if I wanted to have lessons with him. So I did.
His name was Cash Backman, and he used to be a country artist in Australia. He’d even had a number one song. I worked with him for a while and it was really cool to learn from someone who had reached that level. He was teaching me a lot of country songs, which my dad liked a lot.
During that time I also began to listen to more mainstream pop music, like Justin Timberlake and Chris Brown. I always wanted to learn how to play songs by these guys on the guitar, but I was cautious about telling Cash that I wanted to change my style musically – for good reason, as it turned out, because when I eventually did, he wasn’t that supportive.
One Sunday he took me along to one of his performances at a hotel about an hour and a half away in Lowood. He was going to invite me onstage with him, and I prepared four country songs to play that night: Johnny Cash’s ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ and ‘Jackson’, John Denver’s ‘Leaving on a Jet Plane’, and Hank Williams’s ‘Hey Good Lookin’’. I was nervous in the days leading up to the concert, but I channelled that energy into practising, again and again.
My parents drove us out to the concert, and my whole family was excited for me. I was quiet in the car, just getting myself psyched and ready. It was pretty crazy that I was out there doing that! There were about a hundred people in the audience, and I couldn’t wait to get started so I could put an end to the feeling of anticipation. But my nerves all melted away once I walked up onstage. As soon as I got up there and felt the energy from the crowd, I just relaxed and played my heart out. The crowd seemed to go for it, and it was a lot of fun! It didn’t change my desire to learn other kinds of music, though, and I kept pushing the boundaries. Cash still only wanted me doing country. So, eventually, we went our separate ways.
My next teacher, Ram Sefer, is a really well-known instructor who specialises more in rock and pop music. He was much more open to ideas. Right away he asked me to bring in a song that I wanted to learn. I used to choose one from some of my new favourite artists like Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, and Justin Timberlake, and he would help me work through it. Then I would bring in some songs I was writing and we would collaborate on those. He definitely helped spark my interest in writing songs and he gave me a lot of confidence. It really encouraged my music to the next level. I will always be grateful to Ram for his support.
Recording my single ‘Pretty Brown Eyes’.
Launching into Justin Bieber’s Believe tour.
Soundcheck and rehearsals on the Paradise tour.
COMPETING AT THE NATIONALS
At nine years old, after I’d been training and competing with my local swimming team, my mum thought her old coach Denis Cotterell might be able to help me get to that next level. He’s one of the leading coaches in Australia, having coached many former Olympians. It was really an honour to get to meet him. I was invited to swim at his prestigious club, the Miami Swim Club. It’s an amazing facility, with two Olympic-size outdoor pools and a team of respected coaches. Swimming is a big sport in Australia, naturally, since it’s part of the culture, and one that we tend to do well in at the Olympics.
Denis saw the potential in me. I worked with other coaches there, but he took me under his wing, coaching me and looking out for me over the years. He’d pull me to the side during practice to give me extra pointers. It’s crazy to think about how far I could have gone with swimming. Denis really believed in me and thought I could qualify for the 2016 Olympics if I found the time to train.
I loved swimming as an outlet for my competitive nature. Even in training, I was always pushing myself to outwork the kids around me, especially the kids that were older and bigger than me. I was still smaller and skinnier than the other swimmers I was competing against. I knew I would have to work that much harder than a bigger guy to achieve my goals. And so I did. I still carry that underdog mentality with me today.
I competed in my first Australian School Nationals when I was ten years old. It was held in Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, on the southern coast. I flew out there with my team, and we had a great time goofing off and sharing in the excitement on our way to the meet. This was the next level for me. It was a five-day event, where I swam several different races each day. It was a big deal for me, and of course I was nervous, but I usually try to turn nerves into adrenalin, to fuel me to stay sharp in an event and swim my hardest.
The Nationals competition is held annually for all schools in Australia, across all sports. It’s the culmination of a whole year of racing and events. Before being able to compete in them, I first had to place in my events at the local meets, and then at the State competition to make the cut. From my results at the State competition, I was ranked first or second in a lot of events.
My whole family came with me to the Nationals competition, which helped me feel comfortable. A couple of friends from my local club also made the Nationals squad, so it was great to go with them. I was the youngest on the team. As always, I felt like I had a lot to prove to keep up with my team-mates. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Before a race, we would be lined up in a holding room, waiting for our turn to walk out to the pool deck and take our positions. I would bring music and lose myself in some of my favourite songs. To race, we would all wear the Fastskin suits, which are knee-length swimming trunks that glide through the water better than normal swimming togs. While waiting, we would have on the big, warm team coats that look a bit like what boxers wear. And sometimes we would wear Ugg boots to stay warmed up for the race.
When we’d finally move from the holding room out onto the pool deck and get down to our suits, the adrenalin would really hit me. I’d climb onto the starting block and adjust my suit, then my goggles. I’d go over the race in my head, visualising every stroke and turn. I can still hear the judge telling us to take our marks and feel my muscles tighten as I bend over and grab the block. The whistle would sound, and I’d hit the water. And the rest would just happen. I knew what I was doing, and what I needed to do to win.
I’d push myself to the limit as I’d race towards the final metres. And when I’d slam into the touch pad at the end, I’d immediately look up to see my time and my place. One of the best feelings in the world is looking up to see that I’ve won. At the Nationals competition, I had the fastest time in the 50-metre butterfly and 50-metre freestyle for a ten-year-old. I won all the races – gold medals in all of my events, in every stroke!
The Australian Nationals have a medal ceremony like the Olympics. It was a truly amazing feeling when they called my name and I stepped up onto the podium, onto the middle, tallest level. It’s so gratifying to work really, really hard at something and have it pay off or to be recognised for your efforts.
On the flip side, when I came second, I would feel so disappointed. To be honest, I was never totally happy unless I won! I know that sounds