In my previous role as Editor of Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly magazine I loved to interview talented Australians and get a peek inside their homes.

I was super excited to sit down to dinner with Australian music’s nice guy Guy Sebastian and his gorgeous wife and stylist Jules.

Over dinner I asked all the requisite designery questions, ‘how involved were you in the design of your new kitchen’ (very), ‘what was your inspiration’ (the ocean view).

At the end of the night I leaned in and asked Guy if I could ask him a more personal, off-topic question. I meant for it to be a private conversation but the entire table (his people, my people) leaned in too. Pretty sure my cheeks flushed red.

The thing is, I wanted to ask him a question very personal to me. I had been going through a tough time in the months leading up to the interview (typical overachiever stuff – what is my life about, where the heck am I going) and it was one of Guy’s songs that was getting me through.

The song was Don’t Worry Be Happy (not to be confused with the 80’s musical stylings of Bobby McFerrin). I wanted to know why Guy wrote it, and we both came to the conclusion that music has the power to shift your mind to a positive state.

I thought that was the end, a quick exchange that meant mountains to me and, I had assumed, was just another day in the life of the lovely Guy Sebastian.

A few days later I got a late night sms from one of Guy’s PR people who had set up the dinner interview. She was at his Sydney concert. She wanted to know was I in the audience? (no, sad face) and then this: “Guy just dedicated a song to you”. And then he sang our song.

Photography credit: Paul Van Kan