Why not?

This coming Saturday October 8th, the Australia’s Got Talent juggernaut comes to the Adelaide Showgrounds again to hold auditions and this time I’m going to be one of the many who are going to sign up, wait my turn and (eventually) have a go at getting onto the show.

I’ve already created an “Australia’s Got Talent – Open Invitation” page on Facebook as a means of drumming up support for the cause as well as to invite a few more people that I know to also have a go as I think they will benefit just as much from the experience as I will.

The comments and feedback I’ve been receiving on the page have been very encouraging but I’ve also had a few people ask me why I’m even bothering to participate.

It’s a fair enough question to ask and one which I’m sure I’ll be asked in the auditioning process so, I thought I’d take this opportunity to answer the question…

“Why bother?”

Well, this whole caper started about three weeks ago when I received an email from Fremantle Media inviting me to audition.

This completely threw me at first, to the point where I actually thought someone was playing a joke on me. I did however, make the necessary enquiries and realised that the email was legitimate but even so, the email planted a seed in my mind.

It also mentioned that because I started the Open Mic Network, the invitation to audition was also extended to all of its members as well (hence the Facebook page).

My thinking was that if someone took the time out to find information about me online, and from that, decide that I’m a suitable candidate for Australia’s Got Talent and contact me, then maybe the best way for me to acknowledge that effort is to turn up and audition.

I’m looking at this as an opportunity to experience something completely different in my life and to do something that’s way outside my comfort zone.

(The last time I formally auditioned for anything was for the position of Bass Player for the Heather Frahn Band 12 years ago)

The amount of networking that will take place on the day is going to be unbelievable. I’ll be meeting other artists/musicians, performers of other fields and industry people from music and television.

There’s going to be an extremely diverse range of people at the auditions and I’m looking forward to meeting as many of them as I can.

I’m also thinking that because Australia’s Got Talent actively encourages singer/songwriters like me to showcase their songs to a national audience, that would be something that I could leverage to my advantage seeing that I’ve almost finished recording and releasing my own CD.

It was this fact that appealed to my songwriting sensibilities in a way that other programs like Australian Idol and X Factor didn’t.

Also, the opportunity to be given mentoring and feedback on my performances is going to be invaluable for my personal and professional development as a songwriter and performer plus, the possibility of being immersed in a totally musical environment for a while is going to inspire me no end.

But lastly, I suppose the simple answer to the question is “why not?” I know I’m going to regret it if I don’t do it.

Maybe I am a glutton for punishment, maybe this experience would look good on the resume and I know that the money would come in handy (I mean $250K is some serious money) but I don’t want to get ahead of myself here.

This Saturday could be the day that doors are opened up for me that I’ve not had the opportunity to walk through before or, it could be the day that nothing happens, in which case I go back to what I was doing before. Living a full time creative life.

No matter what happens… I win!

Wish me (and anyone else that attends) luck, I’ll keep you posted as to what happens.

Peace,

Corey