about the original Sapphires and what they would think, so it was a little bit nervy and nailbiting around that point.

I’m sure there are going to be many people having their opinions on it, and wanting to have their say, so I mean it’s going to be a pretty long one [laughs]. Apparently there’s being a petition signed saying that they want it to be changed.

And what are your feelings on that? Would you like to see the artwork changed? 

I’m sure that to have a few options would be nice. I mean, our image here in Australia was incredible. I thought that was amazing, and that maybe they would have kept it the same. But obviously they have a selling point, and that’s what they think could sell, but whatever, you know.

They can do whatever they want with it, it’s obviously their project, and I guess they are going to have to deal with a lot more people saying what they want. So we’ll just see what happens. Better options would be nice.

And back to your music. When was the last time you listened to your first record, and what were your thoughts? 

[Laughs] Oh, I haven’t listened to it for a long time. There comes a point where you have to surround yourself with new stuff, and you have to think about the new music. And I hardly ever have time. I think the only time I listen to my stuff, is when people tell me what their favourite songs are, and they are always from my first album. So, that’s the only time I engage with my first album.

And from that same time period, on that series of Idol, if you had to go back and give young 16-year-old Jess some advice, what would it be?

Yeah! [laughs]. That this industry’s a really tough industry, and just to keep your loved ones close, keep your family close, and know who you are, and know where you come from, because sometimes things can start getting a little dreamy and out of focus. Stick to who you are, and what you know best, and learn, and get better. I think that’s about it. Stay in tune and be honest to yourself.

That’s really nice. Do you think that’s what you’ve done? 

Yeah, you know what, I think that’s what’s kind of kept me together, and not get crazy, and lose focus. I am a family-oriented young woman, and I love being surrounded by all my family, and my mum and dad, and I still keep their opinions in my world. They are always keeping me focus and reminding me who I am.

To The End Of The Earth is out now. Jess’s tour dates are below. 

November 2: Perth Arena,
November 7: Adelaide Entertainment Centre
November 9: The Plenary, Melbourne
November 13: Wollongong Entertainment Centre
November 14: Newcastle Entertainment Centre
November 15: Sydney, Star Event Centre