Budjerah Unveils Long-Awaited Debut Album 'Gentleman,' Reflecting a Four-Year Creative Odyssey

Coodjinburra singer-songwriter Budjerah has officially released his highly anticipated debut album, Gentleman, following a patient four-year journey to bring the project to fruition. Despite winning two ARIA Awards and writing vast amounts of material, the 24-year-old artist had to wait for the right moment to deliver his first full-length record.

"I think even by music industry norms, four years is a long time to get that many songs together," Budjerah said. "I think I've written maybe three albums in the meantime separate from just these 11 tracks, and it started in 2022; I'd won two ARIAs and I really wanted to make an album." After releasing previous EPs, he felt ready for a larger creative canvas, stating, "I didn't feel creatively satisfied, just having these little short bursts of creativity with the EPs."

A Journey of Writing and Touring

The road to Gentleman included intensive writing sessions, including a month spent with fellow Australian singer-songwriter Matt Corby. Although they penned numerous tracks, only "Video Game" was released from those sessions in July 2023. Budjerah’s schedule quickly intensified when he was selected as the support act for the Australian leg of Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics tour in February and March of 2023.

This tour coincided with the launch of his hit single "Therapy" in February 2023, which became an instant success and shifted his focus to the road. "I think the success of Therapy at the beginning of 2023, people just wanted to hear that one song," Budjerah explained. "So, I was on tour, and I was doing two to three shows a week for a year, and then more after that, and I didn't get the time to actually finish the songs, or work on any more songs, because it was all go, go, go, go, go, we need to boost this one song."

Crafting a Timeless Sound

The resulting 11-track album, produced by Grammy Award-winner Om'Mas Keith, draws musical inspiration from the classic sounds Budjerah grew up with. Offering a timeless blend of R&B and pop, the record features the lead single "Want You Back," which quickly earned the seal of approval from Elton John on his Apple radio show, Rocket Hour.

"I just got a call one day, and they said listen in from here, they're going to play your song on his radio show, Rocket Hour on Apple," Budjerah recalled. "And so, I stayed up till the middle of the night to listen to it."

The high-energy title track takes cues from legendary performers like James Brown, whose music Budjerah discovered through his family. "I felt like it was a fun way to play up the performance aspect of what I do, because everything I do is about the performance," Budjerah said. "When I'm in the studio, I think about how the song is going to be interpreted live."

His passion for live performance is deeply personal; he even sang at his own wedding to high school sweetheart Sophie Slabb (née Moore). Budjerah draws his musical material directly from his own life, saying, "I'm lucky I've been able to experience love," and adding, "I don't sing nothing that I don't mean." He further explained, "I always relate it to my personal experience and my stories."

Collaborations and Church Roots

Among the collaborators on Gentleman is legendary songwriter Diane Warren, who co-wrote "Even at My Worst." "She's one of my songwriting heroes," Budjerah shared. "And so, getting to meet her, and then getting to sing one of her songs was just a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me."

While some tracks felt natural, others like "Hard Time" and "Sinner" initially felt counterintuitive to Budjerah, who grew up in the church with parents who are both musicians and pastors. "I thought it was funny, being a little gospel singer from Fingal Head given the song called Sinner," Budjerah noted. "And then a song called Hard Time, a lot of Aboriginal people do a bit of a hard time." Ultimately, his father encouraged him to record them. "My dad just said, 'those two songs are perfect'." Budjerah added, "They weren't the obvious picks for me, but we just had fun with them, and I really enjoyed singing both of them. They fit really well for my voice."

Born Budjerah Julum Slabb in the far north-eastern NSW coastal village of Fingal Head, his upbringing remains a central part of his identity. "I had a very fun childhood," he recalled. "I enjoyed the music, a very loving family, and some people have a hard time, like, other pastor's kids that I know, but I've been very blessed that I've had super supportive parents and family." He added, "I got to be a kid, I got to listen to good music, I got to go surfing."

His Christian faith also remains a grounding force while traveling. When asked about carrying a Bible, he showed his copy, saying, "I always keep it with me." He explained, "Usually, some hotels and motels have a Bible in the drawer, but not all the time, and sometimes it's just something that I need." He added, "So, I carry it with me, and I read it, and my faith has been something that's been really helpful and important to me, especially when I'm on the road and travelling so much, it keeps me together."

Even with his rising fame, the eldest of four siblings still attends his local church on Sundays. "My grandfather, he goes to a church across the river that I go to, and I try to sneak in, but … I end up singing a song almost every time," he said. "So, if anyone wants a free concert, you might see me in a church on a Sunday, any old Sunday, I might be singing."

Chasing the 'Triple Threat' Dream

Budjerah first entered the public eye as a 16-year-old on The Voice, where none of the judges turned their chairs despite an enthusiastic audience reaction. "It was a pretty wild experience, especially for a 16-year-old," he said. "I think that that was the first time that I truly experienced heartbreak, as a young person." He added, "I felt like my whole dream was just crushed." However, coach Kelly Rowland offered words of encouragement that stayed with him, telling him to "just keep singing, just keep singing" and that "And it'll work out. When it's meant to happen, it'll happen."

He also missed out on an acting role, having auditioned for the character Malakai in Netflix’s Heartbreak High. "Thomas Weatherall got the role. I didn't get the role," Budjerah said. "So, I think it's really cool that I still get to be in the show somehow, with my music in there [on the soundtrack]."

Despite this, he maintains strong ambitions to branch out into acting and dancing in the future. "I want to be a triple threat, so singing, dancing, acting," he explained. "I write songs as well, so, I guess my personal dream is to be the ultimate entertainer, so I spend a lot of time practising my dances and singing every day, and dancing every day, and acting." He traced this drive back to his school days: "What got me into performing was doing the school musicals and school plays." He added, "So, I always thought maybe one day I'd come back to acting."

Budjerah will support the release of Gentleman with an official national tour starting in Melbourne on October 31. He will then perform in Anglesea, Sydney, and the Gold Coast, before concluding his run in Brisbane on Saturday, November 21.