Category Archives: BCS Blog

Some footage of me volunteering for McHappy Day’s 20th Anniversary today, raising money for seriously ill children & their parents.

Who said volunteering had to be boring?  Even learned how to make a Big Mac!

Watch for yourselves ;)…

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Happy to finally share this with you guys.

A little while ago I logged some time in the studio with Stan Walker for his new album, Let The Music Play.  For all my international people who may not know, Stan won Australian Idol a couple of years back, but has really gone beyond that to enjoy great success as a recording artist.  He’s a mate of mine, so I may be biased, but he’s a beast!  Seriously though…  Even talent aside, he’s just one of the coolest, most genuine, down-to-earth dudes you could meet.  Pretty rare in our industry.

Somehow, through what felt like spending all our time cracking up & mucking around, we actually managed to write a song!  It’s called Tear Down These Walls & was produced by the talented Styalz Fuego.  Can’t say too much about it, ’cause it’s not out yet, but I will say we were both buzzing after the session.

Also got to sing/produce the background vocals on the final track, Songbird.  That was extra special, ’cause it’s a duet between Stan & his mom.

Like Stan’s said before, there’s really something on it for everyone & I’m super proud to play a small part in this amazing project.  Let The Music Play is officially out now on iTunes & in all good music stores.  Go get it & spread the word ;)…

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Summer times call for summer vibes.  Here’s a little tune, hope you guys enjoy it ;)…

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Still can’t believe I got to support Eric Benet last week in Sydney.  It’s hard to put into words what it’s like when you come face to face with someone you listened to as far back as the CD Discman (who remembers those things?).  It’s crazy man…  Really was an incredible experience.

Watching Eric perform, I got schooled completely, the man’s skill is ridiculous.  Like Joe & Brian McKnight before that, hearing him sing live was like listening to the record – really that good.  Learned a lot watching him.  He’s a cool guy too, was surreal getting to meet him & talk about Twitter (haha…).  Huge shout-out to Delta Bravo Presents for having me, I loved it.

All of that aside, it was just cool to catch up friends too.  A lot of the time (especially when it comes to mates in the industry) everyone’s busy 24/7, it’s like mission impossible to pin each other down.  So events & shows like these are almost kinda like high school reunions, everyone’s excited to see each other (haha…).  Fun times.  A few snaps from the night…

You can check out more pics at my official Facebook page.

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A couple of weeks ago I attended Jessica Mauboy’s Up, Close & Personal event, hosted by Mix 106.5  FM.

Out of the blue, she called onstage for an impromptu jam.  I though it was pretty cool (& brave) of Jessica to do, considering we’d never sung together before & I didn’t even know the song (haha…)!  Totally on the spot & so much fun.

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I first read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People way back in high school.

I can honestly say that the principles I learned back then have played – & still plays – a huge role in how I do things.  To this day, those little gems I learned early on affect my drive & work ethic so much.

Funnily enough, this morning I kinda stumbled on some info about the the author, Stephen Covey, to learn he has this new thing called The 5 Choices (to extraordinary productivity).  Man…  Once again I find myself feeling just as inspired as I first was, reading his book years ago.  Here they are:

1. Act on the important, don’t react to the urgent.
2. Go for extraordinary, don’t settle for ordinary.
3. Schedule the big rocks, don’t sort gravel.
4. Rule your technology, don’t let technology rule you.
5. Fuel the fire, don’t burn out.

With where I’m at in life right now, this really couldn’t have come at a better time.  It’s just so good.  Click on the logo below for more info…

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Hey everyone, how’s it going?

So you guys know I only plug what I really believe in, and this woman right here is way up there for me.  My great friend, Darlene Zschech, finally has a brand new record, called You Are Love, and you can pick up a copy exclusively right now at her website for just $10.

Featuring production from Gospel singer, Israel Houghton, prolific producer, Aaron Lindsey – plus having sung a little on it myself – I can honestly say this project is incredible guys.  Easily Darlene’s best work, it’s not just ear candy, but like the heartiest food for the soul!  These songs will bless you to the max.

Please click the pic below to grab your copy and help spread the word.  You won’t be disappointed ;)…

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Back in June I had the pleasure of going back to South America, on tour with Darlene Zschech.

My first time there was back in 2008, and ever since then I’ve felt like it kind of owned a little piece of my heart.  It’s a funny thing…  The more you travel, the more you just feel like you’re a citizen of the world.  Here’s an account of the tour through my eyes, including some pics & vlogs.

COLOMBIA —► PANAMA —►ARGENTINA —► BRAZIL

Bogota (Colombia).  We were last in Bogota a few years ago, once again, it did not disappoint.  From its rich, interwoven culture heritage, to its amazing food, it’s definitely worth visiting.

We were there to take part in the G12 Women’s Conference and it was an incredible time.  Never ceases to amaze me being gathered with the masses, everyone singing the same song with so much passion, regardless of language barriers.  Another cool thing is we got to sing a bit in Spanish.  Sounds a lot easier than it actually is, I’ll tell you that (haha…).

Panama City (Panama).  This was our first time in Panama, and I vividly remember it being overcast, but quite humid, when we landed.  To me, Panama City kind of felt quite familiar, yet very foreign, all at the same time.  We were told by locals that because of the poor economic climate, many were actually fleeing Panama for Bogota, just so they could make enough money to get by.  Perspective moment…

Roberto Duran Colloseum was the venue we played that night.  I remember it being cold as a freezer inside, because they were testing some kind of new air-conditioning system when we arrived (haha…).  Didn’t matter though, because as soon as people flooded the joint, all that iceberg action didn’t stand a chance!  It was an amazing night, and at the end the mayor came onstage & honored Darlene on behalf of the city.  Real special moment…  Of course, I have to mention that the food was gooooood!

Buenos Aires (Argentina).  My first impression of Argentina was that it’s one of the coolest melting pots I’ve ever seen.  Like a dangerous mix of Paris, Rome and Brazil all juiced up in a blender, and served with a big fat steak.

We were were there for the Iglesia Rey de Reyes Women’s Conference.  Don’t get me started on the boldness and passion of the people there, we could really take a page out of their book when it comes to that.  Man…  They just take initiative and step out in a way that’s uninhibited and refreshing.  I’ll also say that I’ve never smashed a better steak in my life than what I did there, hands-down (haha…).

Foz Iguacu (Brazil).  Because of the ash cloud situation in Chile, we actually had to drive to Brazil from Argentina, and after stocking up on snacks, we boarded a big bus and did just that.  Took a good chunk of 23 hours to get there!  It had to be the most hilarious bus ride I’ve taken, just the random pitstops we made along the way, “wow” is the only word that comes to mind (haha…).

To give you an idea: the second stop we made for dinner, this little diner on the side of the street, had cats walking out of the kitchen.  Now you know we had to be real tired, delirious and just a little hungry to look past that (haha…).  I remember Darlene saying a few times, “Where are we???”.  You had to be there…  At least we’ll never forget it!

When we finally did arrive in Foz Iguacu, we wasted no time taking in some of the sights.  Got to head out on a boat under the world-famous Foz Iguacu Falls and man…  The adrenalin rush was insane!  Just having the opportunity to ride underneath the actual Falls was so awesome.  It was a welcomed momentary detour, for sure.

Reuniting with our friends, the Peixoto family, was pretty cool.  They were hosting our time there, in terms of the events we were doing and whatnot.  The night in Foz Iguacu was at the Itaipu Binacional and it went great.  The people there, and I think in South America overall, are just so hungry for truth – the real deal, you know?  And again, so much can be said about their passion…

Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).  Our final stop saw us back in one of my favorite places in the world, Rio.  Love it there!  The place is always so alive with something going on.  We were there for an event called Apateose, and in excess of 100,000 people came out for it.  You can never quite wrap your mind around that, only that it’s unbelievably overwhelming and surreal to have that many people overpowering you in song – no microphones needed!  Incredible…

On a lighter note, our drummer, Billy Danger, made news headlines throughout South America with a certain stage dive.  I won’t say any more, you’ll just have to watch the video (haha…).

* Thanks to Jared McGhie for the last two photos.

All in all, an unforgettable time of fun, travel, singing in foreign languages, ministry, community and breaking new ground.  Grateful.

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With my stylist, Chip, at Camper’s 10th Anniversary event last week…

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Here are a few shots from the summer campaigns for the Vegas & Hoodwink clothing brands.  Big shout-out to John Fick, Chip Phomphithak & the whole crew.  Ace day, fun times…

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So last night I was pretty stoked to attend the Sydney premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows PT 2.  And this flick was good enough reason to brave the cold for sure.

The movie was ace & to me this was actually the perfect ending to the series.  I think fans will be pretty glad about it…

Some others who showed up to get there Potter on, were Kerri-Anne Kennerley, Stan Walker, Didier Cohen & Casey Burgess.  Here’s some snaps…

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Just got this message on Facebook:

“Check this out…My mate Seanoa Faraimo singing “Don’t You Think” for his Level 3 Solo Perfomance assessment at School.”

– Tone Togiatama

This is so great man…  Seanoa, if you’re reading this, you & your singers did a great job bud!

And I guess this also answer’s anyone wondering whether or not I actually check my Facebook page.  I sure do ;)…

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Jammed this out for you guys in my hotel room in Melbourne before the final show.

This medley was part of my Brian McKnight tour setlist. I wanted to give a nod to my past & the group, Jireh, I used to be in. Hope you guys like it…

P.S. ShoutOut to my ridiculously amazing singers & good friends, Adrian Hood & Tarryn Stokes!  And the mantis, Nigel Hendroff, for the ace guitar tracks ;)…

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Hyped just before leaving for the final Melbourne show!

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Back in Melbourne for the 2nd show…

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Minutes before showtime in Brisbane…

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In Melbourne, just before leaving for the 1st show.  Sorry about the distortion…

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1st stop of 3 cities & 5 shows…  It’s all happening!

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“Your inner circle, those closest to you, should be people that celebrate who you are.

People that are happy when you succeed. Not someone that’s always trying to outperform you, someone that’s quickly pointing out everything you’re doing wrong. It should be people who believe the very best in you.

If that’s not who’s in your inner circle, you need to do like me and gradually start to pull away. You can be nice, you can still be friends from a distance, but your time is too valuable to spend it with people that are not 100% for you.

It’s not the quantity of friends that’s important, it’s the quality of friends. I’d rather have two good friends, that I know are for me 100%, than to have 50 friends that are only for me 80%.”

– Joel Osteen

A Sunday afternoon in Rio…

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