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.”
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“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".
Let Me Be
Xavier Rudd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hmm hmm, let me because
I want to be free now
Oh oh, free to see, yeah well
Want to walk away, oh oh
Let me feel my feet
Let me be, free
Acts against humanity, well,
Each for each and each will be then
Shed blood for what they each believe, well
On and on and on we go well,
Some will you see and, some won't be
True for you and truth will lead you
To a sense of, well now, peace
Let me be now
Hmm hmm, let me because
I want to be free now,
Oh oh, free to see, yeah well
Want to walk away, oh oh
Let me feel my feet
Let me be, free
Time and time and time we see these
Acts against humanity, well
Each for each and each will be then
Shed blood for what they each believe, well
On and on and on we go well
Some will you see and, some won't be
True for you and truth will lead you
To a sense of,well now, peace
Let me be now
Hmm hmm, let me because
I want to be free now
Oh oh, free to see, yeah well
Want to walk away, oh oh
Let me feel my feet
Let me be, free
want to be want to see would you let me go
Let me be now, hmm hmm, let me be
want to be want to see would you let me go
Let me be now, hmm hmm, let me be-cause
I want to be free
Oh, i want to be free
Yeah I said, I said, I said, I said
Free free now, free to see
Oh, 'cause I, want to be free
In "Let Me Be," Xavier Rudd is expressing a desire to be free from the turmoil of the world around him. He wants the ability to walk away and feel his own feet, all while seeing the world in his own way. The repeated phrase "let me be" emphasizes his need for independence and self-discovery. The lyrics also touch on the violence and conflict happening in the world, highlighting the fact that people will shed blood for what they believe in. The repetition of "time and time and time we see these acts against humanity" implies a sense of frustration and hopelessness in the face of recurring violence.
Overall, the song is a call to break free from societal pressures and expectations and to find peace and truth on one's own terms. It's a reminder to prioritize individuality and self-care in a world that is often turbulent and unpredictable.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh oh, Let me be now
Allow me to have my own freedom and peace in the present moment.
Hmm hmm, let me because
I'm asking for permission to be in a state of ease and calmness without having to justify or explain it.
I want to be free now
Freedom is the priority for me, the ability to do what I want to do and feel what I want to feel.
Oh oh, free to see, yeah well
The freedom I desire is not just physical, but also mental and emotional, to see the world with clarity and without any mental constraints.
Want to walk away, oh oh
I need to distance myself from external pressures to do what feels most natural to me.
Let me feel my feet
I need to be grounded and centered in myself and my body, to be in touch with reality and nature.
Let me be, free
I'm asking for total and complete freedom to be myself, to not be weighed down by any external expectations or judgments.
Time and time and time we see these
Throughout history we have seen countless atrocities committed by humans against each other.
Acts against humanity, well,
These actions are cruel and inhumane, causing intense pain and suffering for others.
Each for each and each will be then
Each person holds their own beliefs and convictions, and are willing to stand and fight for what they believe in, regardless of what others think.
Shed blood for what they each believe, well
People are willing to go to extreme lengths, even to the point of bloodshed, to defend their principles and beliefs.
On and on and on we go well,
These conflicts and struggles continue to repeat themselves throughout time.
Some will you see and, some won't be
While some people are able to see the truth behind their actions, others remain blinded to the consequences of their choices and actions.
True for you and truth will lead you
If you are true to yourself and follow the truth, it will ultimately lead you to a place of peace and contentment.
To a sense of, well now, peace
This state of inner peace is something that can be achieved through being true to oneself and following the truth.
want to be want to see would you let me go
I am requesting permission to be able to fulfill my desires and see the world with an open and free mind.
Let me be now, hmm hmm, let me be
I am again asking for permission to be left alone and allowed to be free and at peace without any explanation or justification.
want to be want to see would you let me go
I am reiterating my desire to be free and allowed to see things from my own perspective without external influences.
Let me be now, hmm hmm, let me be-cause
I am explaining that being allowed to be free is important for me to be able to function properly and happily.
I want to be free
This is a clear and direct statement of my need for freedom to be able to live and be myself.
Oh, i want to be free
This statement is emphasized to show the importance and depth of my desire for freedom.
Yeah I said, I said, I said, I said
This repetition of the statement shows the singer's insistence and determination to be heard and understood regarding their need for freedom.
Free free now, free to see
This repetition of the word free emphasizes its importance, and its direct link to seeing things clearly and without judgment.
Oh, 'cause I, want to be free
By restating their desire for freedom, the singer is emphasizing its importance over all else.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EVE JEFFERS, SHELDON HARRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind