Cody Simpson gushes about Olympian girlfriend Emma McKeon as he gears up for his big music comeback and makes career announcement
EXCLUSIVE: Cody Simpson is, in his own words, more ready than ever to make his big music comeback.
Off the back of his recent swimming ambitions, the Australian musician is going back to where he started – he’s making a highly-anticipated return to music.
The Gold Coast native, now 28, was just a young teen when he rose to fame after finding success on YouTube and went on to release hit songs including iYiYi, On My Mind and La Da Dee. He also collaborated on a song with Justin Bieber.
Simpson sat down for a chat with Nine.com.au, as he threw his support behind the Uber x Australian Red Cross Clothing Drive 2025.
Watch the videos above.
Speaking about his return to music, after having represented Australia at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and found great success in the sport, Simpson teases that it’s going to be better than ever.
“I’ve been in the studio like almost all year. I’ve been over to LA like three times at least,” he says.
“I got back two days ago just from recording trips and gearing up the new project, the new record and things are sounding really good. It’s sort of a blend of everything I’ve ever been, I think, like all my eras, actually.”
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“It’s kind of trying to do or blend everything that I’ve ever been and then embrace all the different parts of me from when I first started, all the way through until now, and all the phases that I’ve been through and trying to figure out how to do service to everything that I am and have been and make that fresh,” he continued.
“It’s very me. It’s cool stuff though. I feel like really confident about it and more confident about it than I have in a fair while.
“So once I start I won’t be stopping, that’s for sure.”
One person who has been by his side through it all is girlfriend and Australian Olympian Emma McKeon, 31. She’s Australia’s most decorated Olympian in history.
“She’s a rock in my life. Anyone who has that in life is lucky.”
Touching on how supportive she’s been with his swimming career and music, he tells Nine.com.au: “She’s a rock in my life.”
“Anyone who has that in life is lucky. We bonded through something so specific and special in swimming, but now, living and navigating life after it and doing all different kinds of things, it’s been a really fun journey.”
He says his music hiatus to pursue his swimming dreams offered him some “clarity”.
”It gave me a fresh perspective,” he explains.
“For one, it made me really excited again to do it… It just allowed me to take a step back and almost see my whole career and everything I’ve done from a broader perspective and allowed me to kind of accept and embrace it all too.”
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“I think growing up, you get a bit older and then you get embarrassed by stuff you did when you were younger or you thought it was cringe, but then as you get a little bit older again, you kind of go, ‘No, that was actually really awesome that I did that at that age.'”
“It’s certainly given me a lot of clarity and made me feel like a kid again, going back into the studio.”
His best advice to any young singers looking to break into the music industry is to ”be patient”.
“I was very fortunate that things happened very quickly for me in the beginning, at least,” he says.
“But I think now I’m almost like in a place where I’m having to re-learn patience because I know that it doesn’t always happen that way every time.
“And and also to take your time in finding your creative identity.”
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One person Simpson looks up to is Hugh Jackman, who he calls an “Australian icon,” who he recently met in New York while Jackman was performing as part of his Hugh Jackman: From New York, With Love shows.
“I was starstruck, I couldn’t speak,” Simpson admits.
“I had a moment with him and I was trying to kind of express that he inspired me to pursue musical theatre and show me what’s possible in entertainment. And I was just staring at the ground and like putting at my words out.”
Simpson recently appeared in Opera Australia’s Guys & Dolls.
About the clothing drive he’s supporting, Simpson is donating some special items and one of them is a black blazer he wore once while performing at the AFL Grand Final last year.
“This Saturday from 10am to 4pm, you can order an Uber courier for free to come and pick up all your boxes of clothing… which just makes it really easy for people to donate from their house, from their doorstep,” he says.
“And so I’m just trying to raise awareness and encourage people to donate.
“What’s the point of a platform if you’re not using it for good?
“It’s important to help people in need and to do good wherever you can. And this just seemed like kind of a no-brainer for me.
“Especially for me being somebody that has a lot more clothes than they need!”
The Uber x Australian Red Cross Clothing Drive 2025 is taking place this Saturday, October 18 between 10am to 4pm.
