Jessica Mauboy

Jessica Mauboy
Jessica Mauboy
Born	Jessica Hilda Mauboy; August 4, 1989 (age 37); Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Occupation(s)	Singer, actress
Years active	2006–present
Known for	Runner-up on Australian Idol (2006), albums Been Waiting, Get 'Em Girls, Beautiful, Hilda; roles in Bran Nue Dae and The Sapphires; coach on The Voice Australia

Jessica Hilda Mauboy (; born 4 August 1989) is a prominent Australian vocalist. Originating from Darwin, Northern Territory, she first rose to prominence as the runner-up on the fourth installment of Australian Idol in 2006, subsequently securing a contract with Sony Music Australia. Following a live album featuring her performances on Idol and a brief tenure with the girl group Young Divas in 2007, Mauboy launched her debut studio album, Been Waiting, in 2008. This album included her inaugural number-one hit, "Burn", and became the second best-selling Australian album of 2009, earning double platinum certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).

Her sophomore release, Get 'Em Girls (2010), showcased a shift towards a more intense R&B sound and delivered four singles that attained platinum status. The third studio effort, Beautiful (2013), blended elements of dance, R&B, and pop music, spawning multiple top-ten tracks such as "Pop a Bottle (Fill Me Up)" and "Can I Get a Moment?".

Expanding her career into acting, Mauboy secured leading roles in the films Bran Nue Dae (2010) and The Sapphires (2012), for which she received an AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. In 2016, she headlined the television drama series The Secret Daughter, created specifically for her. She released two soundtrack albums associated with the series, with the first making history as the first Indigenous artist to reach number one on the ARIA Albums Chart. Her fourth studio album, Hilda (2019), debuted at the top position.

Mauboy ranks among Australia’s most accomplished female performers, boasting six albums within the top ten—including two chart-toppers—and sixteen singles that reached the top twenty, nine of which entered the top ten. She has earned two ARIA Music Awards out of 25 nominations and was placed sixteenth on the Herald Sun list of "100 Greatest Australian Singers of All Time." Collaborations with international artists such as Flo Rida, Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, Jay Sean, Pitbull, and Jason Derulo have featured prominently in her career. Mauboy has toured alongside major acts like Beyoncé and Chris Brown, performing at distinguished events attended by figures including Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, and former US President Barack Obama. She appeared as a guest performer during the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 semi-final and represented Australia at Eurovision 2018, where she finished twentieth. Between 2021 and 2023, she served as a coach on The Voice Australia.

In 2025, Mauboy was honored with induction into the National Indigenous Music Awards Hall of Fame.

Early life and education

Jessica Hilda Mauboy was born on 4 August 1989 and grew up in Darwin, Northern Territory. Her father, Ferdy, is an electrician originally from West Timor in Indonesia, while her mother, Therese, belongs to the Aboriginal Australian Kuku Yalanji people of Far North Queensland. Jessica has three elder sisters—Sandra, Jenny, Catherine—and one younger sister named Sophia. From early childhood, she joined her local church choir alongside her grandmother Harriett. Music was a significant part of her family environment; her mother frequently sang while her father played guitar.

Mauboy attended Wulagi Primary School followed by Sanderson High School in Darwin but left school during year 11 to dedicate herself fully to music. At fourteen years old, she gained early recognition by winning the Telstra Road to Tamworth competition during the 2004 Tamworth Country Music Festival held in New South Wales. This achievement led to a recording contract with Sony Music Australia and produced a country-style cover of Cyndi Lauper’s "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." Although this single did not achieve commercial success, it marked the commencement of her professional music career prior to returning to Darwin.

2006: Australian Idol

In 2006, Mauboy auditioned for the fourth season of Australian Idol held in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, delivering a rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing". Her performance impressed all three judges, securing her a place in the semi-finals and subsequently the top twelve. Although there were media reports about a previous contract with Sony that had expired, the show's producers permitted her to continue competing. During the week when only eleven contestants remained, judge Kyle Sandilands made a controversial remark about her weight following her rendition of Kelly Clarkson's "Walk Away". Mauboy later revealed that this comment served as a source of motivation throughout her career.

She was awarded the season's inaugural touchdown by judge Mark Holden for her interpretation of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful". Despite battling a sore throat that impacted her performance of Phil Collins' "Another Day in Paradise"—which placed her in the bottom three once—she avoided elimination thereafter and progressed to the final alongside Damien Leith. The grand finale took place on 27 November at the Sydney Opera House, where Mauboy finished as runner-up to Leith. Two weeks after the show ended, she secured a recording deal with Sony Music Australia.

2007–2009: The Journey, Young Divas and Been Waiting

On 24 February 2007, Mauboy released her first live album, The Journey, which comprised two discs: one with re-recorded covers from her performances on Australian Idol and a DVD featuring footage from her live shows. The album debuted at number four on the ARIA Albums Chart and achieved gold certification for shipments exceeding 35,000 copies. In September 2007, she became a member of the girl group Young Divas, replacing Ricki-Lee Coulter. Their second studio album, New Attitude, was launched on 24 November 2007, debuting at number ten and earning gold certification. The lead single "Turn Me Loose" peaked at number fifteen on the ARIA Singles Chart.

In March 2008, Mauboy took part in the Australian Government's In2Oz initiative aimed at strengthening cultural connections with Indonesia, performing there including an appearance on Indonesian Idol. Around this period, she commenced work on her debut solo studio album. By August 2008, Mauboy departed from Young Divas to concentrate on her solo endeavors; shortly thereafter, the group disbanded as remaining members returned to individual projects.

Her debut studio album, Been Waiting, was released on 22 November 2008. It reached number eleven on the charts and was certified double platinum for shipments of 140,000 units. Mauboy co-wrote eleven songs on the album, which featured production from Audius Mtawarira, Israel Cruz, Jonas Jeberg, Cutfather, Adam Reily, Fingaz, and Kwamé. Critics responded positively to the record. The lead single "Running Back", featuring Flo Rida, climbed to number three and earned double platinum certification. The follow-up single "Burn" became her first chart-topping hit and received platinum certification; it also appeared internationally at number ninety-two on the Japan Hot 100. Additional singles including "Been Waiting," "Because," and "Up/Down" all secured top-15 positions on the ARIA charts and were certified gold.

In February 2009, Mauboy signed with Ministry of Sound in the United Kingdom. The album Been Waiting was released in Japan in April 2009, peaking at number 138 on their Albums Chart. At the 2009 Deadly Awards, she was honored as Female Artist of the Year, while Been Waiting won Album of the Year and "Burn" received Single Release of the Year. In September 2009, Mauboy supported Beyoncé during the Australian leg of her I Am... World Tour. At the ARIA Music Awards later that year, she garnered seven nominations including Highest Selling Album and Best Female Artist; she won Highest Selling Single for "Running Back".

2010–2012: Get 'Em Girls and The Sapphires Soundtrack

In January 2010, Mauboy secured an exclusive, long-term global publishing agreement with Universal Music. By May of that year, she teamed up with international artists to perform "Everyone," the official theme for the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, and appeared at the opening ceremony in Singapore. Her sophomore album, Get 'Em Girls, was released on 5 November 2010, entering the charts at number six and achieving gold certification. The album, developed in the United States with new producers, featured eight tracks co-written by Mauboy. Critical reception was mixed, with some reviews pointing out the extensive use of auto-tune and a lack of cohesive style.

The album’s title track, which included a feature from American rapper Snoop Dogg, reached number 19 on the charts. Mauboy performed this song while co-hosting the 2010 Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards, where she also received the Fave Aussie Muso award. Subsequent singles "Saturday Night" featuring Ludacris and "What Happened to Us" featuring Jay Sean peaked at numbers seven and 14 respectively; notably, "Saturday Night" earned double platinum status. In 2010, Mauboy was nominated for Young Australian of the Year and performed ahead of Oprah Winfrey’s visit to Melbourne, an event later featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

In April 2011, she joined Chris Brown as a supporting act on his Australian F.A.M.E. Tour. August 2011 saw a deluxe reissue of Get 'Em Girls, which included singles such as "Inescapable"—peaking at number four and certified double platinum—and "Galaxy" featuring Stan Walker, which reached number 13 and achieved platinum certification. "Galaxy" also charted in New Zealand, marking Mauboy's first entry into that country's charts. In November 2011, she performed for Australian military personnel prior to US President Barack Obama's visit.

In January 2012, Mauboy and Walker embarked on their inaugural headlining Galaxy Tour throughout Australia. She contributed to 15 tracks on the soundtrack for The Sapphires, released in July 2012; it debuted at number one and earned platinum certification. The lead single "Gotcha" peaked at number 43 and was certified gold. At the 2012 ARIA Awards, Mauboy received nominations for Best Female Artist, Best Pop Release ("Gotcha"), and Song of the Year ("Galaxy").

2013–2014: Beautiful, Eurovision Participation and iTunes Session EP

In 2013, Mauboy was honored as Northern Territory Young Australian of the Year. She made appearances on Ellen DeGeneres’ Australian programs and performed at the Governors Ball following the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards. Her third studio album, Beautiful, launched on 4 October 2013, debuted at number three on the charts and was certified platinum. The lead single "To the End of the Earth" reached number 21 and received gold certification; meanwhile, "Pop a Bottle (Fill Me Up)" debuted at number two, achieved platinum status, and charted in New Zealand.

Additional singles included "Beautiful", which peaked at number 46, and "Never Be the Same", reaching number six with platinum certification. At the 2013 NRL Grand Final, she shared the stage with Ricky Martin for a performance. That year, Mauboy won Best Female Artist at the ARIA Music Awards and supported her album with a national To the End of the Earth Tour.

For Australia Day in 2014, she collaborated with fellow Sony artists on a cover of "I Am Australian", which climbed to number 51 on the charts. She also appeared on Sesame Street, performing alongside Indigenous children from Alice Springs. Selected by SBS as a guest performer at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014, Mauboy delivered her song "Sea of Flags" during the semi-final held in Denmark; SBS aired a documentary chronicling her Eurovision experience.

Her debut EP, iTunes Session, was released in July 2014 and entered the charts at number 25. In August, she performed at the Commonwealth Games Flag Handover Ceremony in Glasgow. Later that year in November, a platinum edition of Beautiful was released featuring singles such as "Can I Get a Moment?", which debuted at number five and went platinum, along with "The Day Before I Met You". At the 2014 ARIA Awards, Mauboy garnered three nominations including Album of the Year.

2015–2018: Soundtracks for The Secret Daughter and Eurovision Appearance

In February 2015, Mauboy took part in the opening ceremony of the ICC Cricket World Cup and later appeared on the US program Today, broadcast live from Sydney Opera House in May. During this period, she began developing her fourth studio album, focusing on incorporating a more rhythmic blend of pop and soul.

Her September single "This Ain't Love" reached a peak position of number five on the charts and earned a gold certification. At the 2015 ARIA Awards, she collaborated with Tina Arena and The Veronicas performing "Chains," which attained number 14 on the charts.

March 2016 saw the release of "Where I'll Stay," a track created to support Seven Network's Rio Olympics coverage. The progress on her fourth album was temporarily halted when she launched her first solo soundtrack album, The Secret Daughter: Songs from the Original TV Series, in October 2016. This collection included original compositions and covers connected to her starring role as Billie Carter in Seven's drama series. The album marked her first solo number-one on the ARIA Albums Chart, making her the inaugural Indigenous artist to reach this achievement.

In early 2017, Mauboy toured across Australia with All the Hits Live – The Australian Tour. That October, she released a second solo soundtrack album linked to season two; its lead single "Fallin'" climbed to number 11 and received platinum certification. The album debuted at number two and garnered six nominations at the ARIA Music Awards, including Best Female Artist.

Mauboy once again represented Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 with her entry "We Got Love," finishing in twentieth place.

2019–2020: Release of Hilda and Transition from Sony

On 11 April 2019, Mauboy unveiled "Sunday," the lead single from her fourth studio album Hilda, which upon its release in October debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart. The follow-up single "Little Things" achieved platinum status, while "Selfish" was introduced as the third single later that year, gaining radio play.

After a fourteen-year tenure with Sony Music Australia, Mauboy signed a new contract with Warner Music Australia in December 2020, setting plans for upcoming releases in 2021.

2021–2024: Partnership with Warner Music and Yours Forever

Mauboy’s initial release under Warner Music was "Glow," a disco-inspired track launched in November 2021. This was succeeded by her second single "Automatic" in May 2022, accompanied by an official music video.

In February 2023, she delivered a performance of "Right Here Right Now" at Sydney World Pride; this song was subsequently released digitally in March.

On 11 August 2023, she introduced "Give You Love" featuring Jason Derulo, serving as the lead single from her fifth studio album Yours Forever, which debuted at number ten on the ARIA Charts following its February 2024 release.

2025: Establishing Jamally and NIMA Hall of Fame Induction

On 1 August 2025, Mauboy announced her exit from Warner Music to launch her own independent label named Jamally. Concurrently, she released her first independent single titled "While I Got Time," which was featured on Network Seven’s Home and Away. That same month, she was honored with induction into the National Indigenous Music Awards Hall of Fame.

Personal life

Before launching her first album, Mauboy relocated from Darwin to Sydney in late 2008. Since January 2009, she has maintained a long-standing relationship with Themeli "Magoo" Magripilis, a Greek-Australian footballer originating from Darwin; the couple tied the knot there on 9 July 2022. Their initial child was welcomed in January 2025. Outside of her professional commitments, she often returns to Darwin to reconnect with her family. Mauboy is also a passionate supporter of the NRL club North Queensland Cowboys.

External links