Taylor Henderson

Geelong-born X Factor sensation Taylor Henderson is coming home for a gig at GPAC on June 1. It will be the first time the up-and-coming star has been home for several months and he’s certainly looking forward to it. “Geelong’s just great. It’s just such a good town. It’s so laid-back,” he says. “I can’t wait to see everyone. I cannot wait to be home. I feel like I should be with them because it’s my hometown.”
Music has always been a big part of Taylor’s life. He grew up playing local gigs with his musician dad, Cameron. Despite the years of performing though, he never thought he’d get to this stage.
“I’d always find myself at the end of the day playing guitar, and it would always distract me from what I was supposed to be doing. People would always say ‘put the guitar down and just do something with your life’. But whatever it was that I did, I always found myself singing and playing guitar. It was always there, I just never knew how far I could take it.”
He auditioned with his dad for Australia’s Got Talent in 2010, before they eventually competed as solo artists. He finished third while his dad finished second. Taylor then went on the X Factor last year and finished runner-up. He says his experience on the program radically changed his approach to the music scene.
“There’s no other experience like it. If you want to know the grit and how it is to work on that show you’ve got to be amongst it. It’s an amazing experience. It teaches you how to work a crowd, perform and engage. I had to perform through a lens, into a TV into the living room of someone who’s sitting in an armchair. You have to impress them because at the end of the day you’ve got to get people to vote for you. So you’ve got to make that person somehow pick up the phone and go ‘I don’t mind this bloke, I might give him a crack’. So the show was fantastic in the way of stepping up your game and being a professional.”
And he’s been busy since. He’s been performing regularly, he’s recorded and released some singles and an album, and he’s made several video clips. His first original album, Burnt Letters, is due for release this year, and fans who pre-order it get their names printed in the album booklet.
For now though, Taylor’s focused on the GPAC show. “I haven’t been home in so long. I haven’t seen my friends and my family because I’ve just been so busy. So I can’t wait to get home. I’m really excited to bring the tour to my own town. I can’t wait to see everyone, as well as perform. It’s a combination of both of the things I love.”
His musical career is just starting out and there’s so much still ahead, but Taylor feels he’s living the dream right now.
“It’s honestly been beyond what I thought. I was always one of those people who said ‘The music game is so hard’. And it is hard. I’ve just been very lucky with how it’s worked out. And I’m not saying it’s going to be a joy ride from here on. I know there’s tough times ahead. But it’s just been so good so far and I can’t wait for everyone to hear what I’ve got. So bring it on!”
When&Where: The Playhouse Theatre @ GPAC – June 1
Writen by Daniel Waight