33-year-old Australian singer Matt Corby has created a career on his terms. Photo / Getty Images
33-year-old Australian singer Matt Corby has created a career on his terms. Photo / Getty Images
Put New Zealand and Australia in the same sentence and you instantly think the “Who really created the Pavalova?” argument has revived itself, and usually, you would be right.
Not today though. Today, the rivalry couldn’t be more dead, at least for Australian singer Matt Corby.
Sitting in his lounge, talking to the Herald, the 33-year-old star wears a plain white T-shirt, with a slither of one of his many tattoos poking out and makes a confession in his typical cool, calm and collected nature.
When asked if he has any desire to collaborate with Kiwi musicians in the future - notably Tikki Taane, Sir Dave Dobbyn or Lorde, the star confesses those are names he hadn’t even heard of, but there is one New Zealand band he has his creative heart set on.
“I’ve spent a bit of time with Caleb [Allan Joseph Nott] and Georgia [Josiena Nott] from Broods. I think both of them in their own right are absolute beasts,” He smiles, “Caleb’s a very clever producer, sort of instrumentalist. And I actually think Georgia is nowhere near reaching - hasn’t reached her full potential yet.”
It’s a big compliment for the brother-sister duo who have been steadily rising in popularity since their debut in 2014 - especially as it comes from a man who has been determined to create a very specific legacy on very specific terms, “I feel like,” Corby begins, “I’ve done a lot of things this annoyingly hard way.”
The singer isn’t wrong, his career isn’t as straightforward as it perhaps could have been and he chuckles reminiscing on the highs and lows of his years in the industry.
“I’ve tried not to go for the quick wins as much as possible,” he says referring to his early beginnings. After being launched into the spotlight as an exceedingly talented 16-year-old on Australian Idol in 2007, the New South Wales-born singer has proved he is anything but impressionable.
Coming second place in the competition, Corby was quickly offered a record deal with Sony Music Australia, surprising many when he turned it down, but he explains that, like many opportunities, he’s been presented with, it simply wasn’t in the best interests of his career.
“Post Idol, I probably could have cashed in as a teenager and definitely was offered things that I turned down. I knew in my heart that that wasn’t going to give me a long career,” the Resolution singer explains, “It wasn’t really in line with the essence of being, well, trying to be a real artist and real writer and musician.”
Corby’s career is one for the books, after turning down the label offer in the late Noughties, he went on to carve his own path and one week after turning 18, relocated to London. Releasing his debut extended play, Song for..., with Scorpio Music in 2009, Corby’s UK experience also included building on his already incredible voice as well as songwriting ability.
But while it was most certainly a character - and career-building time in his life, the star confesses, it wasn’t the most transformative moment in his life. Instead, that came in 2018.
“When I found out we were going to have our first child, me and my partner, I sort of stopped flirting with the idea that I was,” the Brother singer stops mid-sentence, attempting to swat away a mosquito. Successfully squishing the bug, he tucks a curly brown lock of hair behind his ear, “What am I trying to say?” he chuckles.
Explaining that his journey to fatherhood really “kicked” something inside of him, Corby found himself motivated to knuckle down and really make something of his career, “I just got a bit more serious about what it was to be a recording artist, and a writer, and a producer.”
Matt Corby is returning to New Zealand for two shows in December.
“I was very stagnant before that, probably not as prolific as I should have been and was happy just to experiment with things and not commit to anything,” he says adding, “As soon as I got that news, I was like, all right, let’s go. Let’s figure out where I’m going wrong here.”
Shortly after welcoming his first son, the ARIA winner announced another addition to his family - his musical family that is, and released his second studio album, Rainbow Valley which saw him tour Europe, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Unfortunately, many dates were cancelled due to the pandemic towards the end of the tour.
Now, Corby is ready to return to Aotearoa, with new material including his recently released album, Everything’s Fine. Set to perform his very own show at Auckland’s The Powerstation on December 1, the star is also scheduled to perform at Wellington’s On A Good Day festival alongside US soul singer, Allen Stone on December 2.
“It’s really exciting, I’m stoked to be able to get back over there,” he says smirking, “I’d much rather, much rather go to NZ than Perth.”
It reignites the Aussie/Kiwi rivalry in the most unforeseen way, but, what else would you expect from a star who has constantly challenged the norm?
LOWDOWN:
Who: Matt Corby
Where: Auckland and Wellington
When: December 1 and 2
Lillie Rohan is an Auckland-based reporter covering lifestyle and entertainment stories who joined the Herald in 2020. She specialises in all things relationships and dating, great Taylor Swift ticket wars and TV shows you simply cannot miss out on.
