I never wanted anything from my family. All I needed was food, a bed and a roof over my head and some money in a jar and I was in the top 1% of rich people in the world. True story. From the time I was old enough, I had a job as a pool lifeguard, which I started when I was fifteen. My dream was to be a musician. I had taken singing lessons from the time I was four years old and piano lessons when I was eight. I taught myself guitar and drums when I was ten and have been performing at little venues and writing my own material since I was fourteen. I have always enjoyed dancing as well and have done Ballet since I was three. I don’t enjoy it as much as music but it’s good to partner with my music. I also do hip-hop and contemporary. My Dad had always been my biggest inspiration, he started off as a simple boy from Brisbane, Australia who loved writing, Soccer, Cricket and hanging out with his brothers and became an award winning journalist and TV personality. He was a single Dad from the time I was six months old until I was seven and he married my step mum Cass. My name is Taylor Maddison Stefanovic and I’m about to embark on the journey of my life.

“Taylor, are you busy?” my Dad asked as he knocked on my bedroom door.

“No, come in Dad.”
My Dad walked into my room where I was sitting on my bed just writing some songs.
“Have you packed?” he asked as he sat on the edge of my bed.
“I’ve started, have you found any houses?” I asked.
“I found a nice apartment in New York, I’ll show you later. Can you finish packing please? We’re leaving in two days Tay.”
“I know, I know. I am just on a roll with my writing.”
“You know you can take a break, you haven’t stopped since you graduated. You need a holiday sweetheart.”

“America will be a holiday at the start, don’t worry about it Dad.”

“You are such a Stefanovic, you can’t not work!” he laughed.

Karl’s Point of View

My daughter Taylor is now eighteen and she has just graduated from high school at McDonald College of Performing Arts. She is an incredible musician who works very hard at achieving her dream. I managed to get her signed to a record label in America after many trips over the past six months performing in front of record executives and encouraging them to take a chance on my hard working daughter.

I have four kids in total; Taylor is my eldest, born on September 15 1992 when I was eighteen and I had just graduated from Churchie, a school in Brisbane, Australia. My girlfriend at the time was in year 12 at my school’s sister school. I worked two part time jobs once I graduated and was at university studying journalism. Taylor’s Mum died in a car accident when Taylor was six months old.I was devestated and left to raise a baby on my own. Thank goodness for daycare but when my parents moved back to Brisbane from Carnis, it made life so much easier. I didn’t have to fork out extra for day care and it made it easier to spend time with Taylor and watch her grow. We moved around until she turned six and I met her step Mum, Cass. When Taylor was seven, her step brother Jackson was born. Jackson is a very good soccer player and he is now eleven. Little Ava is now six and loves princesses, Barbies and playing soccer in the backyard with Jackson. River is the baby of the family he is now two. Taylor is very close to Jackson and is very good at looking after River

It’s certainly hard travelling all the time as a journalist, waking up early for the morning show that I do, having a family and managing my daughter’s music career. When I go over to America with Taylor to help her settle into an apartment, I’ll find her a manager over there and I’ll still help manage her but from Australia.

Taylor never asks for much, in fact she never asks for anything. She saved all her own money from gigs and her part time job as a lifeguard to go to America to find a record label, buy herself two new guitars and record a demo CD. So I think the least I can do is buy her an apartment in New York and give her $500,000 to help her start off.

Taylor’s Point of View

Getting ready for America was something I was trying to put off. Leaving the security of home is not something I am used to. I will admit now, I am a huge Daddy’s girl and I’m not good at putting myself into new situations. Sure I’m charismatic like my Dad but I’m shy when I meet new people.

Three days later, I had said goodbye to my brothers and sister and my step Mum and I was off to America to live. I don’t know how long for but it was sure going to be interesting. When Dad and I landed in New York, we went straight to our hotel and caught up on the sleep we didn’t get on the plane.

After our little catch up on sleep, we decided to go out and explore New York. We’d spent a week in New York about a month ago trying to find record labels and Dad managed to get me signed to Kaotic Records, the record label of Nick Carter from the BackStreet Boys. It was an alternative label but it was connected to Sony BMG, which helps with promotion and the like. I hadn’t met Nick Carter yet though, I had performed for his A&R department and they videoed it and sent it onto him and apparently he was impressed so I was signed.

“So Tay, tomorrow morning, we have to meet Nick at the studio at eleven.”
“What for? I didn’t think I started recording for another two weeks until we sorted paperwork and living arrangements out?”
“Don’t worry, you just have to meet Nick and finish off paperwork.”

“Oh that’s alright then. You had me worried for a second there. I haven’t finished half the stuff I wanted to write to show Nick”
“I’ll have to show you the apartment I found for you today as well.”
“I really hope it wasn’t too expensive Dad. I hate you spending money on me.”
“I know little darlin, but this is my treat. This is me helping you achieve your dreams. Why don’t we go check it out now hey?” Dad said as he hailed a cab outside the hotel.

We pulled up at a posh looking apartment building in SoHo. I deathstared Dad, it looked so expensive and posh. Dad had a key in his pocket already.

“When did you get a key?” I asked.

“Why do you think I was over here last week?” Dad smiled.

“You bought it? I’m going to get you Dad.”
“You’ll love it, I promise.”

When we got up to the third level in the lift, Dad opened the door to apartment number 6 and we walked inside. It was so impressive. The unit was fully furnished with all this lovely furniture, there was a study with a huge iMac set up and a laptop, in my room there was a massive double bed. The kitchen was amazing, not that I am a very good cook, there was a spare room with a piano and two brand new guitars hanging on the wall.

“Thank you so much Dad. I love it! It’s perfect.”
“That’s okay little darlin’. Anything for you, you know that, especially after all your hard work in the past two years with your HSC. Like a 99 is pretty damn impressive. You could be doing medicine if you weren’t at a performing arts school!”

“I have no idea how I got a 99 doing Music, Drama, Extension English, Dance and English.”
“Well you duxed it all. I was very impressed and very proud, that’s for sure. It proves that it’s not impossible to get a 99 with creative subjects. Anyway as I was saying, you deserve this apartment. Trust me baby girl. You really do.”

“I love you Pappa Bear. So when can I come and stay here?” I asked.

“Tomorrow night will be the first night. We just have to wait for all your things to come through from Australia so you can put everything out that you want.”

The next morning Dad woke me up at nine o’clock so I had plenty of time to get ready for meeting Nick Carter. I searched through my suitcase for my best looking clothes. I pulled out a black high waisted skirt and a light grey singlet and black leather jacket and my favourite peep toe black leather heels. I tied my blonde hair back into a bun and put a tiny bit of make up on to show off my brown eyes.

Dad was dressed in one of his best business suits with my favourite hot pink tie that I brought him a few years ago.

“Are you ready Tay-Tay?”

“I sure am Karlos! Let’s go!” I smiled as I put my iPhone into my handbag along with my wallet.

When the cab pulled up outside the studio in Manhattan, I  felt butterflies begin to gather in my stomach. Dad took my hand as we walked inside.

“I promise you’ll be fine Tay.”

We checked in at the studio and we were told to wait. Two minutes later, a tall blond guy appeared. That was Nick Carter! One of my musical heroes!

“Hey Karl! How’s it going?” he asked Dad.

“Good man, this is Taylor.”
“Hey Taylor, it’s great to finally meet you. I was so impressed by your music.”
“Thank you so much. Well I’ve always been inspired by your music.”

“Really, that’s so cool! Well come on in! We’re just having a studio session.”

“We?” I asked.
“The BackStreet Boys and the New Kids on the Block.”

“Woah, okay. I thought Dad meant you were just in a recording session with someone else in your label.”
“No, I only take on one new artist a year because my schedule is so hectic! Come on in.” he smiled.

Dad and I went into the recording studio behind Nick. My journey really was about to begin!