Jess @ gold coast for NYE

I think we already knew that Jess is seeing in 2010 on the Gold Coast but this is a nice article

Mauboy digs the Gold Coast
Seanna Cronin | December 31st, 2009



Jessica Mauboy plays at Palazzo Versace

EMERGING all-round entertainer Jessica Mauboy will ring in the New Year in style tonight on the Gold Coast.

Mauboy's performance at Palazzo Versace's luxury Unmasked New Years Eve Party - alongside Estelle, DJ Havana Brown and Alex Dimitriades - caps off a stellar year for the 20-year-old.

In addition to releasing her debut solo album, Been Waiting - which earned her seven ARIA nominations and featured , Running Back, her chart-topping collaboration with US rapper Flo Rida - Mauboy filmed her big-screen debut in the upcoming musical Bran Nue Dae.

She's also been hand-picked by Byron Bay Bluesfest promoter Peter Noble, after he saw her perform live at this year's Deadly Awards, to join the bill for the 2010 Easter event.

"Jess was so good. My people will go crazy when they hear her," says Noble.

Mauboy arrives on the Coast today ahead of tonight's big show.

"I cannot wait; I'm so excited - there's a little surprise," she says.

"I don't know if you know about the surprise but it should go off."

What will the Australian Idol runner-up sing as the champagne flows and revellers celebrate the final hours of the year in the plush surrounds of Palazzo Versace?

"I haven't worked that out yet. It's always last minute," she laughs.


"I go with the flow, just do it. It's going to be a great night. It will be a great way to finish the year off."

Mauboy begins 2010 with the release of her first feature film, the highly anticipated Bran Nue Dae, filmed over seven weeks in WA.

The big-screen adaptation of the hit 1990 musical also stars Deborah Mailman, Ernie Dingo and Geoffrey Rush and features the acting debuts of singer/songwriters Dan Sultan, Missy Higgins and Rocky McKenzie, who plays the lead role of Willie.

As Willie's love interest Rosy, Mauboy had to rustle up her best come-hither look for a scene featuring a dream sequence.

"I wasn't quite sure where that part was going to be put in the film but when I watched it back I thought that was brilliant," she says.

"It was really fun to have the cheekiness come out of me, to be saucy and sexy.

"That's what Rosy is all about -- finding her true colours, her connection with everybody, with her father and those scenes with everybody and Rocky especially."

Mauboy says she and McKenzie learned as they went and supported each other through tricky scenes, such as their first on-screen kiss.

"I think that was the great thing about it; both of us were on the same level," she says.

"We had no experience. I've had stuff to do with video clips but it was taken to another level in those really heartfelt kind of scenes.

"It was interesting for both of us and we supported each other."

Spending half of her on-screen time singing also helped Mauboy ease into her acting debut.

"I guess being musicians, we're not big on showing our face a lot on screen. It's more about the music," she says.

"I think that's what made us (Mauboy, Sultan and Higgins) really comfortable on screen. We got to play what we do every day and at the same time try and act.

"There were moments where we'd have hiccups and stuff but we had amazing support from the rest of the cast and crew - and Broome. The whole town is very welcoming and very warm."

Bran Nue Dae opens on January 14. Jessica Mauboy plays Unmasked New Year's Eve, at Palazzo Versace, tonight and the Byron Bay Bluesfest on April 3-4.

Coolio...