‘DON’T MAKE ME SING!’
Jason begs This geek was terrified of one thing… until now!
As if going on a reality show wasn’t nerve-wracking enough for the nerds on Beauty And The Geek Australia, this week, musician Jason Mihalopoulos tackles one of his greatest fears head-on – singing in front of a live audience.
For years, the self-confessed hermit’s fear has held him back. But now, as he embraces the transformative experience of the TVNZ 2 series, he’s ready to push himself.
“I’m a big believer in personal growth, and I’m always trying to become more aware of my behaviour and how I can be a better version of myself,” says Jason, 29. “I love songwriting and making music, and what kind of a musician who writes vocal parts can’t sing in front of people? It’s something I want to improve.”
Jason’s fear started when he was 11, performing in a band with his mates. As he sang in front of a room full of people, all he could think about was how much he hated the sound of his own voice. The Melbourne multi-instrumentalist has been loath to have an audience ever since.
This week, after getting to know his beauty Emily McCarthy, Jason felt comfortable enough to perform an original song, vocals included.
“Emily is a real pocket rocket – the exact opposite of me,” he says. “She’s often the loudest in the room. I was intimidated at first, but she was incredibly friendly and nice to me, although her extraversion took a bit of getting used to.”
However, once he became comfortable with her bubbly nature, he knew Emily would be the perfect cheer squad to help him overcome his anxiety.
“I was so nervous, I couldn’t really assess how I sounded, which is often what I’d fixate on,” Jason tells. “But it felt right that I was pushing myself and playing it for her.”
After being matched with the geek dubbed “the shyest in the competition”, Emily was blown away by Jason’s courage.
“When he performed for me, I got butterflies,” enthuses the Sydney flight attendant, 25. “I felt so lucky to hear his beautiful voice sing a song he wrote just for me – it was magical. I’ve never had a guy put in so much effort before.
“It made me realise this is what it’s meant to be like. It was such a special moment and I’ll cherish that memory forever.”