A Journey of Discovery
Singer-songwriter Guy Sebastian has always believed he has Portuguese roots on his mother’s side. In a recent episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, he undergoes a DNA test that reveals his exact ethnicity, and the results leave him in shock. “It changes a lot for me,” he tells TV WEEK. “There has been so much ambiguity around my genealogy.”
Guy was born in Malaysia and moved to Australia with his family in 1988 when he was six years old. He became a star when he auditioned for the first season of Australia Idol in 2003 and won. “It was at a time when everyone was good-looking and they could dance, and had jawlines,” Guy remembers. “And here’s this weird-looking afro-haired chubby little dude trying to get a record deal.”
The 44-year-old says there’s not a lot of clarity about his ancestry on either his mother’s or father’s sides. “My dad’s Sri Lankan by blood but born in Malaysia,” he explains. “And Mum grew up in India but she’s very fair-skinned and I believe there’s Portuguese somewhere in there.”
Exploring His Mother’s Roots
Guy begins by exploring the ancestry of his mother, who was born Nellie Neal. He heads to India, finding some fascinating stories relating to the East India Company and even a musical connection, before he looks at his DNA test results. It’s not what he was expecting.
“My mum was orphaned and has been searching for answers her whole life,” Guy tells TV WEEK. “This show has been such a gift for my mother because now she can live out the rest of her life with clarity of her heritage, her culture, and have ownership of that. It has also empowered her to have information that can help the rest of her family and obtain answers that they have been looking for, for so long.”
“One thing that I felt really strongly while learning about my three-times-great-grandfather as he started his life in India as a British soldier is that we are really not far away from the history that we read about, history that shaped the world.”
Discovering His Father’s Heritage
In the episode, Guy also explores the ancestry of his father, Ivan. It’s time for another trip, this time to Sri Lanka, and Guy says he came away feeling “such a pride in my heritage”.
“Most people who go on this show are fearful of uncovering something that isn’t pleasant in their ancestry. What I uncovered was a genetic link to a woman who made a tremendous impact, especially for females in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. She was an innovator, full of courage and tenacity, and her legacy lives on to this day.”
A Family Legacy
Dad-of-two Guy is currently travelling Australia on his 100 Times Around The Sun tour. Fans have had a chance to hear his 11-year-old son Archie singing on stage with him – and it’s clear that the musical talent has been handed down from father to son.
“As a dad, it’s been incredible to see my son come out of his shell,” Guy says. “I think, more than anything, parents just love seeing their kids happy and being in an environment where they feel safe and special.”
“When I’m on stage with him I just stare at him with a thousand thoughts: ‘That’s my little baby boy,’ ‘He is so brave doing that at such a young age,’ ‘Damn, he’s actually insanely good!’ and ‘Thank God he’s actually good!’”
“Most of all, I am so proud of him. He’s had a few things to work through in life and he’s found the thing that makes him feel fulfilled. That’s something that some people spend a lifetime to find.”
