THE MAGIC IN BEING YOURSELF
IT‘S the small things that seem to be the bones and tendons of community … a simple 20 minutes in someone’s company dedicated to listening and noticing the magic.
There are no exceptions with this guy … meet Jake, aka Apollo Jackson. He’s known for appearing on The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise and Australia’s Got Talent, yet despite all this, he is a grounded Gold Coaster who simply loves to “pull a smile out of the bag” with each performance.
“Right now, I’m pretty much jumping between my three loves … magic, music and acting,” he says.
“I think you have to diversify as an entertainer in such a seasonal workspace. I’ve been obsessed with performing arts ever since I was seven when I got my first magic book. I fell in love with it. There’s not much that can give someone that moment of wonder and I love the connection it creates despite age or culture. It has the power to brighten someone’s day.
“Being on Australia’s Got Talent forced me to challenge my boundaries and, honestly, that standing ovation nearly brought tears to my eyes. It was like an experience in slow-mo.
“I’m glad people now know that I am a magician. I continue to DJ and I also now have a clothing and jewellery line known as Reckless Creatures, which I really enjoy creating.
“I don’t really have regrets in life. I just wish that I didn’t care so much about people’s opinions when I was young. I was pretty badly bullied as a kid, but you can only compress who you are and what you like for so long.
“You have to chase what makes you feel alive and what fulfils you at the end of the day. For me, that was a life in the arts. As soon as I started doing that, I saw life differently and just started enjoying it. I adore the GC. It definitely feels like home for me. In between the craziness of travelling and performing, there is definitely a peace here.”