Suzie McNeil: INXS Survivor

Competing on the popular reality show Rockstar: INXS may have plucked Suzie McNeil from the relative obscurity of commercial jingles and tribute acts, but in many ways it was just the start of another struggle to the top of the rock 'n' roll heap.

ChartAttack talked to the Canadian singer about the two years that took her from last woman standing in the race to be the new leader of INXS to the release of her own album, Broken & Beautiful.

ChartAttack: I've read that you had a rough time after Rockstar: INXS. Is that true?
Suzie McNeil: Yes. The hardest part about it was that we were sequestered there. It kind of messes with your head. It was just very insular. All we had to do, really, was talk to each other, hang out and drink (laughs) and play music. It was three months straight of that and we didn't really speak to our family or anything. They listened in to our conversations, no internet or TV. Hurricane Katrina happened and we didn't even know.

That was really hard, plus my life had totally changed when I came back into the world and it was hard to sort of catch my breath and know what my new reality was. At least with Survivor, they tape it beforehand. They get to watch the progression of themselves in the public eye and we didn't, so it was kind of weird. It messed with all of our heads a little bit.

How long did it take you to adjust to real life again?
It took a couple months, I've gotta say. I was surprised by it, just like, "Come on!" I try to be a strong person and I think I am, but it took me a while to sort of adjust back into life. But then I talked to some of the other contestants and they felt the same way, so I sort of forgave myself and thought I'd been too hard on myself for that.

Did you get right back into music after that?
Oh yeah. It was hard to sort of suss out my options. I had a lot of options: record deal offers, management, things like that. And I'm happy with the path that I took. It wasn't an easy one and I don't know if I made mistakes. I don't really believe in mistakes or have any regrets. I think that life goes the way you make it and that everything happens for a reason. But yeah, I mean the opportunities became bigger and better after that, for sure, musically. And I always want to be doing music. It doesn't matter about TV or no TV or singing in a bar or in front of 20,000 people. It doesn't matter what I do.

Is your journey over the past year and a half reflected on your album?
Um, no, not necessarily, because it was made before it kind of got tough. A lot of the songs are relationship stuff. I mean, I can't help it, none of us can help it, there's always relationship songs out there. I went through a rocky part through Rockstar, relationship-wise, and that's represented on there. Also, the single I have on the radio right now, "Hung Up," is kind of written about L.A. It was a weird experience living in L.A. So it sort of covers my year, for sure.

It's a very inspirational album. Were you able to inspire yourself during the rough patches?
Yeah, totally! It's interesting because we recorded one of the singles from this record called "Believe," and I was all worried about the record coming out and there was all of this drama. And I remember sitting in my car and listening to that song and I was like, "Suzie, you just need to listen to your own song! Shut up and just believe." I've been challenged so much lately, I feel a lot stronger for sure.

If you could relive the journey you've had in the past year and a half, would you change anything?
No. I can't live that way. I don't think anyone should. I can't really live with any regrets or anything. For one, it's pointless and for two, it's supposed to be going the way that it's going. I'm happy. I love life, to be honest. I have so much. I'm overjoyed with how much I love life. So I wouldn't trade any of it.