Guy Sebastian reveals truth of 2003 Australian Idol audition

Guy Sebastian nailed his 2003 Australian Idol audition — but he now reveals one comment from the judges sent his self-esteem plummeting.

Guy Sebastian opened up about his lack of self-confidence entering the music industry in the latest episode of Brush With Fame — an issue that came to a head during his very first Australian Idol audition.

Sebastian, 39, has become one of Australia’s most successful singers since winning the first season of Idol in 2003. But he revealed to Brush with Fame host Anh Do that as a teenager, he didn’t think his obvious musical talents could translate to a career.

“I wasn’t sure music was an option for me,” he told Do, recalling a dispiriting trip to Melbourne from his native Adelaide to shop his demo around various music industry figures, all of whom told him they loved his voice but not his look.

Guy Sebastian opens up on Brush with Fame.

RELATED: Mark Holden reveals secrets of Australian Idol

“I was a weird-looking chubby, half-Asian kid who didn’t have the pop star look. I got on the train with all these rejection letters, tail between my legs and thought, I can’t change how I look, but I can still be a musician,” he recalled.

“I’ll just write songs for other beautiful-looking people; that was my mindset.”

But a few months later, he saw an audition notice for the first season of Australian Idol, and was persuaded to give it a go. He didn’t like his chances.

“I thought, ‘As if I’m going to win a TV show, let alone get a record deal’. I’m going to go on TV with all these beautiful pop star-looking people? I’ll never win.”

But he gave it a go anyway, pulling together his best “pop star” outfit: An op-shop sheepskin jacket. “I didn’t have a lot of cash … but in my mind I looked like Lenny Kravitz!” he recalled.

Guy rocked up to the audition feeling like Lenny Kravitz.

Sebastian nailed the audition, performing a soaring a cappella rendition of the Stevie Wonder song Ribbon in the Sky that left judge Marcia Hines visibly moved.

“What a beautiful gift you have … thank you,” she said quietly after he’d finished singing.

Fellow judge Ian ‘Dicko’ Dickson told Sebastian he had “the best voice we’ve heard today,” before changing tack: “However, you look CRAP so we’re going to have to work on that.”

Watching the audition back, it’s hard not to wince — Sebastian shuffles awkwardly and tries to laugh off the comment. Recalling the moment 18 years later, he told Do that Dicko’s comment brought back all his fears about being an imposter in the music industry.

RELATED: Guy Sebastian lost $1.5 million to ex-manager

The judging panel give their verdict.

RELATED: Guy Sebastian embarrassed by wife live on air

“That insecurity that was starting to dissipate came back. I thought, ‘Maybe I do look like crap, I’m not cut out for this.’”

But he kept getting through each audition and within a few months, viewers voted for him to win the season.

It hasn’t always been easy though — despite his success, he’s had his fair share of critics due to the unusual way he entered the industry.

“I knew I was lucky, so I knew that would be frustrating for a lot of people who have really slogged it out trying to get into the scene. I’ve been given this opportunity through Idol — people voted for me. Kids went into debt voting for me! I’m forever in debt,” he said.

“That’s why I keep going, because I was gifted this amazing opportunity. It’s a weird way to enter the industry, but it’s given me a fire that’ll never die out, because people believed in me.”

Brush with Fame airs 8pm Tuesdays on ABC.

Originally published as Guy Sebastian reveals truth of 2003 Australian Idol audition