Interview
Check out my interview with 2005 Australian Idol contestant James Kannis -
Q1: What is James Kannis best known for?
A: Being a bit of a clown and making people laugh.
The interview that I did with 2005 Australian Idol contestant James Kannis in 2009:
As anyone who has a disability will know, growing up can be a real rollercoaster ride. Often you search far and wide for inspiration about how you can make your life more meaningful and achieve a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
For me, growing up with cerebral palsy (CP) wasn’t always easy. In my mid teens, I hit a particularly grim patch. It was hard to believe in myself and I started procrastinating constantly. I desperately needed a breakthrough.
For me, James Kannis, 23, had attributes I aspired to. Watching James changed my outlook on life. I started to think more positively and everything began to look up.
I wanted to thank him personally and let him know the difference he had made in my life. I decided to write him a fan letter requesting an interview. To my delight, he agreed to take up the 'special fan interview request' challenge.
For me, James Kannis, 23, had attributes I aspired to. Watching James changed my outlook on life. I started to think more positively and everything began to look up.
I wanted to thank him personally and let him know the difference he had made in my life. I decided to write him a fan letter requesting an interview. To my delight, he agreed to take up the 'special fan interview request' challenge.
On April, 7, 2009 I interviewed the man himself, and his mum Lenita Vangellis-Kannis...
Q1: What is James Kannis best known for?
A: Being a bit of a clown and making people laugh.
Q2: Do you have any hidden talents and/or hobbies?
A: I can wriggle my ears - that’s the hidden talent, one of my hobbies is meditation, the things that fans don’t know about me are that I’m a health freak and I make my own sage and ginger tea.
Q3: How would you describe your Australian Idol experience?
A: It was a very big learning curve, during the experience I learnt to challenge myself and believe in myself.
Mum: "James had to face his fears all at once."
Q4: What genre was most challenging for you to sing in Australian Idol and why?
A: Australian night, the songs and genres that I thought were going to be hard were very easy and vice versa. I thought Australian would be hard but it wasn’t. R&B, which I like and thought was going to be easy, was hard.
Q5: During Idol, you appeared to provide the other contestants with emotional support. In a time where people tend to look out for themselves, this is quite admirable. Have you always been the one others could lean on, in other words, are you a softie?
A: It was full on and hard to share a house, I always wanted to help. Despite the fact that I was very relieved to be eliminated, my turn for elimination had such a large impact on everyone in the house and we all had to be there for each other, Emily Williams was emotionally hit hard by the elimination so I was there for her when she broke down. At the end of the competition, everyone came back to my house to reconnect and hang with each other again.
Q6: What genre would you best describe your song "Love 2 Love"?
A: Soul pop
Q7: You performed at the Sydney Greek festival in March 2007. What was it like to perform to an audience who represents your cultural background, were you under pressure?
A: It was very good to perform but I found it a little difficult because it was for an audience who represents my cultural background so I felt like I was under pressure to do my best when I was performing.
Q8: How do you write your songs?
A: When I first wrote the lyrics to 'Love 2 Love', it started off as a joke then I was singing it to my mum and she said to record it.
Q3: How would you describe your Australian Idol experience?
A: It was a very big learning curve, during the experience I learnt to challenge myself and believe in myself.
Mum: "James had to face his fears all at once."
Q4: What genre was most challenging for you to sing in Australian Idol and why?
A: Australian night, the songs and genres that I thought were going to be hard were very easy and vice versa. I thought Australian would be hard but it wasn’t. R&B, which I like and thought was going to be easy, was hard.
Q5: During Idol, you appeared to provide the other contestants with emotional support. In a time where people tend to look out for themselves, this is quite admirable. Have you always been the one others could lean on, in other words, are you a softie?
A: It was full on and hard to share a house, I always wanted to help. Despite the fact that I was very relieved to be eliminated, my turn for elimination had such a large impact on everyone in the house and we all had to be there for each other, Emily Williams was emotionally hit hard by the elimination so I was there for her when she broke down. At the end of the competition, everyone came back to my house to reconnect and hang with each other again.
Q6: What genre would you best describe your song "Love 2 Love"?
A: Soul pop
Q7: You performed at the Sydney Greek festival in March 2007. What was it like to perform to an audience who represents your cultural background, were you under pressure?
A: It was very good to perform but I found it a little difficult because it was for an audience who represents my cultural background so I felt like I was under pressure to do my best when I was performing.
Q8: How do you write your songs?
A: When I first wrote the lyrics to 'Love 2 Love', it started off as a joke then I was singing it to my mum and she said to record it.
Q9: Who discovered your singing voice?
A: Mum, she also said that if you don’t believe in yourself, your fans won’t believe in you either.
Q10: What are your personal strengths?
A: I’m pretty much good at setting my mind to doing whatever I plan to do, I’m tenacious, I have a really positive outlook on life which means I don’t have time for any negatives and I like making people laugh.
Q11: On a personal note, you are the eldest of three. For those reading this article and share a household with siblings, who plays boss at your home?
A: My little sister has everybody wrapped around her little finger.
Q12: How have your experiences growing up influenced you and how do you keep grounded?
A: My friends and family keep me grounded and I keep a real and honest perspective when it comes to my experiences.
A: Mum, she also said that if you don’t believe in yourself, your fans won’t believe in you either.
Q10: What are your personal strengths?
A: I’m pretty much good at setting my mind to doing whatever I plan to do, I’m tenacious, I have a really positive outlook on life which means I don’t have time for any negatives and I like making people laugh.
Q11: On a personal note, you are the eldest of three. For those reading this article and share a household with siblings, who plays boss at your home?
A: My little sister has everybody wrapped around her little finger.
Q12: How have your experiences growing up influenced you and how do you keep grounded?
A: My friends and family keep me grounded and I keep a real and honest perspective when it comes to my experiences.
Q13: Being on Australian Idol and being a singer can be personally challenging at times, how do you stay positive and keep strong when times get tough?
A: I have strong support in my family; I try and see the purpose in everything, I’m a risk taker, I never wanted to do anything by halves. I have just dived into everything I tried, when it comes to taking risks, you basically need to stop thinking about it too much because your mind will create unnecessary pain, what I find helpful to stop it is to try and meditate instead.
Q14: What motto do you live by in life?
A: "Do what thou wilt" by Aleister Crowley which means: "do what’s right for yourself".
A: I have strong support in my family; I try and see the purpose in everything, I’m a risk taker, I never wanted to do anything by halves. I have just dived into everything I tried, when it comes to taking risks, you basically need to stop thinking about it too much because your mind will create unnecessary pain, what I find helpful to stop it is to try and meditate instead.
Q14: What motto do you live by in life?
A: "Do what thou wilt" by Aleister Crowley which means: "do what’s right for yourself".
