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The votes told the story...
Mig Ayesa was the front-runner in the Rock Star: INXS gig. Not for one week. Not for two weeks. Not for three weeks. But, for 12 weeks Mig alluded the Bottom Three. If you watched Rock Star: INXS regularly, you got the feeling that Mig might just be the heir to Michael Hutchence. He might just be the next INXS lead singer. There were even rumors that Rock Star: INXS were fixed.
Again, the votes told the story.
As Brooke Burke told me weeks before the Rock Star: INXS finale, “Mig is already a rock star.” He had the look. He had the pipes. He had Australia pulling for him. And, he had the abs that made chicks scream.
But going into the finale of Rock Star: INXS, alongside JD and Marty, there were questions that haunted the 35-year old. Was he truly a rocker? Or, was he transformed thespian doing his best to pass the massive, three-month audition?
And, then there was debate… Is Mig to nice? Even I struggled with that question weeks ago. These days it’s hard to imagine that someone would be criticized for something that is actually a positive… being nice.
Anyways, we all know that Mig was not roit for INXS. Still, we wanted to catch up with the former front-man of Mignition to see what he’s up to weeks after the end of Rock Star: INXS.
REX: I’m gonna start this interview with a question that I did not write. A fan of yours from Rock Star Go Home begged me to ask you this. Actually, I feel kinda weird asking it….
Mig: No worries, man. Go for it.
REX: Okay. Boxers, briefs or commando?
Mig: [Laughing.] Ummm. [Pause. And more laughing.] So, I pretty much wear briefs. But, if I’m wearing low-cut jeans… I got no choice… Commando style.
REX: Where are you now?
Mig: I’m in New York. I got here on Tuesday.
REX: What are you up to?
Mig: You know… Meeting with people and I’m actually going to see Neil Carlson and his new baby Quinn in a little bit.
REX: Right on. Did you drive the Honda cross country to New York?
Mig: Umm. No. No. No. Actually, haven’t picked up the Honda. It’s still in a car yard. Funny thing is I can really afford to pick up the car right now. Yah, it’s required that I pay sales tax of about four thousand U.S. dollars. I have other expenses, like my mortgage, so it’s just sitting in Los Angeles.
REX: That stinks.
Mig: Yah. What you saw on the show… That was all an advertisement. I have yet to see or sit in the car I won.
REX: Got it. Let’s move on from the Honda and chat about Rock Star.
Mig: Sure mate.
REX: What was your favorite clinic on the show?
Mig: Hmmmmm. I would have to say the song writing clinic with Andy Farriss.
REX: Why is that?
Mig: Well, I mean… It’s Andy Farriss. I was pretty intimidated. Plus, I had already put out three songs in the show which hadn’t really produced the response I wanted – Stop Go, the collaboration piece, Do Or Die and the ballad. I wasn’t sure if he got me. I think we did some good work together. In the end, he was very eager to collaborate and he made me feel right at Home.
REX: Very cool. How is Mig Ayesa today different from Mig Ayesa six months ago?
Mig: Must admit, I came into Rock Star very confident. Then, after the initial performance of ‘Smell Likes Teen Spirit’ I kinda lost that. It left me. Throughout the whole process I had to try different things to re-find myself. I tried this… It worked. I tried that… It didn’t work. I was constantly searching for approval from INXS. Like a child looking for his mother’s love. “Don’t you love me?” [Mig chuckles.] In the end, I found out who I was. I found out that it’s about taking risks. Exploring. Now, my confidence level is 100 times what it was when I started the audition.
REX: Okay. So, you’re stuck on an island…
Mig: Yah…
REX: And you can only bring one movie with you to watch over and over and over again. Which would it be?
Mig: It would be a Home movie of my wife and I.
REX: Right on. Back to show… What was your favorite performance during Rock Star: INXS?
Mig: I’m sure a lot of people would think it was Baby I Love Your Way… But, it wasn’t. For me, the song that I really think I killed was Lola. It was a risk. No one wanted it and I took it. I threw on a new arrangement… I was really happy with that.
REX: What was your favorite performance of the other rockers and why?
Mig. Well. Anything that Ty Taylor did I was like ‘Holy Shit’! Then, with about three weeks to go in the competition JD did Pretty Vegas. I was like ‘Holy. Holy Shit!’. That was really a turning point I think in the competition. That performance was amazing. It even got me thinking at one point, ‘Yep. They may have just found their man.’
REX: Do you think there is some validity to the cliché that ‘Nice guys finish last.
Mig: Rock Star: INXS could be a perfect example of where that can happen. INXS was looking for their bad boy. I’m a nice guy. I guess maybe they thought there wasn’t anything too interesting about a nice guy. I mean JD is a strong, controversial character. That’s not me.
But, I don’t really feel like I lost at all. I mean, I made it to the Finale out of 10,000 people. I won a car. I got to perform in front of millions. So I don’t really think the cliché is all too fitting here.
REX: Great point. Looking back, what was most memorable moment on the show?
Mig: After I got the encore, they gave me the phone to call my wife in London from the mansion. I was talking to her when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I thought it was Susie gong to offer me a hug or something because I was a little upset that all I got for the encore was a phone call. Then, I did a double-take. It was my wife. That was amazing. I’ll never, ever forget that.
REX: After the show, did you ever get to debrief with INXS? You know, to find out why you didn’t get the spot?
Mig: Well… I did get a call from Kirk Pengilly. He was calling to check in. Make sure everything was okay. But, as for the reasons why it wasn’t me… No. I never got that. Honestly, I’m not sure if I need it either. For three or so weeks leading up to the Finale I just got the sense I wasn’t right for the band.
REX: What’s next for Mig?
Mig: Right now, I’m allowing myself to take some risks. Prior to the show, I had a stable, secure career. Now, I’m working to a universe of abundance and opportunity. It’s more of risk but I’m giving myself this special time. And, doors are opening up.
I’m heading Home on October 14th back to London. And, I’ll be performing a concert in Sydney on Foxtel on the 23rd and there is some talk of a December gig in the Philippines.
REX: Very cool. What about a Rock Star: INXS tour with the other rockers?
Mig: I heard some things. But, nothing concrete. Hey man, if that opportunity came around that could be really fun.
REX: Thanks for the time Mig!
Mig: No worries. If you could let everyone know how thankful I am for their support that would be great. Really amazing the people and their support of me.
> ROCK STAR GO HOME GAME INFO:
> ROCK STAR: SUPERNOVA NEWS, GOSSIP AND INTERVIEWS:
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