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The sultry brunette seems to have resonance in the Idol competitions around the world. The latest winner of Australian Idol is following the path blazed by Katharine and Eva Avila. Natalie Gauci doesn't quite have as a big a voice as Kat, and she's not as attractive, but is maybe a little more versatile. Thoughts?
Top 6: Umbrella (Rihanna) - "Your bum looks fantastic!"
Top 5: Boys In Town (DiVinyls) - from playing the piano to singing atop it.
Top 4: How High the Moon (Ella Fitzgerald) - finally a contestant who can pull off the scatting!
I'm usually ambivalent about people plugging other artists on this site, but I can't help myself - I love Natalie Gauci! She can seemingly sing any genre, from disco to pop, rock, standards, and jazz, while maintaining her own distinctive style. I also love how Nat can croon from behind a piano, but is just as comfortable working the camera and the audience with just a mic, unlike the current crop of AI contestants (*cough* Brooke *cough* Jason Castro). She shined while performing many recent (21st century) hits on Australian Idol, but hit her peak on top 4 big band night, hiding her jazz background before upstaging a trumpet-playing scat competitor.
Nat also had to endure repeated criticism about her appearance from a judge, who even told her that her butt looks too big on TV; this guy makes Simon Cowell sound diplomatic. (I included the judges' comments where possible - at least they're more insightful and entertaining than the 3 stooges in the US version.) Natalie had a wonderful sense of humor about it all, though, wryly asking "Does my bum look alright?" after she was complimented for the way she looked in the Umbrella performance. I'd agree that she didn't always present herself right, but at her best, she is cute as all get out.
Apparently there are a couple of big Kat fans in Natalie Gauci's fan forum. I wonder if they're members of KMF? Idols from other countries SEXY HAIR Nat + Kat!
Please, Natalie, come to the US soon!
Top 10: I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor) - disco queen brings down the house!
Non-Competition Show Special: Crazy (Gnarls Barkley) - working the piano again.
Top 4: Orange-Coloured Sky (Nat King Cole) - great interpretation of a somewhat schmaltzy standard; try to ignore the dress, though .
Top 2: Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush) - no judge comments are given on Top 2 night.
There is nothing wrong with plugging in other artists on this site, I think. News spreads around and if it came from this site, this site would be known, and Katharine would be paid homage to, as an AI alum. I do believe in networking. If we become too exclusive, we would come across as too limited. Our goal should be for this site to be as circulated as can be. Any good news about Katharine and other idols or artists is just as good as eating a freshly baked apple pie. I feel proud to be writing on these forums. It makes me feel close to Katharine.
Thanks for your support, mattsie. The Kat discussions have been quiet recently, so I feel guilty about increasing the number of threads devoted to other singers.
Some of Natalie's pre-Idol singing has shown up on YouTube. It's interesting to see the decidedly unglamourous gigs Gauci had to play. I would hate to be performing, in cramped quarters, for people who primarily are not there to listen to you, but Natalie did them enthusiastically. She's really had to pay her dues. But I love how the bandleader says "look out for her, she's going to be a star, ... when you see her, remember you saw her here first."
Singing with a guitarist in a teahouse: Autumn Leaves, Have You Met Miss Jones, and Over the Rainbow
Singing with a local big band at a swing dancing event: Orange-Coloured Sky
I don't know if I'd want Natalie and Kat to sing together. They're both incredible, but I think you need a contrast if 2 people are going to sing a duet, and they might be too similar. I've only heard them sing 2 songs in common: Feeling Good and Over the Rainbow. I prefer Kat's version of both songs, but I think Natalie does other things better. (ducks from flying bottles)