Let Yourself Shine

heart

What’s shining inside you that the world has never seen? What’s the passion that you’re too scared to show anyone?

A strange thing has happened with television talent shows over recent years.

Around a decade ago we started seeing a trickle of reality shows that gave people a shot at fame and fortune. Idol, Popstars, X Factor, So You Think You Can Dance, The Voice, Australia’s (or whatever other country) Got Talent and several others filled our screens. Some have continued, others have headed to the TV graveyard.

A lot of these shows used to focus heavily on those who are completely unaware of how badly they sing. Auditions were full of spectacular failures, shown only so that we could laugh at others and mock their inabilities. Thankfully that’s changing.

While there are still some auditions featuring those who have been told by their mums how brilliant they are when they can’t actually hold a note, we’re seeing more and more of those who don’t seem to fit the expectation of the good looking pop package walk on stage and surprise us with amazing performances.

Refuse to wear someone else’s labels.

Something rises in us when we see someone showing that they can’t be judged by the narrow criteria we so often use to classify others as not worthy of our attention. I think it’s often because we recognise something in ourselves that’s never been able to see the light of day. There’s something hidden inside us that we’re too afraid to put on display because we don’t believe we could handle the possibility of rejection. In watching someone else overcome the labels our hearts celebrate …. but there’s a part of us that still wishes others would see the beauty inside us.

Over the years We’ve seen triumphs from people like Susan Boyle, Paul Potts and several others. A few nights ago on Australian television we saw another person defy the stereotypes to soar into our hearts. Check out this video of Leon Lee, a 19 year old university student.

No one expected too much of Leon.

You can tell that the audience didn’t expect anything great. The judges exchanged knowing smiles that said they expected Leon’s audition to be a bit of a train wreck. But then he sang.

There was something in Leon that most people had never seen. Thankfully he had the courage to put that something on display.

I wonder what’s inside you.

It might not be a great singing voice or anything to do with performing but it’s still there ready to shine. What are you hiding for fear of rejection?

Maybe there’s something inside you that wants to shine, not for the whole world, but for those closest to you. Are you prepared to trust someone else enough to shine?



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Mark Vincent in Perth

A couple of years ago Mark Vincent was just another school boy, but he was a school boy with an amazing talent.

In April 2009 Mark won Australia’s Got Talent. He was just 15, and even more surprisingly, he wasn’t singing the latest pop music, he was singing what some have termed, pop opera. He was a young boy with a remarkably mature voice. His main inspiration then, and still now, was his late grandfather, Bruno, who raised him and taught him how to sing.

In October 2011, Mark has just released his fourth album and is looking to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Anthony Warlow.

Mark Vincent has grown into his skin, and it shows. Finally, the young man with the extraordinary voice has turned 18 and there is a subtle, fresh confidence to his persona, a slight swagger to his step – and yet, he exudes the same humility which has won him legions of passionate fans. It’s this constant young-yet-mature juxtaposition which defines his unique character, and has seen him now release album number 4 – entitled ‘Songs From The Heart’ – with a collection of timeless songs, sure to emulate the success of previous albums. Indeed, first album ‘Mio Visione – My Dream’ reached #2 on the ARIA album charts, followed by ‘Compass’, and then ‘The Great Tenor Songbook’, which went Gold and charted #2 and #18 respectively on the ARIA album charts.

And yet, this young man’s head – fresh out of high school, and ready to embrace a fulltime career as a recording and performing artist – is not at all in the clouds. His feet still firmly on the ground. His heart always connected to his much loved family, and a genuine affinity to his fans which is endearing and true. Despite the huge success of his first three albums, Mark declares his favourite pastimes to be simple ones: hanging out with his buddies, enjoying the company of older folk, and delving – for the first time – into the possibility of young romance. And of course, singing. Always singing – his first, last, undying passion. It’s something stamped in his DNA, the blueprint to his life.


Songs from the Heart is a collection of music that is sure to be loved by his wide fan base. Tracks on the album include Amazing Grace, Till I Hear You Sing, Climb Every Mountain, Bridge Over Troubled Water, My Heart Will Go On and several others.

Mark is in Perth this weekend for Channel Seven’s Telethon. I caught up with him yesterday, the day his new album was released. I chatted to him as part of the Morning Café, my radio program on 98.5 Sonshine FM. You can hear our conversation by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR141011_1404.mp3]

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Jack Vidgen in Perth

Until recently he was a Sydney school boy. These days he’s touring the country with a growing overseas interest in his amazing new career.

Jack Vidgen is only 14 but his voice has an incredible maturity. He’s able to sing meaning into his music in a way that many people twice his age just can’t.

Jack burst onto our TV screens on the 3rd of May this year in his first appearance on Australia’s Got Talent. He quickly became a favourite and progressed through to the final which he then won thanks to votes from fans around the country.

Jack Vidgen joined me in the studio today as part of the Morning Café on 98.5 Sonshine FM.

You can listen to our conversation by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

From the moment Australia first saw Jack it was obvious that he’d had performance experience. We talked about his previous experience and the journey that led him to the television talent show. I also asked how someone so young remains grounded when they have people in the music industry, including the judges on Australia’s Got Talent, saying such incredible things about him and his talent.

Jack is constantly compared to Justin Beiber but I’m sure it won’t be long before the world knows him for who he is rather than any similarities between him and other singers.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR310811_1056.mp3]

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