Jessica Mauboy says she would have sung barefoot to save Melbourne Cup performance

IT WAS the shoe scandal that stopped a nation. But Jessica Mauboy has revealed she was willing to go to great lengths to salvage her performance.

Jess Mauboy

JESSICA Mauboy has said she would have been happy to sing wearing thongs, or even barefoot, if it would have helped ensure she could have sung the national anthem at last week’s Melbourne Cup.

The ARIA-award winning artist also revealed while the Myer top brass have been in touch following the shoe scandal she had heard nothing from the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) who staged the event.

Mauboy found herself an unwelcome addition to the headlines when she failed to take to the stage to sing the national anthem at last Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup, reportedly because the shoes she was wearing were not stocked by race sponsor Myer.

After the incident Mauboy’s management team issued a statement declaring her no-show was due to a “miscommunication with her styling team”.

Talking to radio host Alan Jones on radio station 2GB this morning Mauboy confirmed the shoes were indeed the sticking point.

“I thought I looked pretty deadly,” said Mauboy, “[The] dress was perfectly in the right form, the fascinator was amazing, the shoes were a problem,” she said.

When Jones asked if the shoes were the wrong brand, Mauboy replied, “apparently”.

The singer went on to say the to and froing about the shoes led to “really bad energy” that put her off her form.

“It was devastating really. It wasn’t directed to me but I knew something was wrong — I got spooked.”

Nadia Aya sung the national anthem instead of Jessica Mauboy who pulled out controversially. Picture. Andrew Tauber

Mauboy said the last minute drama led her to tears and if she could have simply taken the shoes off, she would have. “I’d be happy to wear thongs, that’s just the person I am. I’d be happy to where a trackie suit, get on there barefoot perhaps, but it was really about performing.”

While Prince of Penzance may have been the winner at the carnival, department store Myer were arguably the loser dragged into not only the Mauboy maelstrom but also into claims actor Hilary Swank was not allowed to be pictured holding the Melbourne Cup because she was wearing an outfit from rival David Jones.

Myer claimed they were only aware of the issue when media reports surfaced while Mauboy said Myer chief executive Richard Umbers had since written a “really beautiful letter and I thank him very much.”

However, she said, the VRC had not been in touch.

Following the Cup, the VRC released a statement saying they were “disappointed” Mauboy had to be replaced on stage. Chief Executive Simon Love said the organisation, “values, respects and supports the very important commercial partners who make a vital contribution [and] the VRC seeks to protect this exclusivity,” reported Fairfax Media.

Mauboy said she was indebted to back up vocalist Nadia Aya, who replaced her on stage with just minutes to go. “Thank goodness for Nadia,” she told Jones. We’ve been performing with each other for a very long time. We have each other’s back, she’s my best friend and I thank God for her.”

Originally published as Jessica Mauboy says she would have sung barefoot to save Melbourne Cup performance