Photography by Chris Phelps | Interview by Alicia Graves
Innocent and charming fit Cody Simpson like a glove. After speaking with the brooding musician it’s hard not to notice the 15 year old level of maturity. With each question came articulate sometimes even insightful responses. Some artists need extensive grooming but Simpson seems as though he was
created to absorb the flashing lights. Super stardom came early on for the singer/songwriter but he has more than his musical upbringing to thank. You Tube introduced us to this Aussie native, after he uploaded original songs and covers from the likes of Justin Timberlake and The Jacksons.
A happy balance of privacy and vulnerability is what the rising star strives for. Sadly enough, with the release of his EP, “Coast to Coast”, new single of the teenage breakup ballad, “Not Just You”, 2 million Twitter followers, 2.7 million Facebook fans and 119 million views on Youtube; Cody may be fighting a losing battle trying to stay under the celebrity radar. We wont begin to try and calculate how many eyes are watching now, but we’re sure he’s enjoying his new found fame.
Take a look at what Cody had to say when we interviewed the young talent.
So you were signed at the age of 13. Tell me about your musical upbringing.
My life as a child was very laid back and relaxed. I was born on the gulf coast of Australia, not sure if you know, but it’s a really relaxed kind of beach town. I didn’t do too much except go to school and swim. Music wasn’t really something that was on my mind too much when I was younger. I was always around lots of musical people. My Dad played the guitar and we always had musical friends that came over, but it was always just a hobby for me, you know what I mean?
Your father was a musician. Was he the typical parent who wanted his son to become a doctor or a lawyer, rather than a musician?
No, not at all. My parents didn’t necessarily want me to become anything. They encouraged anything that I wanted to do, any dream I might have, they were always 100% behind it. When I was swimming, they were 100% behind that. With the guitar, I had this incredible opportunity and I thought I should take it, and my parents and my family were there for me every step of the way. And I’m there for them as well. Like if my sister wants to do something, we are going to get behind that. My parents want to make sure they teach their kids to follow their dreams, I guess.
Did you feel pressured to super-exceed your father’s talents or was it a nurturing musical relationship?
My Dad wasn’t a professional singer or guitar player; he did it for fun with a lot of friends. He was great at it, but it wasn’t something he wanted to make a career out of. But like I said, he was 100% behind me, always encouraging me and my Mom is the same. I have an incredible relationship with them, where I can talk to them about pretty much anything. A lot of kids these days don’t have that relationship with their family.
You have a huge following on YouTube which dates back to one of your first videos uploaded prior to your record deal. Did you always have intentions of pursuing a music career?
Yeah, it was always a dream of mine. But, I had so much going on. I was a swimmer and very much into the sport, so that was something I focused on every single day. So, at the time my music was just a hobby of mine. One day I was like, “Hey I’ll post a couple videos online.”… without much experience, I just did it and people responded well to it — they started to like it. Things really started happening musically when I came over to the States. That’s when I felt like this was what I wanted to do. I’m a very self-motivated and very dedicated kid, and I do whatever I set my mind to, whether it was swimming or the music now. I always want to make sure that I’m working I know I’m still at the beginning of my career so I want to make sure I work hard and to the best of my ability.
You have over 2 million followers on Twitter, and almost 3 million Facebook likes; what’s your take on social media and the role it plays for artists? Does it worry you that people want to know so much about you or do you embrace it?
I feel like – to be 100% honest with you – I really miss the way that part of the entertainment business was a long time ago. Sometimes I wish it was how it was 20 to 30 years ago. Everyone was an enigma, mysterious… like James Dean, you didn’t know anything about him.
So we know only what he tells us right?
Exactly. People know what my dog’s name is and which suburb I live in. Honestly, I do embrace it and I do love being approachable and personable with my fans, because that’s just the way it is now, but I still feel it’s bit weird.
What is one thing as far as privacy that you’re not willing to dish out?
Actually, I think I keep lots of things private. I only like to tell people what I feel comfortable with. Definitely family business. Anything personal like that I want to make sure it stays personal. My family has had to adjust to the attention, but ultimately we’re cool. We just try to keep under the radar.
You were discovered by Shawn Campbell; whose credits include Jay Z, Missy, Avant, and Chris Brown. How did he reach out to you and what was your parents’ initial reaction?
He reached out to me through my MySpace page. He saw a couple videos on my YouTube and heard a couple songs I played on MySpace. He hit me up through there and said, “Hey, I think you’re really talented. Can I get in touch with your parents? I want you to come to the U.S. and record with me. I have a couple songs I think you’d sound great on” At first I thought it was a scam you know, because anyone can be anyone online. So I let it go for a while. Then I showed my Mom after a couple days. I told her I got this thing the other day online and asked her to check it out and see if it was legit. He left his number so my Mom called him and we Skyped him, Googled him, and saw that he was a legitimate guy… we built the relationship from there. Within a month we were over in the States.
What was your artist development process like? Did you go through a grueling boot camp when you got to Atlantic Records?
I didn’t go through any form of grooming or anything. I really hadn’t had any signing lesson to be honest, until I came to the states.
With the release of your second EP titled Coast to Coast, back in May 2011, we noticed more of a dance oriented, contemporary style pop. Especially on tracks like ‘On My Mind’, ‘Angel’, and your smash hit with Flo Rida, ‘iYiYi’. What can your fans expect on your CD due out this summer?
We actually released one of the songs from the album already. It’s a song called ‘So Listen’. I think it kind of represents more of a mature sound. I think that’s the edgiest song on the album, and we thought it was a great song to introduce to everyone. The second single off the new album, which I think will be the main single is a real hot dance song that I feel will be ‘the one’.
How do you know when a song is ‘The One’?
When I hear certain parts for the first time, there’s a certain feeling you get — you instantly become drawn in. From the instruments, the beat, the arrangements; something special just captures you and it just wont let go. That’s when you know without a doubt you’ve got a smash hit.
What can you tell us about your upcoming tour? Do you feel a little nervous about performing for such a larger audience?
I’m both nervous and excited. By June we’ll definitely have that single out and the album will have come out by then, so I’ll have a lot of great songs I’ll be able to perform. I went on a promo tour in February and now I’m going out with ‘Big Time Rush’ , who have a major fanbase, so we’re just looking to put on a great show.
What’s one thing you want people to know about Cody Simpson? What sets you apart from the rest?
I want people to know about my music. As far as what sets me apart from the rest; You’ll have to wait and see. When the album drops on June 5th, the music will show what sets me apart. At the end of the day it all comes down to the music – and that’s the reason I’m here. I just want to let that speak for itself.
Update: Check out Cody Simpson on Season 18 of ABC’s Dancing With The Stars.