Cody Simpson is still figuring out what he wants to do with his life. Though you may know him as the dreamy teenaged pop star making waves in Young Hollywood, his IRL vibe is way more down to earth. His Snapchat, Tumblr, and Instagram accounts reveal his true nature: a young guy who wears dirty Vans and idolizes Jimi Hendrix. He has more in common with your younger brother than the stars with whom he appears on TMZ.
Discovered at age 12 on YouTube, Cody hadn’t even hit puberty before he signed to a major label and relocated to the States from his native Australia. The next few years saw him putting out songs with hit makers, his career engineered by Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun. Concerts around the world, TV appearances, and even Cody Simpson action figures followed shortly thereafter. While this type of fame tends to turn young talent into train wrecks, Cody has kept his act together. He didn’t allow his career to define him, and now that he’s (a bit) older, he’s ready to redefine his career.
Shortly after his eighteenth birthday, Cody broke up with Atlantic Records and started recording his first album as an independent artist. No longer playing the role of a pop star, Simpson has tuned out the old Top-40 overtones and replaced them with a focus on skillful instrumentation and genuine good vibes. The result is Free, an album he made with Cisco Adler that comes out on July 10th. The songs on Free are about free thinking, love, and good feelings. Inspired by his musical independence, i-D caught up with Simpson when he was in New York this summer. He took us out for a walk in the rain and we talked music and meditation.
What makes you happy?
Blue water, James Taylor, and sushi.
What was your first favorite song/album?
A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash was the first song I ever remember hearing. What a poem and what a groove! My first album was a John Denver greatest hits record.
What’s your favorite song and album now?
My favorite song right now is Into the Mystic by Van Morrison. His lyrics are very poetic and spiritual and I connect pretty deeply with them. In terms of albums I’m actually really digging Mac DeMarco’s Salad Days.
Name some things that you’ve learned this year.
Meditation, blues guitar and adult independence.
What’s your favorite TV show?
I don’t watch TV! I actually mention that on the album, in a song called Happy Lil Hippie that just got released.
What was your favorite subject in school?
Music and art. I was a straight A student in all of the common subjects, although I got kicked out of choir and got a C in music. Clearly I was a little bit of a punk sometimes.
If you weren’t singing and touring, what would you be doing?
I’d probably be swimming competitively. I was really serious about it before music took over.
Do you think fame changes people?
I think it shows true colors, just as wealth does. I’m not a wealthy man and I don’t consider myself to be famous so I’m not really sure how to respond. I’ve definitely developed some more confidence and a little more of a don’t-give-a-fuck attitude through a lot of things I experience but aside from it all I try to keep pretty low key. The bright side to fame is that I have some sort of platform to launch art off of as I grow up.
Tell me about the deal-breaking moment that made you decide to become an independent artist and drop your label.
Once I turned 18 and realized I could make my own rules, I went for it. Just to realize that my art was being compromised in order to benefit a corporation had me freaked out.
Right now I’m just jamming and practicing guitar every day. Trying to find a balance of surfing and skating and enjoying my youth. Life is a marathon, not a sprint, to success. In my mind slow is fast.
How does recording and releasing your album independently differ from working with a label?
There’s a lot more responsibility involved, but at the same time it’s kind of relaxing because you can make up your own rules.
What are the central themes that you wrote about on Free?
Positivity, good times, growing up, and taking care of each other and our environment.
On your tour you’ve been shooting in 35mm and super 8 film. What attracted you to going analog?
I shoot 35mm on a Canon AE1. It’s so much fun because you never know what you’re gonna get until after the roll is developed. I do it as just another form of expression I guess.
Your love of old-school rock is also pretty apparent from your Instagram. Who are your rock heroes?
Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Neil Young. All figures that made an impact on music and people.
What’s your advice for aspiring musicians?
I’m definitely still an aspiring musician myself, and what I’m realizing is that it’s just about practice. The better that you can get at your craft, the more confident you’ll be to play for people.
Credits
Text John Tuite
Photography courtesy Carlos Santolalla