Matty and Matilda talk Kiwi connection with Australian pop star Ruel

Meet Ruel - Australia's next pop sensation with a Kiwi connection.

Matty and Matilda had a special guest in the studio - 22-year-old Australian singer-songwriter Ruel, who already has more than 3 billion streams, four EPs, and sold-out world tours under his belt. Not bad for someone who started making demos at just 12 years old!

Ruel’s got a strong Kiwi connection too. “My dad is a Kiwi. [He grew up in] Christchurch. I’ve got so much family here, so I come here all the time – for Christmases, usually Nelson, Christchurch or down to Queenstown. I love it.”

After getting discovered young, things moved quickly. “I started touring when I was like 14 or 15… I don’t regret any of it. It was amazing. I look back, though, it’s like a completely different person.”

Now he’s feeling more confident than ever in his music. “This new project … is the most me I could possibly be,” he said. That includes his brand-new single Suburbs, out now.

“It’s just, you meet someone that you find you can finally settle down with… even if you’re 20, 21, 22, it’s like, I don’t care. I just want to move out and have a very simple life.”

With his soulful voice, down-to-earth vibe, and a fresh new record, Ruel is definitely one to keep an eye (and an ear) on.