Shannon Noll embraces national icon status in ultra-Aussie campaign

Don’t be surprised if Shannon Noll’s ‘What About Me’ hits the charts again this week, as the Aussie icon unpacks its legacy for a new campaign.

It’s up there with Horses as the ultimate Australian pub anthem – a song you want scorching from the speakers at closing time.

For Shannon Noll, What About Me represents a whole lot more than a euphoric encore.

It marked his stamp on the charts post-Australian Idol, is his all-time favourite song to perform live to this day, and just quietly, continues to “absolutely” provide for his family.

It’s been 20 years since the 49-year-old singer pushed out his own version of the 1982 original by Moving Pictures, which went on to become Australia’s highest selling single of 2004 (take that, Guy Sebastian).

Now, two decades later, don’t be surprised if the earworm hit sneaks its way into the charts again this week, with Noll, or ‘Nollsie’ as he’s affectionately known, fronting Channel 7’s star-studded new sport campaign, adapting his song to ‘What About Free’ to promote the network’s gratis broadcasting of AFL and cricket on its new dedicated channel, 7plus Sport.

Shannon Noll fronts Seven Network's latest campaign, adapting his song to 'What About Free'.

Noll, who released the song as part of his debut album That’s What I’m Talking About, said he hasn’t once tired of having to perform What About Me, crediting the gusto from crowds for making it as exciting as it was all those years ago.

And those royalties must be all right?

“Oh, absolutely. Definitely for the guys who wrote it,” Noll laughed, subtly diverting from being drawn into specifics, such is the groundedness that makes everyone feel like Nollsie is their good mate.

As for why it’s such a crowd pleaser, Noll puts that down to relatability. We’re all united in wanting someone to give a damn.

“Especially in this day and age too with political uncertainty around the world, people are just desperate for somebody to give a crap about them for a change,” he said.

Nollsie is one of the most beloved Aussie performers. Picture: Kevin Farmer

He continued, “For me, I came from a small country town, so the song suited me down to the ground lyrically, and I think that’s probably 90 per cent of the population out there. They’ve really found it relates so well to them.

“Everybody, every now and then, wants to say, ‘What about me?’”

His involvement in Seven’s latest ad has Nollsie in equal company with a flurry of revered Aussies, including former cricket captain Ricky Ponting, commentator Bruce McAvaney, cricketers Aaron Finch and Ashleigh Gardner and former Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge.

Noll is certain if showbiz didn’t work out, he’d be playing sport. His entire childhood growing up in central western NSW alongside older brothers Adam and Damian revolved around “anything with a ball or a racket or a bat”.

Also, fun fact, the performer is second cousin to cricket legends Mark and Steve Waugh.

“I’m an absolute sports nut. Growing up, every weekend we’d have whatever sport was playing, whether it be golf, cricket, tennis, or football. We’d have it on 24/7,” he said.

“And just witnessing so many memorable sporting moments over the years. I still remember Kostya Tszyu … I was on a road trip [during one of his fights] and I pulled into a town just so I wouldn’t miss him. I watched it with total strangers and I couldn’t contain myself.

“So it just seems so fitting for me to be a part of this campaign.”

But Noll’s future in music was sealed with the debut season of Australian Idol in 2003, where he was infamously “robbed” by Sebastian in the grand finale, a moment watched by more than three million households.

Shannon Noll and Guy Sebastian starred in the debut season of Idol in 2003. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

Noll is currently in the midst of his first structured national tour in more than a decade, where, you guessed it, What About Me is the highlight performance for both Noll and crowds alike.

“I’m very blessed that a lot of artists over the years who’ve had a big song early in their career can get over it after 20 years, but it couldn’t be further from the truth for me,” he said.

“I absolutely love singing the song, I’ve just got so much respect for it. It’s not only done so much for me, but it’s such an amazingly crafted song. It did so much with people 20 years before I got my hands on it, and then I was just lucky enough to bring it to a whole new audience 20 years ago on Idol, and it just continues to grow a bigger and bigger audience with young ones coming through.”

Originally published as Shannon Noll embraces national icon status in ultra-Aussie campaign