Jessica Mauboy

Promotional picture for her debut album

**Jessica Hilda Mauboy** (born 4 August 1989) is an Australian R&B and pop singer, songwriter, and actress. Born and raised in Darwin, Northern Territory, Mauboy rose to fame in 2006 on the fourth season of Australian Idol; she became the runner-up and subsequently signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia.

## Early life

Jessica Hilda Mauboy was born on 4 August 1989 and raised in Darwin, Northern Territory. Her father, Ferdy, is an Indonesian born electrician who came from West Timor, and her mother, Therese, is an Indigenous Australian. Mauboy's mother is from the indigenous Kuku Yalanji people in the rainforest regions of Far North Queensland. Mauboy has three older sisters Sandra, Jenny and Catherine, and a younger sister Sophia. From an early age, she was involved in the local church choir with her grandmother Harriett.[10][15][16] Her home was described as the "noisiest house on the block", with her mother often singing, her father playing guitar and the rest of the family displaying their passion for music. Mauboy attended Wulagi Primary School and Sanderson High School in Darwin. She dropped out of school in year 11.

At the age of fourteen, Mauboy's talents were exposed through the Telstra Road to Tamworth competition at the 2004 Tamworth Country Music Festival in Tamworth, New South Wales. As the first winner of the competition, Mauboy travelled to Sydney to perform and scored a recording deal with Sony Music Australia.

## Music career

### 2018–present : Upcoming debut studio album

On 31 March 2018, Mauboy signed a record dear with Columbia.

## Personal life

In late 2008, Mauboy moved from Darwin to Sydney, ahead of the release of her debut studio album. In January 2009, she began a long-distance relationship with Themeli "Magoo" Magripilis, a soccer player and council worker of Greek descent, who was born and raised in Darwin. Magripilis played for the Darwin soccer league's club Hellenic Athletic, the same club that Mauboy's younger sister Sophia played for. After seven years of long distance, Magripilis relocated from Darwin to Sydney in September 2016 and moved in with Mauboy. When she is not working, Mauboy returns to Darwin to spend time with her family.

## Artistry

### Music and songwriting

Mauboy's music is generally R&B and pop, but she also incorporates dance, funk, soul and hip hop into some of her songs.

Mauboy has also incorporated her Indigenous Australian culture into her music. Aside from her vocals work, Mauboy can also play the piano and has co-written some of her material.

### Influences

Mauboy grew up listening to country singers Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton and Slim Dusty; she credits country music as her first love of music, saying the genre "is who I really, really am deeply." Mauboy also grew up listening to hip-hop rappers Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Mauboy cites Mariah Carey as her main influence and inspiration, stating that she has "drawn a lot of inspiration from watching and listening to her live performances". She grew up listening to many of Carey's songs and was inspired by her vocal style and songwriting, "I loved 'Dreamlover' and 'Fantasy' – and picked up loads of tips from her style of singing. She taught me that the lyrics you write have to come from personal experiences – I really felt her music. Now I aspire to writing honest lyrics with real feelings that people can relate to." Mauboy also names Whitney Houston as another influence, stating that she looks up to her and Carey "for their outstanding vocal performances". Her other musical influences are John Farnham and Beyoncé. Mauboy is also inspired by fellow Indigenous Australian women such as Olympic gold medalist Cathy Freeman and actress Deborah Mailman.

### Public image

Mauboy is known for her good girl image and is considered a role model to young girls and Indigenous communities in Australia. Ed Gibbs of The Sydney Morning Herald described her as a "wholesome girl-next-door", while Holly Richards of New Idea noted that she "is renowned for her squeaky-clean image and family values." Genevieve Rosen of The Vine wrote that Mauboy's "flawless public image is no farce. Humble, genuinely engaging and passionate about public service, Mauboy, put simply, is really nice." Anna Byrne of the Herald Sun observed, "It's clear this endearing unpretentiousness is not a fame facade. In every respect, the pint-sized pop star embodies one of the most elusive qualities of stardom: relatability. It's this genuineness that has seen her star ascend to where she actually is." Fashion has influenced Mauboy's music career and image. Byrne noted that her "fashion choices have mirrored her rise in fame, with her style evolving from shy schoolgirl to confident diva, set to steal the sartorial spotlight." Mauboy cites Jennifer Lopez as her style icon. She has worn dresses designed by Dolce & Gabbana, J'Aton, Steven Khalil and Toni Matičevski, and has appeared on the covers of fashion magazines in Australia, including Elle, InStyle, and Marie Claire. She has also appeared on the cover of Who magazine's Sexiest People issue twice; first in 2012 and again in 2016.

Mauboy's weight has been the subject of media interest, ever since her rise to fame on Australian Idol when judge Kyle Sandilands publicly told her to "lose the jelly belly". Mauboy told Women's Health magazine that she was proud of her curvy figure, saying "having curves is one of my favourite things". In 2014, she received media attention for her weight loss transformation from a size 12 to 8. Mauboy has an alter ego named J Malley, who she described as her "fearless side" and "sort of like Beyoncé's Sasha Fierce". Mauboy is often referred to as Australia's answer to Beyoncé. However, she does not agree with the comparisons, saying "I totally disagree with that one. I've...watched her documentary [Life Is But a Dream] and was just blown away by how magnificent she really is and it's so inspiring for me. I just think she's fantastic and I'm completely nowhere near where she is, but I aspire to that."

## Discography

*Main Article: Jessica Mauboy Discography*

* *TBA* (2018)

## Awards and recognitions

*See: List of awards and nominations received by Jessica Mauboy*