Ever since he was young, Chris Sebastian recalls being obsessed with music, falling asleep listening to the stereo just quiet enough that the rest of his family wouldn’t hear.
But, it wasn’t until he started high school that he realised he wanted to pursue singing as a career.
“I remember the moment clear as day,” Sebastian told the Weekender.
“There was a teacher at my school who passed away, and I’d never sung in front of anyone, I was terrified, but I ended up writing this song and nervously going up to the school music teacher and asking to sing it, and she said I could sing it at the school assembly.
“I remember singing this song and staring at this piece of paper with the lyrics, and when I finished and looked up, everyone was crying. That was the first moment where I realised that people were responding positively, and that maybe it was something I could do.”
Sebastian went on to be crowned the winner of ‘The Voice’ in 2020 – an experience he said changed his life, but not in the way you might think.
“I won during lockdown, so all the normal stuff that you do after going on a show like that, I couldn’t do. I couldn’t go out and play shows, I couldn’t tour, and even releasing music – my record label waited nine months to release a follow up single after the show,” he said.
“It was really tricky.”
After years of performance venues being shut down, and dedicating time to his own family, Chris will be performing his first show as a headliner at Wenty Leagues Club on Saturday, February 25.
For Sebastian, this will be a defining moment in his career, but he admits there’s a few nerves.
“It’s stressful in a good way, there’s just so much excitement,” he said.
“I’m pouring everything that I can into 2023. We have so much music coming out, and we pushed it so hard, so it’s nerve-racking, just because I’ve had two years of not being able to do it, and so honing those skills again has been something I’ve been doing in the studio.”
The show, which is set to be an intimate and interactive experiencing including many of Sebastian’s own songs and stories, as well as some covers, will be opened by Jordan Tavita, 2022 winner of ‘The Voice’.
“I loved watching him sing. I think we’re quite similar in style, so I immediately gravitated towards having him on the show, so then he could be a part of it and be on board,” Sebastian said.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it, and I’m really going to try to get him up so him and I can do a duet on stage.”
And yes, if you’re wondering, Chris is Guy’s brother.
Chris Sebastian will be on at Wenty Leagues Club next Saturday, February 25 at 8pm. Tickets are $35. For more information or to book tickets, visit wentyleagues.com.au.
Troy Dodds is Parra News' Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia’s leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.