Growing up in a family of seven children in Torquay, Victoria (Australia), near the famous surfing location Bells Beach, Rudd showed a keen interest in music. While primary school-aged, Rudd used his mother's vacuum cleaner as a makeshift didgeridoo and he began playing his brother's guitar. He also played saxophone and clarinet as a child.
Before launching his solo career, Rudd began playing music as part of the band 'Xavier and the Hum'. In 2004, Rudd released Solace, his first album to be distributed by a major label.
Rudd's music is compassionate and always manages to render emotion in his fans. His songs include stories of the mistreatment of the indigenous people of his homeland; they tell of humanity, spirituality or the environment. The songs are written and sung with compassion and they urge the celebration of life.
Rudd is skilled with a variety of instruments, include guitar, shaker, didgeridoo, Weissenborn slide guitar, Tongue drum, stomp boxe, djembe, harmonica, ankle bells, and slide banjo. It's an experience to watch him perform his songs live, as he plays the guitar, digeridoo and various percussion instruments simultaneously, using a unique stage setup. But the real magic comes when he opens his mouth and his soulful voice spills upon his audience.
Rudd recalls that when he was 10, his dad took him to see Paul Simon’s Graceland tour. “I remember seeing it and knowing that that was what I was gonna do,” he says. “I had no doubt. It sort of made sense, because I’d always lived in my head, in this world of song that was my own little secret. But to see that show and that whole thing happening, I sort of felt comfortable as a human, and thought.” He learned to play the digeridoo, the 50,000-year-old wooden trumpet of the Aboriginal people, by practising on a vacuum cleaner pipe.
As a teenager, Rudd really got into songwriting. He started performing at his school, with solo gigs following. He drew inspiration from artists such as Leo Kottke, Ben Harper, Natalie Merchant and multi-instrumentalist David Lindley, as well as music from diverse sources, such as Hawaii and Native American music.
As with most solo artists, Rudd has experimented playing in a band. Though it was a short- lived experiment, as Rudd quickly found that it wasn't the right way to go for him. “What I do now is just more me,” he says. “And it sounds full.”
Quotes:
“It’s all about peace and happiness,” he says of his performances. “That’s sort of the blanket that seems to sort of settle in the room, or on the venue when I play, but I sort of feel not solely responsible. I don’t really feel like it’s me and the audience. I feel like it’s all of us, one big connection and I just happen to be channeling the energy through music. It comes from the audience and channels through me and I put it back in the audience.”
“My music is about good spirit. I’m so lucky to be able to do what I do. I’m so blessed to be able to be able to travel around and play music and connect with so many people in so many places in so many cultures. It’s a gift of life as a musician.”
After the failure of his marriage in 2009, Rudd was supported in his grief and recovery by new South African bandmates, bassist Tio Moloantoa and percussionist Andile Nqubezelo. Rudd had met Moloantoa and Nqubezelo performing at the 2008 Wiesen Nuke Festival in Austria. Rudd described his connection with Moloantoa and Nqubezelo as musical, spiritual and emotional—"I feel like they were sent to me," he said.
In 2010 Rudd bought 20 hectares of property at Koonyum Range, Mullumbimby, the location was the inspiration for the name of the album Rudd would release with Moloantoa and Nqubezelo, titled "Koonyum Sun", as Xavier Rudd & Izintaba. The album moved away from the heavier sound of Rudd's 2008 album "Dark Shades of Blue" to a more up-beat style.
"Nanna", the 2015 album Rudd released as Xavier Rudd & the United Nations champions cultural understanding and condemns racism and intolerance. It features a diverse group of musicians from Australia, South Africa, Samoa, Germany, Ireland, and Papua New Guinea.
In 2018, Rudd released "Storm Boy".
Follow the Sun
Xavier Rudd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And which way the wind blows
When this day is done
Breathe, breathe in the air
Set your intentions
Dream with care
Tomorrow is a new day for everyone
Brand new moon, brand new sun
So follow, follow the sun
The direction of the bird
The direction of love
Breathe, breathe in the air
Cherish this moment
Cherish this breath
Tomorrow is a new day for everyone
Brand new moon, brand new sun
When you feel life coming down on you
Like a heavy weight
When you feel this crazy society
Adding to the strain
Take a stroll to the nearest waters
And remember your place
Many moons have risen and fallen long, long before you came
So which way is the wind blowin'
And what does your heart say?
So follow, follow the sun
And which way the wind blows
When this day is done
Xavier Rudd's "Follow the Sun" is a song about relaxation and inner reflection. The lyrics advise the listener to follow the sun, winds, and birds while resting in the moment and breathing in the air. Rudd suggests that if anyone feels overwhelmed by life's pressures, they should take a peaceful stroll towards the nearest waters to remember their place in the world. The singer encourages individuals to cherish every instant and breathe in every breath, as tomorrow is a new start with new possibilities.
The song suggests that it's important to trust oneself and follow the path of love, as it will lead individuals to find their true selves. The lyrics imply that regretful pondering about the past or anxious thoughts about the future can be unproductive and counter-productive. The song's message is to let go of one's preconceived notions and ideas, as every second is fresh, unique, and full of potential. This interpretation aligns with Rudd's personal philosophy of living in the moment and staying grounded in mother nature's healing power.
Line by Line Meaning
Follow, follow the sun
Make the most of your days and enjoy life to the fullest
And which way the wind blows
Follow your intuition and find your own path
When this day is done
Reflect on the day's events and prepare for tomorrow
Breathe, breathe in the air
Take a moment to be present and appreciate life
Set your intentions
Determine your goals and focus on achieving them
Dream with care
Visualize your dreams, but be mindful of the steps you take to achieve them
Tomorrow is a new day for everyone
Every day is an opportunity to start fresh and make progress
Brand new moon, brand new sun
Each day is unique and offers a chance for growth and change
The direction of the bird
The path that nature takes can provide guidance
The direction of love
The direction of love should be followed and prioritized
Cherish this moment
Appreciate the present and find joy in the little things
Cherish this breath
Be grateful for the gift of life and take advantage of it
When you feel life coming down on you
When you feel overwhelmed by life
Like a heavy weight
As if a burden that is difficult to bear
When you feel this crazy society
When society's pressures add to the weight on your shoulders
Adding to the strain
Making life even harder to handle
Take a stroll to the nearest waters
Find solace and peace in nature
And remember your place
Reflect on your role and purpose in life
Many moons have risen and fallen long, long before you came
Life has existed for generations before you, and will continue long after you're gone
So which way is the wind blowin'
What direction are you being pulled in?
And what does your heart say?
Reflect on your innermost desires and instincts
When this day is done
Reflect on the day's events and prepare for tomorrow
So follow, follow the sun
Make the most of your days and enjoy life to the fullest
And which way the wind blows
Follow your intuition and find your own path
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: XAVIER RUDD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind