Express Yourself: Shauna Jensen

SYDNEY: Embark on a personal musical journey with singer Shauna Jensen in her new intimate showcase, Divalicious.

Your latest show at Slide is entitled ‘Divalicious’. What is the show about?

The show is all about me. The first act is taken from my show from 2006, which chronicles my life from age 7 when I first appeared on TV to present day, through stories and songs. In this version, I’ve added a few ‘divalicious’ songs that I love to sing.

Who would you regard as the diva that has inspired you most?

Aretha franklin would be the number one, then Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight, Etta James ... oh my god, I could go on forever.

You caused quite a stir with your appearance on The Voice. What goes through your mind when you see that footage now?

To be perfectly honest, I’ve only watched the footage once, so can’t say that much goes through my mind when I watch it. But when I think about it, honestly, I did the best that I could do in that moment, given the circumstances.

Were you surprised at the response of the community/fans in the wake of your appearance on the voice?

I’ve had well over 2000 emails from fans and friends applauding me for giving it a go, and applauding me for giving it to the judges. Oh my god – if only the TV audience had seen the entire conversation that went on!

I have had maybe five hate emails about it and that’s disappointing when they’re from people you know but that’s what the delete button is for. You’re never going to please everyone – I learned that a long time ago.

I went on there in the hope that it wasn’t going to be another Australian Idol, which is exactly what it turned into.

And now, it’s given me another “event” to add to my cabaret show – Act 2.

You’ve been described as a singing ‘diva’ yourself – how do you feel about such a label?

If you ask my closest friends they will tell you I can be a bit of a diva. Often, people call you a diva when you ask to be treated with respect or courtesy afforded to other people that you’re not receiving. You then get labelled difficult and hence – diva.

I would never call myself a diva. For to me, a diva is a term for an amazingly fabulous singer.

What’s next for Shauna Jensen?

I’ve just had an EP released on Wayne G’s label, Bennu Records. It’s available on iTunes and all digital platforms.

Divalicious, Thursday, July 19, Slide, 41 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst. Dinner & show $70/show only $25. Book: www.slide.com.au