He’s sung for A-listers such as Queen Elizabeth and Oprah Winfrey, and shared the international stage with John Mayer, Taylor Swift and Alicia Keys. Yet this man with a mission has also quietly created a kids’ charity, The Sebastian Foundation, with his wife, Jules, to help Australian children face a happier future.
Guy Sebastian was made a member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2019 for significant service to music and charity. So, the singer/songwriter’s platinum debut single, “Angels Brought Me Here,” has set the remarkable tone for his whole career since his dramatic debut in 2003, when he became the first winner of the TV show Australian Idol.
His soulful music has earned him over 1.3 billion streams, sold more than seven million units globally, including six #1 singles —the most by any Australian artist in ARIA history. He has garnered 82 Aria Platinum Certifications and won seven ARIA awards.
Yet, despite being one of Australia’s most popular singers for the past two decades, impressively, service to others has remained a priority.
The family established the Sebastian Foundation in 2013 to help give young Australians the resilience and confidence they need in an increasingly challenging world. The aim is to teach kids vital coping skills to manage and thrive through the challenges they’ll face throughout adolescence and beyond.
Staggering statistics show that two out of five young Australians experience mental health issues. These numbers have surged by fifty per cent in the last 15 years. Suicide is the leading cause of death in young Australians, accounting for one-third of deaths in this age group.
The couple believe that only a proactive, early intervention approach will create genuine generational change and start to turn things in a more positive direction for this challenged generation of kids.
“These statistics are horrendous, and we need to take action before it is too late. Our hope for all the kids of Australia is the same hope we have for our own kids – that they grow up feeling strong, resilient and happy,” says Jules.
Guy adds passionately, “This generation is facing a crisis that no other generation has faced before when it comes to bullying, social media pressures, all of these things that are closing in on them, and it is so important to give them a coat of mental armour before it is too late.”
The Sebastian Foundation funds schools to access an innovative in-school mental health program called Open Parachute.
Guy speaks to the Ballarat community about Open Parachute
Developed by Clinical Psychologist Dr Hayley Watson, students learn from real stories of kids their own age dealing with challenging issues around social media, body image, depression, anxiety, grief, addiction and more. Not surprisingly, research shows that children learn more from what they hear from their peers.
Open Parachute won the Social Impact category at the 2024 Australian Good Design Awards, recognising its potential for long-term impact. The jury said the program “stands out as a powerful example of how educational design can support mental health and resilience, making a lasting positive impact on future generations.”
Lessons are delivered online and in the classroom, making them accessible for schools in remote and rural communities where it is not feasible to send course facilitators.
So far, over 210,000 students have benefited from the program at more than 240 schools across Australia. The focus is on bringing these vital skills to as many young people as possible.
Joeli*, 15, says, “The stress around final exams was wrecking me.” He adds, “Open Parachute helped me understand how stress builds in the body and what to do about it. The body-scan meditation and weekly reflection time provided me with tools that I still use today. I’ve even set boundaries around my study time and sleep, which I used to ignore. Now I feel like I’m actually managing life, not just reacting to it.”
Another student, Lara*, 14, says, “Before Open Parachute, I used to bottle everything up.” Now, when the Year 9 student feels overwhelmed, such as before taking a big test or when having a particularly stressful day, she asks for help. “I told a teacher last week I needed a break to calm down. That never would’ve happened before,” she adds happily.
Overworked and overstressed school teachers are also greatly benefiting. “The Open Parachute program has provided essential tools and support to help students develop emotional resilience, improve social skills, and foster a positive school culture. By implementing this program, our school is making progress towards creating a safe space for students to express their feelings, learn coping strategies, and build supportive relationships,” adds their grateful high school teacher.
Sebastian says they support schools through the Open Parachute program, a unique in-school wellbeing program tailored for kids from Kindergarten through to Year 12. He adds proudly, “Using real stories from peers, it teaches students the psychological skills they need to cope with the many challenges they’ll face throughout adolescence. And it works!”
This year, after a five-year hiatus from recording, Sebastian has also released his emotive tenth studio album, 100 Times Around the Sun. Sebastian says he spent four years writing deeply personal songs about family, love, joy, grief, and heartbreak in Bali, L.A., Nashville and produced a lot of the album in his Sydney home studio.
The songwriter and record producer says he poured “everything into this soulful statement”, and the heartfelt album debuted as #2 on the ARIA album chart and #1 on the Australian ARIA chart after its release on 8th August 2025. A day earlier, this Renaissance man, who is “obsessed” with fragrances, also released a men’s scent called Ive, which was a very personal tribute to his beloved father Ivan. He now has a trio of fragrances, including the femme scents Embrace and Embrace Night.
Sebastian, who has Portuguese, English, Scottish, and Sri Lankan heritage, was born in Malaysia and moved to Australia with his family in 1988, when he was six years old. First to Melbourne, then later to Adelaide. He initially studied medical radiation at the University of South Australia but left to pursue music, his true passion. It was a wonderful full-circle moment when he was honoured in the South Australian Music Hall of Fame in 2024, showing that following his life passion has definitely paid off.
Reflecting on a more than 20-year career, he has had endless chart-topping hits and was the first Australian artist to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015 in Vienna. He was a coach on The Voice Australia for six years from 2019 to 2024. Sebastian also made his acting debut this year in the movie Hindi Vindi, playing the father of an aspiring teen musician.
Despite his achievements, looking forward is what it’s all about for this talented singer who is excited about his 100 Times Around The Sun tour in April and May 2026, touring Australia wide from Perth to Cairns.
He may be one of Australia’s most accomplished performers, yet Sebastian has also been open about his own mental health struggles. Both he and his wife Jules have lost loved ones to suicide, and they are determined to help create a positive path forward for others through The Sebastian Foundation.
After experiencing the Open Parachute course, 13-year-old Mia, a year 8 Queensland high school student, says learning about social media and self-esteem hit her deeply. “I hadn’t realised how much comparing myself online was messing with my mood. Now, I check in with myself before scrolling, and I’ve unfollowed accounts that make me feel bad. That tiny habit has seriously helped me feel more confident and in control of my emotions.”
Queensland Year 7 student Stuart*, 12, says the program unexpectedly helped him too. “I used to think mental health was just for people who were really struggling. But now I understand that it’s something we all must take care of, like brushing our teeth. It makes me feel like I know how to help now.”
Teachers are on the frontline of this burgeoning mental health crisis for Gen Alpha. A grateful primary school teacher in S.A. adds, “Our students now have a far better understanding of social media, body image, depression, grief, anxiety, addiction and how to navigate healthy friendships. Most importantly, they have learnt how to get help when they need it.”
Across Australia, there are positive examples of students, regardless of their economic or social background, gaining essential tools and support through The Sebastian Foundation to develop emotional resilience, improve social skills, learn healthy coping strategies, and foster a positive future.
“Our work comes straight from the heart and is based on genuine passion,” says Sebastian. “We want to help Australia’s young people and families in any way we can, and we hope you join us in our mission. Mental health skills should be taught to every child, in every classroom.”
Australia’s leading TV shopping network, TVSN has joined forces through its Charity of Choice program with The Sebastian Foundation. The partnership launches an exclusive Sebastian Foundation t-shirt, with sales supporting their mission to strengthen the mental health and resilience of young Australians.
Guy and Jules showcase the limited edition t-shirts
“Through this partnership with TVSN, we’re able to bring Open Parachute to more schools and give more Aussie kids the mental coping skills they need to handle life’s challenges,” says Sebastian.
“Partnering with The Sebastian Foundation is a way for us to connect our customers with a cause that’s making a real difference,” adds Direct Group CEO, Algy Pereira. This t-shirt is a small but powerful step in supporting young Australians’ mental health, and something people can wear with pride.”
Click here to purchase a t-shirt to help support The Sebastian Foundation. (tvsn.com.au) The exclusive t-shirt will be available via tvsn.com.au for $19.95 from 8th October for a limited time, with all profits directly funding the Foundation’s vital work.
To discover more about The Sebastian Foundation, visit thesebastianfoundation.org. Your $15 donation will support one student through the Open Parachute program for an entire school year, and $350 could fund a whole class for the year.
Guy Sebastian’s new album 100 Times Around The Sun is available now. To catch Guy on tour in 2026, visit guysebastian.com for tickets and more info.
