Singer and acclaimed actress Jessica Mauboy has been an Australian darling since she first hit our screens on Australian Idol almost 10 years ago. At only 26, she has achieved over two million music sales, 16 ‘Top 30 hit singles’, and the Aria for Best Female 2013, amongst other awards. Jessica is one of the most successful Australian female artists of all time and has now joined the ranks of Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and J Lo with the launch of her debut fragrance, ‘Be Beautiful’.
As the weather starts to warm up, we wanted to find out more about Jess’s new TV role and her fragrance launch, which is a culmination of summer and spring. The fresh and fruity green apple scent is infused with waterlily and cyclamen and is as down to earth and glamorous as Jess herself.
It has been almost been 10 years since Australian Idol, how have you grown and changed in this time?
“Oh wow – it’s been an incredible journey since Idol. I have grown up a lot since that day but I am still very much the same person – just a little wiser and with many more air miles.”
How have you stayed true to who you are and your roots?
“My family is always there to support me and make sure I stay grounded. When I go back home to Darwin I don’t get any special treatment. It’s very important to have gratitude and appreciate all that I have.”
What is next for you, do you have any more acting roles on the cards?
“Definitely! I am currently working on a TV series called Secret Daughter on Channel 7. This is my debut television role and I am very much looking forward to collaborating with some very talented people and making a great Aussie drama.”
On your new album you co-wrote with Sneddon, who has worked with such huge artists such as Lana Del Rey and David Guetta. What was that like?
“He is an incredible talent and I felt so honoured to be working in his presence. We had a lot of fun in the studio; I realized how goofy he is. It was great to be able to express my feelings to someone who is so creative. I would love to work with him again.”
What motivated the huge move to London for 2 months on your own?
“I wanted to explore music and the different sounds around the world as well as experiencing writing with people I haven’t worked with before. I find that I work harder when I put myself in a position I have never been in before. Good things always come out of it. It was challenging but also very liberating and rewarding to have some time and space away from my comfort zone. It really helped me bring out some new ideas creatively.”
Was it hard to leave your long-term partner, how were you able to maintain a long distance relationship?
“It is always hard when we have to spend time apart but we are used to juggling our schedules – it’s part of what I do so just try to make sure we spend as much time quality time together whenever we can. I am lucky he is so understanding.”
Tell us about your new fragrance.
“I have always loved scents so of course I jumped at the chance to do my own fragrance. I worked with an amazing team of people who helped to execute my ideas, and it was a wonderful experience to go inside and create a fragrance from scratch. It’s a completely different process to recording a song and was loads of fun!”
Do you change your fragrance according to the seasons or occasions?
“No, I always stick to the same thing. I am a really simple girl and I know that if you choose a product wisely it can suit all times of day and occasions. I work off of that. For example, I created Be Beautiful to be worn in the morning or the evening. It’s a double whammy.”
Why did you name your fragrance Be Beautiful?
“The title of my third album is ‘Beautiful’, and they share the same message – the idea of being able to identify yourself, to be comfortable with who you are and what you look like.”
