"I get moments of self-doubt all the time - like even walking into the studio today wearing these big blue dangly pants. It's scary. People look at you on the street and they think -What is he wearing? But it's these little moments that you go - This is who I want to be so I'm going to do it."
Habang kapansin-pansin si Sheldon Riley sa kung paano siya manamit, naaalala siya sa kung paano niya gamitin ang kanyang boses.
While Sheldon Riley first gets noticed for how he dresses, what he truly gets remembered for is how he uses his voice. Source: Sheldon Riley
Ang kanyang kabataan
Pinanganak ng Australyanong ina at Pilipinong ama, naaalala ni Sheldon Riley (totoong pangalan, Sheldon Hernandez) na kahit "lots of fun" ang kanyang kabataan, mahirap din ito.
Habang lumalaki, saad ni Sheldon na nahirapan siya dahil sa kanyang sekswalidad. Habang ibinihagi niya na "Filipinos have a very beautiful feminine touch that not a lot of other cultures have", nahirapan siya sa ideya ng kung ano ang pagiging tunay na lalaki sa Australya.
"I always used to blame it on the fact that I was the mix that I was and I had the culture that I had. Why couldn’t I be a stronger man or someone who could grow facial hair? I wanted to be more masculine - that’s where the negative stuff came from. I was blaming myself for not being more manly."
"Being Filipino in Australia, you’re a minority, but I’ve always been so proud to be Filipino. Being gay, that was the minority for me." Source: Sheldon Riley
Ayon kay Sheldon, ang pagiging gay ay "what made growing up a little bit harder". At habang inisip niyang dahil sa kanyang Asian background ang kanyang effiminacy, pinagmamalaki niya ang kanyang pagiging Filipino.
"My biggest connection to my Filipino background is definitely the food. We had lots of Filipino parties, celebrations and food. I love Filipino food so much...pancit and adobo and sinigang and all the food is amazing, but what is so special about being Filipino is the family aspect of it. Everyone is so together. It's all about love and celebration," aniya.
At pagdating sa pagmamahal at selebrasyon, wala ng nagmamahal at nagdidiwang sa kung sino na siya ngayon kung di ang tinawag niyang "the best friends that I've got" - ang kanyang kapatid at mga magulang.
Ang ama din ni Sheldon ang isa sa mga tumulong sa kanyang makilala ang kanyang sarili bilang tao at artist.
"I’ve always had such a strong relationship with my dad. My dad works in the business world but he’s an artist first." Source: Sheldon Riley
"I’ve always had such a strong relationship with my dad. My dad works in the business world but he's an artist first. I think I've always connected with that because I'm so artistic myself. We’re very creative together."
The Voice Australia
Kitang-kita ang kanilang creative collaboration ng sumali si Sheldon sa The Voice Australia.
"All the outfits I wore on The Voice were made by myself. My dad helped with everything, staying up [with me] until 3 o'clock in the morning painting. He taught me how to use a sewing machine. He was the first person to show me that."
At ang isa sa mg sinuot niya na ginawa nilang mag-ama ay ang purple fur-sleeved top Sheldon na ginamit niya sa kanyang unang audition sa The Voice.
"I [asked myself] - Who's going to accept this? Is anyone really going to love this? - because I loved it. I remember staying up all night dyeing that purple. I sewed the fur and it was so great, but I had this moment where I went - What the hell am I doing?"
Nilakasan na lamang ni Sheldon ang loob niya ng kantahin niya ang 'Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?' ni Boy George, na naging coach niya.
"I was so emotional and people were like, Were you really upset? That was the most emotional I've ever been. I've done other TV shows before like X Factor and Young Talent Time - but the performer I was when I did those particular shows was a bit different. I didn't love who I was then."
Sheldon and his former The Voice coach, Boy George Source: The Voice Australia / Sheldon Riley
Umabot siya sa Top 4 sa una niyang labas sa The Voice Australia.
Kahit hindi niya nakuha ang titulo noong nakalipas na taon, bumalik si Sheldon ngayong taon bilang All Star.
"Instead of just being me, I was being unapologetically me. I wasn't saying sorry to anybody for doing what I was doing. Last year was a lot of sorrys - I'm sorry for this and that and people were like What are you saying sorry for? We love what you're doing because you're being you. So this year, going in - amazing! I walked into my audition the way no one's ever [walked into it] before. I completely covered my face with crystals...because, why not?"
After being part of the Top 4 in Season 7, Sheldon returned to The Voice as an All Star in Season 8. Source: The Voice Australia / Sheldon Riley
Kahit nakasuot siya ng maskara at nakatalikod ang mga hukom sa kanya, agad-agad nakilala ng mga taga-kinig ang boses ni Sheldon.
"Boy George - I remember his face. He popped up and straight away...it was like the first line I sang and he was like - It's Sheldon! I think it's really cool to have a sound that people know from the second I start singing."
Ito ako
Maaaring nakabuo ng bagong genre ng musika ang boses at istilo ni Sheldon. Ayon sa kanya, "A lot of people ask - Is it pop? Is it jazz? Orchestral dark pop is what I think it is. It's really emotional but there's so much light and beauty in it as well."
Kung iisipin, nanggaling ang ganitong pananaw mula sa taong galing sa paniwalang wala siyang lugar sa "world of artists where everyone’s doing similar things".
"That was a really rough time with myself - finding who I was and realising that there’s a spot for everyone in this world. The person that I've always wanted to look up to - that's me now. I get to be myself. I get to walk around in the clothes that I wear. I get to sing the songs that I want to sing and I know that people are going to want to listen to them," aniya.
"You know that was a really rough time with myself - really finding who I was and realising that there’s a spot for everyone in this world." Source: Sheldon Riley
Maliban sa malakas niyang fan base, nagpaplano si Sheldon na palawakin pa ang kanyang audience.
"Eurovision is a main goal. It has always been my thing as a little kid watching. They're just so weird and so different and so accepted for doing absolutely everything. But big things are coming. I can't talk about them [right now]; but if you think that my performances have been big, just wait to see what's in store," saad niya.
Habang hinihintay pa ng kanyang mga tagahanga ang mga plano niya, masayang tinatanggap ni Sheldon na maging role model para sa kabataan, para sa gay people, at para sa mga taong nakakaramdam ng takot o pagkakaiba sa iba.
"I've always said to people just be yourself but the new advice I give is: whoever you are, whatever type of person you are, whether you're an introvert or extrovert, no matter what cultural background you're from - find that little part of you that likes to have fun. If you're going to sing, sing really loud. If you're going to dance, dance really hard. Find an alter ego. Because that has been the biggest blessing in my life - finding [that in me] and [allowing] that [to] grow."
"Find that little part of you that likes to have fun. Find an alter ago." Source: Sheldon Riley
BASAHIN / PAKINGGAN DIN
