Our Olympic pop sweetheart is pushing her boundaries, writes Cameron Adams.

What has been the reaction to your comeback single Devilicious?
I’ve been working on this track for so long, writing it, contacting the producers, building it up. When you finish it you can’t wait to get it out, but just before that you think, “Oh no, what’s going to happen?” It’s had a mixed reaction, but the people I want to like it are liking it. Everyone else can have their own opinion.

Do you find a lot of people review you before they’ve even heard the new single?
Absolutely. There’s a stigma attached. As soon as some people hear “Nikki Webster” it’s like “Don’t worry about bringing her in” or “We don’t want to play that”. Radio play hasn’t been supportive, but radio interviews have been great.

It must be frustrating, hitting that wall.
Totally, but what am I going to do? All I can do is keep trying other ways and prove – not just to them, but to myself – that I’m an entertainer. I’m not just singing other people’s songs, I’m creating music now. I’m a singer and a songwriter and everything in between.

Is there an easier option?
To break it overseas first. I had that option with the producers I wrote this track with. They were like, “Why do you want to go back?” I said, “I don’t care if they don’t like me, it’s my home. It’s where I represented my country”. I feel Australia is ready for new music from me.

Have you ever wondered why there was such animosity towards you in Australia?
I’ve thought about it long and hard and I have no answers. Maybe I’m too straightforward and simple and they have to create drama. I’ve cried about it, laughed about it, joked about it. I’m at the point now where I don’t really care. I just want to make music and entertain.

You seem a lot more confident now.
I am. That’s from escaping (to LA) for four years and surrounding myself with people who believe in me. The only reason Devilicious is out is because I hunted down people to work with. I sent out emails – “I love your work, do you want to work with me?” – there’s no shame in that. I had to find finance. It’s all me. I’ve always had a record company or someone else to fall back on. Now it’s me saying “Push yourself, Nikki”.

Presumably there’s no baggage being Nikki Webster when you meet producers in America.
That’s refreshing. Sometimes producers Google me – they see it but don’t understand the tall-poppy syndrome. We embrace sports stars; Americans embrace all their talent. They love success. When you meet someone who’s behind you there’s no stopping them. In Australia people are more laid-back. I did Devilicious with Mike Rizzo, who’s a huge DJ in America, and Peter Rafelson, who wrote Open Your Heart for Madonna and has worked with Kylie and Britney. They were really behind this, and that’s really great for your confidence.

You’ve been writing songs. Are there dark moments when you vented against the haters?
I’ve spent four years writing, but a lot of it is self-therapy. I’ll listen back and go “Wow, I was really negative” or “That was when I broke up with that person”. I needed a light-hearted song and that’s where Devilicious came in. Being older helps. I was always 13 or 14 in the studio with producers; we had fun but I was always the kid. Now I’m an adult, I’m dealing with adults.

Can we clarify you are singing “taste my apple, take a bite” in the song?
Yep. I like to push the boundaries a little bit. It’s a little tongue in cheek.

When the video was released, were you surprised that people said you were suddenly sexy? Some people obviously want to freeze-frame you as a little girl from the Olympics.
I’m 22. I’m up against Britney, Lady Gaga and Pussycat Dolls. If I was dressed in a little pink sun-dress singing Devilicious or even Strawberry Kisses, people would say, “Who does she think she is? She’s 22, grow up”. I can’t win. I just have to do what I feel comfortable doing. When I was 18 or 19 I wouldn’t have felt as comfortable being… not as sexy, but as edgy as I am now. I’m a woman now.

Are you still haunted by posing for FHM?
I’m kind of over the question. It wasn’t a porn video but it’s obviously something I’m going to be questioned about forever.

Was it a mistake?
It was a growing thing. It wasn’t Playboy. It did what it needed to do, stirred up some kind of conversation and made people go “Oh, she’s not 13 any more”. It’s not something I’d do again.

You were one of the first celebrities to change their status on Facebook to single and see it become a story in the gossip pages.
I know. I was a virgin to Facebook, I just changed a status and all of a sudden it was in the gossip pages: “Nikki’s had her heart broken!” That was hard to deal with. My friends said, “If you put anything up on Facebook it’ll end up in the press”. I guess the positive is that I’d get Google alerts when I was in LA that people were still writing about me. It was kind of reassuring. I realised people were ready for something new from me, I could still do something in Australia other than RSL clubs.

Source: The Herald Sun
View scan of this article