Xavier Rudd (born 29 May 1978) is a soulful Australian singer-songwriter an… Read Full Bio ↴Xavier Rudd (born 29 May 1978) is a soulful Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose songs encompass themes such as spirituality, humanity, environmentalism and the rights of Indigenous Australians. He recorded as Xavier Rudd & Izintaba for the 2010 album "Koonyum Sun" and as Xavier Rudd & the United Nations for the 2017 album "Nanna".

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".

Conceal Me
Xavier Rudd Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hey Now
I'm speaking once again
Oh yeah
My name is in your head
So strange
These people that you have
That's right my friend
It's all just where you're at

This is how I like to play
This is how I feel these days
This is how I like to play
This is how I feel these days

Take me
Conceal me where you like
You will see it open
From within I will rise
Like seasons
Your flavour will die
On and on these people
They'll listen every time

This is how I like to play
This is how I feel these days

This is how I like to play
This is how I feel these days

Overall Meaning

The song "Conceal Me" by Xavier Rudd is a beautiful expression of the desire to transcend the limitations and distractions of everyday life and connect with a deeper, more meaningful reality. The lyrics begin with the singer introducing himself, asserting his presence and influence in the listener's mind. But he also acknowledges the transient nature of identity and perception, recognizing that our experiences are shaped by the people, places, and circumstances that surround us.

The song's central message is encapsulated in the chorus: "Take me, conceal me where you like/ You will see it open, from within I will rise." This speaks to the longing to be hidden from the distractions and noise of the world, to be enclosed in a space that fosters introspection and contemplation. But it also suggests that this inner sanctuary is not a static, isolated place, but rather a source of strength and inspiration that empowers us to navigate the challenges of life with greater clarity and purpose.

Overall, "Conceal Me" is a beautiful and evocative song that resonates with anyone seeking to connect with their innermost self and discover a deeper sense of purpose and meaning. It speaks to the power of introspection, the value of cultivating a sense of stillness and quietude in our lives, and the potential for personal transformation that arises when we detach ourselves from the distractions of the world and embrace the beauty and mystery of our inner selves.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey Now
I am addressing you with excitement

I'm speaking once again
I am talking to you after a long time

Oh yeah
I am expressing happiness

My name is in your head
You remember me and know who I am

So strange
It's interesting how things work out sometimes

These people that you have
The people you are surrounded by

That's right my friend
I agree with you

It's all just where you're at
Your experiences are shaped by your environment

This is how I like to play
My preferred way of doing things

This is how I feel these days
My current emotional state

Take me
Please help me