The Untold Truth Of Cody Simpson
Cody Simpson, with his blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and crazy ripped physique, looks like he could be a model. That's fitting, too, as he is: He's signed to the prestigious IMG Models agency and has been in several different modeling campaigns over the years. Clearly he was blessed with just the right genes.
But that's not what Cody Simpson wants you to know him for, as he's a dedicated musician with a deep passion for writing and performing songs. In fact, he uprooted his entire life to relocate to Los Angeles from the Gold Coast of Australia to work on his career. That's some pretty serious dedication!
So what else is there to know about the man who may have stolen Miley Cyrus' heart beyond his good looks and musical talent? What was he like when he was a child? And does the Australian Justin Bieber have other talents that you might not know about? Read on to discover the untold truth of Cody Simpson.
As a child, Cody Simpson loved the guitar
There's no question that Cody Simpson is a pretty talented guitar player — you only need to stumble upon his Instagram videos to find that out. That's a skill he's been cultivating since he was a child, growing up in Australia in a musical family. "I was drawn to the guitar ever since I can remember," he shared in an interview with IWS, which now appears to be defunct. "My dad and a few close family friends would come around for backyard barbecues, and all I can recall is so desperately wanting to be a part of those jams."
Simpson plays some pretty mean lead guitar in his songs, but that's a more recent development for him, as he had a bit of a different focus when he was younger. "I only ever played rhythm guitar growing up," he continued. "Just something to accompany songs and poems I wrote, and some I wanted to learn. I didn't start digging into the lead and blues playing until about [2014]." Simpson added that playing casual rhythm guitar helped him develop, and he attributes his skill as a lead player to that practice.
YouTube gave Cody Simpson his big break
Like other members of Gen Z who became famous, Cody Simpson's rise to celebrity was thanks to social media. Specifically, Simpson didn't get serious about his music career until his YouTube videos started getting tons of views. "It was very casual for me until I posted a song online," he explained in an interview with Matt Schichter. He continued, "I had no experience whatsoever but people started paying attention, and that's when it sort of hit me that maybe this was a possibility, and it was. It just turned into something much more. And I've totally embraced it. It's amazing."
Simpson was legitimately surprised when his videos started getting the attention that they did, too. "Honestly, I really wasn't expecting it," he admitted in an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He went on, "I put up like three or four videos, and then all of a sudden I was discovered by Atlantic Records." Way to run with an opportunity, Cody!
Cody Simpson didn't want to be a manufactured pop star
When Cody Simpson was able to separate from Atlantic Records, it was a relief for him. That's because he felt pressure to do whatever they wanted, and he didn't want to be a manufactured pop star. "You know, a young kid, signed to a major record label, you don't really have a lot of creative control," he revealed in an interview with Loads of Music. "And I [was] just exactly in that situation. I felt trapped as a musician, I needed to get out and do it my own way."
Additionally, Simpson wasn't getting much out of his deal with the label, as he felt that they really didn't understand him. "The only thing that the label helped with is getting my songs on the radio," he continued. "But then again, they weren't choosing the right songs, just the ones they thought would be a big hit for the next couple of months. I was kinda glad none of the songs actually made it that far." He added that now that he's free, he can be his true self, unhampered by work he created under pressure.
Miley Cyrus was Cody Simpson's childhood crush
There's been a lot of buzz about Cody Simpson's relationship with Miley Cyrus, as they've been spotted smooching in public. Well, any fond feelings Simpson has for her have been around for a while, as he named her as his childhood celebrity crush back in 2012. "I knew all the words to her songs, I'm not gonna lie. I'm not ashamed about it at all," he confessed in an interview with Fuse. "I was a big Miley Cyrus fan. I think she will be forever the most dateable Disney star." There you have it!
Simpson and Cyrus have been present in one another's lives for quite some time. "Miley is one of my best friends and she helps with some of that transitional stuff — trying to escape your childhood," he explained in a 2015 interview with GQ magazine. "She's super open-minded and I'm working on becoming more like that." Sounds like she's been a good influence on him!
Cody Simpson dated Gigi Hadid for two years
If you thought that you recognized Cody Simpson but aren't familiar with his music, you might have previously seen him on the arm of supermodel Gigi Hadid. The two of them dated off and on for several years, amicably parting ways in 2014. "I love my ex-girlfriend, I always will," Simpson shared in an interview with DuJour. "It was an amicable, mutual decision, and we still talk every now and then, but the highly publicized thing made me uncomfortable." Given how famous Hadid is, that definitely would be a factor.
For Simpson, always being followed by photographers and worrying about who's watching got to be exhausting. It was also getting in the way of his goals and dreams. "Going out to dinner and there being all this paparazzi and stuff... as soon as we split I had the realization that I was straying away from who I was as a whole person," he continued. "I want to keep it low key, and focus on my music."
Cody Simpson has some famous friends
Cody Simpson has been active in the American music scene since 2010, giving him lots of time to network with other big names in the business. For example, he's gotten advice from famed singer-songwriter John Mayer, who he approached during a chance meeting at a restaurant and asked for feedback. "When it comes to guitar playing, I think, modern day, he's the best blues guitar player of this generation," he gushed in an interview on the Zach Sang Show. "So, you know, any sort of chance to chat with him is just unreal."
Mayer isn't the only celeb who's helped Simpson out, either, as others have helped him bring his albums to life. "I worked with some pretty cool musicians like Donavon Frankenreiter, and G-Love from G-Love and Special Sauce, and Sisco Adler produced the whole thing, so it was rad," he shared in another interview. "I was psyched to be able to talk to a lot of musicians that I admire and that helped shape the sound of the record." Talk about having friends in high places!
Surfing is near and dear to Cody Simpson's heart
You might have noticed that Cody Simpson is in exceptionally good shape, with a well-toned bod and washboard abs. Some of that is due to his regular surfing regimen, something he loves dearly and does as much as possible in a variety of locales. "I have surfed in warm places, cold places and everywhere in between," he revealed in an interview with Imagista. "I like Hawaii the most, I have a lot of friends there and try to get out there even if it's just for a few days as much as I can."
But Simpson doesn't need to be in a tropical paradise to get out on the water, as he enjoys exploring beaches in other places, too. "I also like surfing in more urban areas like San Francisco where you can make little trips out of," he continued. "You can surf right near the Golden Gate Bridge which is really cool and of course Australia because I grew up there." Surf's up, Cody!
The environment is important to Cody Simpson
One thing's for sure about Cody Simpson, and that's that he's a total beach bum. Whether he's swimming in the ocean, surfing, or staring out at the sea, Simpson absolutely loves being near the water.
To that end, Simpson is quite conscious about the health and wellness of the environment, especially the ocean. And he's not afraid to put his money where his mouth is when it comes to saving the planet. "I've pledged to cut out single-use plastic use entirely from my daily life, beginning with water bottles [and] bags," he wrote in a post on his Instagram page. "I also recommend a 5 day a week vegan diet in an attempt to reduce our carbon emissions."
That's not all, either, as Simpson is going to make another big change so that he can do better. "Also, selling my gas-powered vehicles and going electric to free myself from my reliance on fossil fuels," he continued. "Let's turn this ship around [and] revitalize our only home!"
Cody Simpson performed in a Broadway show
In the spring of 2019, Cody Simpson got to do something he'd never done before: He acted in a major Broadway production, according to a post on his Instagram page. Specifically, he played Dmitry, Prince of Petersburg in Anastasia the Musical, an experience he really enjoyed. "It's been fantastic. I have been on for about three months solid now in this role and I just love playing this character," he mused in an interview with Imagista. "It has been an incredible experience for me as an actor and as an aspiring actor and performer." It sounds like it!
The rigorous Broadway schedule was good for Simpson, as he was able to garner new knowledge and give each show a different side of himself. "It has been the best education I could have ever gotten and the experience that comes with the repetition that's involved with a show like this gives you the chance to expand and experiment a lot," he continued. "I try to make sure no two performances are exactly the same."
Competitive swimming was Cody Simpson's jam when he was younger
Long before he was a celeb in the United States, Cody Simpson had another destiny. "I was born into a swimming family so I've been swimming for as long as I can remember," he recalled in an interview with Coca-Cola Australia. "I started competing when I was about 10 years old — it was my first passion." And by all accounts, Simpson was really good at it, too.
Had he kept on the swimming trajectory, it's likely that Cody Simpson could have qualified for the Olympics, something he used to dream about. "Even so, I don't have any regrets when it comes to the path that I chose," the singer continued. "I've always believed if I put my mind to something I can do it, so I've never been afraid of taking a risk if I thought it would pay off."
Cody Simpson appeared on Dancing With the Stars
Another reason Cody Simpson may look familiar to you is because he competed on Dancing With the Stars in 2014 with professional dancer Witney Carson. The pair were dynamite together, for sure, but they unfortunately got voted off in week five. Still, Simpson took a lot away from the experience. "[It's] an opportunity that I never thought would ever arise in my life and a chance to learn some new dance styles," he gushed on Good Morning America. "I'm coming out of it with a positive outlook. Going into it, wanting to become a more well-rounded dancer, a better entertainer. Coming out of it, just that." That's the spirit!
Simpson also felt that what he learned could benefit him in the future as well. "I'm feeling as though now I can apply those things," the singer continued, adding that he "learned a lot from Witney and ... made a great friend in her, too."
Will Cody Simpson and Justin Bieber ever collaborate?
If you were tempted to draw parallels between Cody Simpson and Justin Bieber, you're not alone, as others have dubbed Simpson the Australian Justin Bieber, according to Your Teen magazine. That's obviously because both Simpson and Bieber were discovered by a record executive on YouTube, and they're both young, attractive pop stars.
Additionally, Bieber and Simpson have worked together before, and they had the same manager. But as for a future collaboration, that seems unlikely, according to Simpson. "We've been in the studio a couple times but never did anything that got finished," he explained in an interview with the Chicago Tribune. "I toured with him and had an awesome time, but musically, we're heading in different directions. Maybe we'll jump back in the studio in the future, but as of right now, we're both doing our own thing." So if you were hoping for a duet, alas, it's just not in the cards right now.
Cody Simpson considers himself a poet
In addition to being proud of being a musician, Cody Simpson is also proud to call himself a poet. It's something that's been important to him for a long time, going all the way back to his childhood in Australia. "Ever since I can remember, I've been writing rhymes, stories, poems, and that kind of thing," he shared in an interview with Untitled magazine. "I would enter my poems into the school contests ... every year, I would get 2nd or 3rd place for my grade for the little poems and stories I would write."
Then when Simpson started getting serious about music, he realized that he could merge the two talents together. "When I started playing guitar more seriously I was like, 'Hang on a second, I can actually sing these with melodies and make songs out of them,'" he continued.
While Simpson wasn't writing as much for a while when he was making pop music, he picked up where he left off when he became an independent artist, as he was free to do his own thing once again.
Country music was all Cody Simpson listened to until he was a teenager
Cody Simpson has a wide variety of musical influences, from pop and blues to folk and rock. But interestingly enough, he was raised on a different genre entirely. "The very first stuff I was listening to was country," he revealed in an interview with Untitled magazine. "It was the first kind of music that I was exposed to. Actually, it was the only music genre that I was exposed to until I was about twelve or thirteen." Who would have seen that coming?
Specifically, Simpson was exposed to several different country artists, both live and at home with his family. "The first live music gig I went to when I was about 10 years old was Tommy Emmanuel, who's an acoustic guitarist," he continued. "The next year was Keith Urban, who's a famous Australian country singer. At home, it was Johnny Cash, John Denver, and a bit of Elvis."