Jessica Mauboy

When today’s hottest rapper is lost for words on hearing a new soulstress, she must be a future superstar. But it’s an even bigger deal if that divette is Australian.

Flo Rida was stunned by Jessica Mauboy’s crunk ‘n’ B hit Running Back. «He couldn’t believe it,» Mauboy relates with a bashful laugh. «He was just like, ‘What! She’s an Australian artist? Where is she? What is she doing? Is she bringing out an album?’ He was basically asking all the questions. He was really keen to know.»

The in-demand US MC not only agreed to a guest spot, but also appeared in the video, filmed in Melbourne during his Australian tour last year. Flo Rida subsequently raved about Jessica in interviews, «She has a great voice!»

For her part, Mauboy found Flo Rida nothing like the typical flossin’ rapper. «He was a pleasure to work with,» she says. «It’s amazing for him to want to work with me.»

The response to Running Back was so fervent that its release, as well as the release of Jessica’s album, Been Waiting, was brought forward. Released in November 2008, Been Waiting has been a huge success for Jessica ? racking up platinum sales and now featuring four hit singles!

Mauboy hasn’t stopped since being proclaimed runner-up to Damien Leith on 2006’s tightly contested fourth season of Australian Idol. Those years of hard work and dedication have culminated in Jessica’s boldest enterprise yet ? her amazing debut album.

Born in Darwin, the striking Mauboy boasts a unique heritage. Jessica’s father has a Timorese Indonesian background, while her mother is an Indigenous Australian.

It was Jessica’s music-loving Dad who encouraged her to audition for Idol. The aspiring vocalist was initially unsure she could pull it off. She’s inherently «shy». «I was the one in school not asking the questions ? I wouldn’t put my hand up,» Mauboy reveals. Ironically, Idol gave her a confidence boost.

Signing to Sony Music, Mauboy issued a commemorative CD/DVD, The Journey, of live performances, among them her sublime rendition of Christina Aguilera’s Beautiful. The Journey shot into the Top 5 on the ARIA album charts, clocking up gold sales. Jessica was then invited to join the supergroup Young Divas after Ricki-Lee Coulter’s departure ? providing the perfect transition into a solo career.

At 19, Mauboy was ready to show the world her strength as a solo artist with the release of her debut album, Been Waiting. Jessica co-wrote material for her album with Audius, Israel and Adam Reily ? all Australian producers. «Australia needs to know that ? we do have really good producers,» Jessica enthuses.

As with Running Back, Mauboy wanted to convey emotional depth with her writing. «I was willing to really open up about any experience that I went through that was emotional ¬? the ups and downs.» Her foray into songwriting has now garnered Mauboy (along with co-writers Audius and Sean Mullins) a nomination for ‘Urban Work of the Year’ for Running Back in this year’s APRA Awards, which honour Australia’s outstanding songwriters ? an amazing feat for someone relatively new to songwriting!

Running Back went on to reach #3 on the ARIA singles charts and achieved platinum sales in Australia. But Mauboy went one further with her second single Burn, which climbed to the coveted #1 spot on the ARIA singles chart in January this year. Proving she is still a Darwin girl at heart, Mauboy celebrated the news by going barramundi fishing with her father!

Above all, Mauboy is versatile. Prior to Idol she won the country ? yes, country ? Road To Tamworth. Jessica still has a soft spot for country & western queens Dolly Parton and Patsy Cline. «Growing up, there were so many different kinds of music. I just really wanted to explore [them] ? and that’s the kinda person I am. I’m an explorer. I go on different journeys and adventures.

«The country thing, I don’t know how that happened ? I just love that kind of music as well. I grew up in the backyard singing with my relatives, my family, and they were my influences, too. My family introduced me to different music, and I took it on board. Country music is always going to be the roots of my career.»

And, as a product of Darwin’s multicultural milieu, Mauboy is determined to use her high profile to spread goodwill. The communal singer has already visited Indonesia as a cultural ambassador with the Australian Government’s In2Oz: Creative Australia program, and managed to fit in a special guest appearance on Indonesian Idol while she was there ? performing to a TV audience of millions!

In 2009, the accolades have kept coming for Jessica, who was also voted ‘Best Aussie’ at the MTV Australia Awards in March where she performed a sizzling medley of Running Back and her third hit single Been Waiting to a worldwide audience of millions across 162 countries!

Following on from her amazing success in Australia, Jessica’s album Been Waiting has also just been released in Japan and will be released in the UK later this year. Amongst her many music commitments Jessica also found the time to make her acting debut in the Australian film Bran Nue Dae. The film will premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival in early August and sees Jessica share the screen with Geoffrey Rush, Ernie Dingo and Missy Higgins.

Now with a platinum album, a #1 single (Burn), a fourth single release (Because ? a heartfelt ballad also co-written by Jessica) and an upcoming feature film, Jessica Mauboy is shaping up to be Australia’s newest superstar!