Kinda looks a little bit like Mark Salling (Puck) from Glee doncha think? Maybe its the shaved head and the lushes lashes? Sorry I digress, meet 21-year old Sean Harrison. He's a singer-songwriter of the indie persuasive and on the phone, he sounds a little bit like a cross between John Mayer and David Tan from Electrico. I heard a small sample of his singing on his MySpace page (check out his version of 'You & Me' and his original 'Girl In A Black Dress'), I dare say he has an interesting tone and style - jazzy like Jamie Cullum and laidback like John Mayer.
Here's the phoner from earlier today ...
So how long have you been performing?
Professionally, for about a year. I mean like, playing in proper pubs.
What do you mean in proper pubs? What kind of 'un'proper pubs were you at before?
Well, I've been playing music since I was 14. I was always the bass guitarist. I was kinda the background guy la. And whenever I wanted to step up, they would always say, eh no, we need another guitarist la, we need a bassist, so that would be me.
He volunteers this next piece of info randomly - he's real easy to talk to :
Most of my music is inspired by women. When I was 16, my first crush liked Michael Buble. So I pushed myself to sound like him. I bought a cheap guitar for $45 and went all out. I know its cliche and all, but I love the idea of singing a song for a girl.
Where are you from Sean?
I'm totally Singaporean la. I eat Katong Laksa, I love belachan, I love durian. My dad is half Brit, half Chinese, and my mom is Eurasian Pakistani. (wow so exotic lor!)
I have an older sister and two step brothers who are half German and half Chinese. My parents split up ages ago but we are an annoyingly 'not-broken' family. We're a big team. My dad is the cool guy with the long hair and the earring. A few years back when I decided to 'quit' school (Sean was doing horticulture - that's code for landscaping artist and dropped out to pursue music), I thought I was being rebellious and was ready to 'get it' from my dad when I told him I wanted to pursue music. And all he said was, "yea sure, go ahead, want a beer?" No drama at all.
So you decided to pursue music...
At 19, I started busking. I was so attracted to the story of the struggling artiste, starting from the very bottom. You know, the story of the lone busker, who's like a vagabond, busking for no one sometimes, trying to make it in the world. Its such a beautiful story. When I started to perform in pubs, I started out at the dingiest pubs I could find. People were like, hey why don't you try out at Timber, nope, not me.
So are you well-known now?
My gigs have been pretty niche. I guess you could say I'm still pretty 'undiscovered', but work's starting to pick up a little.
So what made you join OMG!?
I guess you could say the hardship of busking is really starting to get to me. It really is very tough trying to make a name for yourself. It doesn't matter what you're singing, I've been at gigs where I'm singing to just three people in a pub. I just want an audience of more than three people. I just want to perform, really perform. I mean, it would be great to win the $50,000, but at this point I really just want to perform.
My friend Paul (Twohill, of SI2 fame) was the one who encouraged me to audition for the show. I have been playing backup for Paul for a few years now, and he kept asking me to join - he would say, "eh $50,000 prize money you know!" And amongst friends, we all thought, that could be 'easy money'. But after watching the show, I'm thinking no way am I gonna be able to beat Danny and Jill-Marie. Honestly, I think they're really good. The dancers and pole dancers and all are great, but Danny has this ability to deliver totally unpredictable kinds of stuff.
When I was busking, my mentor was this magician busker who taught me all the little tricks that buskers do to pull in the crowd, and to hold their attention. Danny has all of that and more. He's a serious magician, I've seen his lil card tricks and fire work. I actually still have a little bottle that he signed and gave me to me a long time ago. He's totally outdone everyone. (<--- Danny look! You have a fan!)
As for Jill-Marie, I'm really impressed with her. I think she can play the guitar really well, I saw her on Youtube and she has a great voice. Guitar-skills wise I think she can outdo me, but vocal-wise, maybe we could be on par. The only thing I have (to set me apart) would be that I have a different style. Where Jill is more wholesome, I'm more the rock-it-all-out type of guy. I love to push the boundaries and make it intense! I believe in making people feel what they're listening to.
Say you do win the $50,000, what would you do with it?
I would set aside $1,000 to spend. I promised my four best friends I'd give them a $1,000 each. And the rest will go to my education. Its always been my dream to score music. I would love to just spend all day every day writing music whether its classical or contemporary or whatever, I just want to write music. When I walk around, I'm always thinking about my life's soundtrack.
(Scoring music is basically writing music for a film, think Hans Zimmer - still wondering who? Google it.)
What will you be performing on the show?I'll be singing Five For Fighting's 'Superman'. (OMG I LOVE THAT SONG, video reference right at the bottom in case you don't know it -tsk! It was on the Smallville soundtrack and the theme song for the premiere season). Previously I was in and out of little flings and so this year I decided I would try to make things work with people but it backfired. The song's about someone who's trying their best but still unable to deliver because everyone else's expectations of them are different. The song just spoke to me. And then when I met with producers, one of them actually suggested I try out this song and it was like the universe was speaking to me. The song's a classic.
Catch Sean Harrison (I wonder if he's related to George Harrison - as in, from the Beatles, I mean, his dad's half Brit - could be....) on Class 95's Morning Express tomorrow morning (OMG DAY!) around 9am!
And don't forget to tune in to OMG! LIVE later at 8pm on Channel 5. Feel like watching the show live in studio? Come on down to Mediacorp Reception to pick up tickets at about 7pm and join the studio audience - live shows are always better in person of course!
One Moment of Glory! airs LIVE every Wednesday at 8pm only on Channel 5.
Watch past episodes of OMG! at xinmsn.com/catchup.
Want more dirt on Sean? Find him at his Facebook fanpage and MySpace page.
ps. Want to be a Challenger on the show? Email omg@mediacorp.com.sg and tell producers what your fab talent is and you could be the one to beat them all!
pps. Here's the video of Five For Fighting's 'Superman'.
Lyrics here if you want to sing along ....
(also just coz I had it handy, this is actually one of my all-time fave songs) :
Superman by Five For Fighting
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just down to find, the better part of me
I'm more than a bird
I'm more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train
And its not easy to be me
I wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie, bout a home i'll never see
It may sound absurd but don't be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed
But won't you concede, even heroes have the right to dream
And its not easy to be me
Up, up and away, away from me
Well its alright, you can all sleep sound tonight
I'm not crazy for anything
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride, with clouds between their knees
I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Diggin' for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man, in funny red sheet,
Lookin' for special things inside of me
Inside of me, inside of me
Inside of me, inside of me
I'm only a man in a funny red sheet
I'm only a man lookin' for a dream
I'm only a man in a funny red sheet
Its not easy, ooh ooh ooh, its not easy, to be me
