Making his way around the city submitting his EP to various record labels, Guy was faced with rejection after rejection, for a very disappointing and disheartening reason.
“Every single one of them had the same thing to say: ‘Like your voice but you don’t have the right image, you don’t look like a pop star,’” he recalled
The look on the now 38-year-old’s face said it all.
“I resided myself to the fact that I can’t change how I look but I can sing so maybe I’ll just be a producer or a songwriter. Then Idol came along and my mates said ‘You’ve got to try out’,” Guy continued.
Luckily he followed their advice, not only auditioning but winning the competition in 2003. Then going on to record multiple albums, win multiple awards, tour and star on two talent shows – X Factor Australia and The Voice.
Almost two decades later, Guy’s reason for choosing to coach on The Voice feels all the more poignant given the Blind Auditions.
And, if Sunday's episode was anything to go by – from 16-year-old Mr Mullet Adam Ludewig to queen of rock Virginia Lillye – we may just find our next Guy Sebastian.