Hi everyone, thanks to this episode of Nick Egan Tribes. On this episode, we have an incredible guest. We have the amazing Casey Donovan. Casey's an Australian singer, songwriter, actress, theatre actress, and author. Casey's just released her incredible new single, Shake It. And welcome to the multi-talented Casey Donovan and thank you for coming on the podcast.
Not a problem. Thanks for having me.
May I say your performance on New Year's Eve was incredible too.
Well, thank you very much. It's the best time of the year.
I know it is. How was your holidays? How was your Christmas?
Oh, look, it was great. It was busy. Um, of course, doing Christmas Eve, uh, the Carols, and then having Christmas Day, and then a few days to kind of get my head together, then head up to Sydney and get ready for the New Year's celebrations. It was, yeah, it was busy, but I found time to just relax when I could.
That's great. All right, let's jump straight into it. Take us back. Um, growing up in your family, what life was like back then?
Gosh, uh, grew up in the southwest of Sydney, out in Bankstown or Bass Hill. Um, yeah, I come from a broken home. There were lots of, you know, things to digest as a young kid. Um, and music was my my light and my savior. Switching on the radio and just kind of dancing away um was certainly a highlight of my childhood. But um, yeah, growing up in the southwest, it was interesting. Um, it certainly taught me a lot of life lessons. It was, you know, it was hard and fast.
And yeah, I think that really kind of built me to be the person I am today.
Awesome. Well, was music always something you were going to pursue? Like, was that always something that was gonna happen?
Um, I'm not, I don't think so. I think from a young age, I was very much into my sport. I loved playing soccer, I loved running, I did little A's, I, you know, shop put discus, anything sport related, I was very much there. Um, it wasn't till later in my kind of young adult life that music really came into play. And um, you know, the music room at my high school was certainly one that I um went to quite often.
Most lunches actually were in the music room just playing music, um, playing around, learning songs, singing, laughing. Um yeah, but I I didn't think that music was my destiny until I kind of yeah, really started getting into it and started really enjoying singing and playing the guitar.
Awesome. Take us back to two Australian idol days and uh winning that. That's um truly incredible. You know, um, I even remember it when I was younger. Um tell me about that, that experience, what that was like.
Yeah, it was an amazing experience. Uh, one that I sometimes can remember and can't remember. I think everything happened so fast back then that I was very much um yeah, kind of living in the moment, but idle for me being 16 and fresh out of a music school and trying to finish my HSC, then realizing that music was something that I just wanted to do for the rest of my life. It was, yeah, it was an amazing experience. And I learned so many lessons along the way and met some amazing people.
And yeah, I think that certainly shaped me into having the career that I have today. And yeah, with all the hardships and the and the good times, it's certainly made an amazing mashup for me to yeah, branch out and enjoy this industry.
Awesome. All right. Um, tell me about your Jenny Craig experience. You've obviously lost um some weight. You you're looking incredible. Yeah, tell me about that. Yeah, tell me about that.
Um yeah, I've I've absolutely loved being on Jenny Craig's lifestyle program. It is, yeah, it's a change of life. Um, I've been struggling with, you know, weight and lifestyle and all of these things over the many, many years and haven't really found something that worked for me. Um, I've tried everything. Uh so when Jenny Craig came to the table and asked if I'd be an ambassador, I had a very frank conversation with them and said, look, I want to be healthy at the end of the day.
Yes, a weight on the scale is, you know, it's great, but I also I want the importance of health and wellness to be at the top of the tier. Uh, weight loss is amazing, and that is a bonus to being on Jenny Craig for me. Um, it's just I wanted to get into the good habits and I really am re-educating myself on the Jenny Craig program. Um, you know, learning about the triggers and when you're, you know, wanting to have a binge, why are you having a binge?
And, you know, breaking that down to go, do I want it, need it, or can I just sit through it and have a drink of water and go for a walk? So Jenny Craig has given me all of the tools and still more to learn um moving forward in life. But I certainly think being 34, I think it's time for me now to kind of, yeah, really just put my health first. And yeah, we're not getting any younger.
Yeah, I know, right? Life's too short, so you're gonna look after yourself and make sure you're looking on top tip top shape, I guess.
Yeah, it's very true. And we only get one vessel when um, yeah, I've certainly abused the system over the many, many years. So it's it's nice to be, you know, it's nice to feel good. It's nice to wake up and just get out of bed and just, you know, have delicious food that's just portion controlled.
Definitely. And you've probably got more energy too. I like, you know, when you're certainly. Yeah.
It certainly came into play, you know, New Year's and Christmas and just being so busy. It's you know, it's great to just be able to grab some lunch and and off you go instead of standing somewhere going, What am I gonna have? Is it good? Is it this? But um no, Jenny's certainly helped with that.
That's exceptional. Well done. You should be so proud of yourself.
Oh, thank you. I am.
Um, what's the best advice you've ever received?
Um I've received a lot of amazing advice over the many, many years. Um, I think Marsha Heinz said it perfectly when she just said, just stay true to yourself. And I think that's something that I I've pretty much done throughout my life. Um, is just stay true. And I think there's just so in this industry, it's very sharing and giving. Um, and I love that about Australians and also the Australian industry. Uh, we love to share, but um gosh, what other advice have I been given?
Oh, there's so much, and now I can't think of it. Great question, right?
What would be all right, I'll um change it. What would be the best advice you would give someone? Maybe even a um young Casey Donovan coming up. What what advice would you give them?
Breathe. Just breathe. Um, yeah, enjoy the moments. Um, if I could tell myself, and I still have to remind myself to enjoy the moments. Um, sometimes we get so caught up in our own minds uh that we don't see it. And it takes a special, a special kind of bonding and surrounding that you have people around you that love and support you and want the best for you. So I think to breathe and to enjoy the moments, um, we're not doing brain surgery.
We get to enjoy, we get to entertain, we get to celebrate and sing songs and tell stories. And yeah, once you remove the anxiety behind that, it is a beautiful, beautiful thing. So yeah, just to breathe is what I'd give my the advice I'd give my 16-year-old self.
That's superb advice. Um, thank you. Tell me about your new single Shake It. I was listening to it the other day. I love it. Um, tell me about that and what's behind it.
I love the new single, it is absolutely amazing. It's something very different to what I've released in the past. It's it's pop, it's kind of the you know, the mashup between Mumbo number five and Pharrell Williams. Happy. Um it's just yeah, I I wanted to write this song, but unfortunately I didn't write it. But I'm so thankful that Carl Dimitage um has just absolutely rocked this song. And um, I just yeah, once I heard it, I was just oh, it was yeah, it's just a tune. It's a bop.
It's fun, it's light, it's joyous, it's exciting, it's all of the things that you want in a fun pop summer song.
Awesome. Tell me about your partner. You look extremely happy and life's great there. Tell me about that.
Look, my partner and I have been together just over two years, and it's just been absolutely amazing. We, you know, had a bumble stumble um a few years ago uh when the pandemic had hit, has hit well, it did hit, but um no, Renee and I are very much happy and in love, and it's fun, it's joyous. There's so much, yeah, so much love and communication that goes into this relationship. And yeah, I'm just I'm truly happy and just I'm yeah, loving the life that I'm leading and enjoying all the moments.
And yeah, it's it's beautiful to be in such a committed, loving, open, honest relationship. Um, it's yeah, certainly brightens my day every day.
Oh well, congratulations, and that's brilliant.
Thank you very much.
You're welcome. Uh what inspires Casey Bailey?
What inspires me? Look, a lot of people inspire me and a lot of things inspire me. I think um yeah, persistence is an inspiration. Um yeah, talking, having conversations, my parents, my partner. Um yeah, a lot of things inspire me. Seeing people do good and being kind uh are things that certainly inspire me. But um yeah, I think you can take inspiration from a lot of things in life. Um if you keep your eyes open and you're aware of your your um surroundings. So yeah, lots of things inspire me.
Great, great, great, great. Tell me about being a proud indigenous woman too. What does that mean to you and representing obviously such a culture, such a proud culture?
Yeah, look, I mean, I happily will celebrate and be all of the things. Uh, you know, I'm a proud Gumbangia Dungati woman from the mid-north coast of New South Wales. And um, it's something that I struggled with for many, many years. I felt like an imposter in my own body and certainly in my own skin. Um, and it wasn't until I did the TV show, Who Do You Think You Are, which highlighted my mother's uh family and also my father's family.
And yeah, it was just such an interesting thing to be a part of and to have that imposter syndrome of um being indigenous and never feeling like I owned that um scared me immensely. But uh I think through that show it really broke down the barriers for me. And I, yeah, once I did that show, I I yeah, I almost felt whole. I felt like no one could take that away from me. And yeah, for many, many years I feared that. And I, you know, I had to do that in the public eye.
Um yeah, it held holds a lot of strength. And now I just I embrace who I am. I don't have all of the answers, and at the end of the day, I'm just yeah, Casey from Vakestown who loves to live life and enjoy it.
That's incredible. It takes a lot of courage to obviously do what you've done. So yeah, well done.
Oh, thank you very much.
Awesome. All right, um, what is giving you longevity too? And what do you um believe gives somebody longevity in? Obviously, you've been quite a lot of sub-set industries, I guess, of entertainment as well. What gives you longevity?
Um I think failing gives you longevity. And I know that sounds weird, um, but I think it's when you give your ego a good reality check of, you know, not everything is lights, cameras, and action.
You know, there are times where you have to sit and reassess who you are and reassess what you're doing in life and if this is the right path, and not to be scared of falling off the wagon because I think how you rebuild is the thing that creates the longevity, um, the understanding of someone's career, whether that's in music or anything in life, I think from the little failures, you have those little wins, and those little wins create something bigger and better.
And yeah, I don't think a lot of people step back to go, oh, is this what I want to do or am I just in the rat race? So I think longevity is about, yeah, kind of falling off the wagon, getting up, dusting yourself off, and continuously moving forward and striving. Uh, yeah, whether that be for perfection or just to be better, you're only as good as the person you are yesterday and today. So um, yeah, it's always good to just get up and dust yourself off and love what you do.
Once that passion is gone, take a seat, change the scenery. Um, you know, I've worked in medical reception, I've been an Uber driver, I've driven elders, and I've yeah, rebuilt that passion inside of me. And it wasn't at first, I thought I failed and I was like, oh, I will never come back from this. But once you let that ego kind of correct itself and go, oh, this is just life. It's yeah, I think that is the the key to longevity. Um, yeah, and having a really good support network around you.
Tremendous. What other projects are you working on too?
At the minute, I'm getting ready for we start rehearsals of for Anne Juliet on the 9th of Jan, which is literally around the corner. Um, so we start that on Monday, and then I've got Sydney World Pride coming up. I'm performing at the First Nations gala and also the big opening night on the 24th of February with Courtney Act. Um, I want to write some new music.
I want to get back in the studio and yeah, I just, yeah, it's gonna be a busy, busy year, but there's so much happening, and I'm very grateful to be so busy, um, as they say in the in the industry, booked and blessed. Um, so I'm very, very happy to be booked and blessed. Um, and hopefully I can write some more music with um Carl Dimitaga, who of course pens shake it. So um I can't wait to to get out there and and to try new things.
It's exciting, very exciting. Bring on 2023. What um what are your passions and hobbies or what actually better? What do you like to do in your downtime? Away from obviously the entertainment industry, what do you like to do just when it's just you, you and your partner or whatever? Like, what do you like to do then?
Apart from sleeping, um, I you know, I love to go for drives and road trips and walks and just experiencing um different things. Um, I know it sounds kind of boring, but I just like to park up on the couch and just watch some TV, hang out with Renee and the cats and just chill. My life is so quick and fast and forever moving that um sometimes when I get to pack up and go on a holiday, the holiday is literally my couch.
Oh, that's so cool. I love it. I love it. Oh, if you are 18 again and you can change this could be personally or professionally, what would you change?
Oh, nothing. I know that's boring, but I'm a massive believer in everything happens for a reason, whether that's good or bad or indifferent. Um yeah, I think those things that you change change the trajectory of your life. So yeah, for all of the stuff ups and mistakes I've made, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them. So yeah, as much as I'd love to change a few things, I think everything has yeah, built me to this moment.
Right. And where does Casey see herself in the next 10 years? What do you mean what is your end game? Where what are your thoughts today?
Oh gosh, I don't have an end game. I just look for, you know, the minute and today. Um, you know, we're not promised tomorrow. Um, but it is nice to have a few guidelines and, you know, outlines as to what you want to do. Look, I just want to have longevity in a career that I love. Um, I'd love to start a family. I'd love to, you know, see a little bit more of the world um and see where this career can take me.
But for the minute, I'll keep my my eyesight very short and um yeah, focus on Anne Juliet and being the best that I can be for yeah, for tomorrow or the next minute.
Well done. Casey, thanks for coming on the podcast. I do appreciate it. It's amazing everything you've done and what you're doing, and I wish you nothing but the best in the future.
Thank you very much. It's been a delight.
Thank you.