Advertisement

Old faves loosen up

Stan Walker. Picture: Supplied.

Stan Walker says recording his new covers album was the first time in his life he truly felt free.

After escaping a troubled childhood in New Zealand marked by family issues and abuse, the singer went on to win the final season of Australian Idol in 2009 and has since released four original records.

When Walker’s label Sony suggested he should record a compilation of some of the world’s biggest soul hits, he was initially hesitant to revisit his talent-show days and cover the work of other artists.

But once in the studio, the 24-year-old toldAAA he was able to shrug off his insecurities and lay his emotions bare in a way he hadn’t done before.

“Because I knew the songs, I knew what to expect, but at the same time I was learning them in a whole different way,” Walker explained. “It was a freeing thing singing songs like this . . . it’s hard to explain. It was freeing for the spirit.”

The subsequent album, Truth & Soul, was released this month and features classics such as Try a Little Tenderness, Signed, Sealed, Delivered and Let’s Get it On.

Walker also called in his friend Samantha Jade to lend her vocals to a rendition of I’ll Be There and couldn’t praise the Perth pop star enough.

“It was an honour and a privilege to work with her,” Walker said.

“Her voice is incredible, she has such a big voice. People have heard her voice in her songs but I don’t think they have ever heard her like this.”

Walker has plans to release a sixth album this year and embark on an Australian tour once he wraps up work as a judge on The X Factor NZ next month.

The current season has been marked by controversy after fellow judges Natalia Kills and Willy Moon launched a scathing verbal attack on a contestant during a live show, which went viral online.

The pair were fired the following day and Walker is still clearly not impressed with their actions.

“It’s all done now and the focus has shifted back to the main thing, the contestants,” he said.

“It was really annoying that the focus was taken off the singers, more than anything.”