“ I’m 24, born and bred in Lismore. I went to all the high schools. I was a bit of a naughty kid growing up, nothing too hectic, just messing around at school. Fun times!
I graduated in 2011 and after school I did nothing for a year. I thought I was going to go to Uni but I did a month in Sydney at UNSW studying Social Work and I didn’t like it at all. I came home and started working at what was Crusty’s Bakehouse. I worked there for about 18 months and all the while I was making music. Crusty’s shut down so I was out of a job.
I was doing a lot of gigs around the area at that time and organisations started asking us to do workshops so we started songwriting workshops and it has snowballed since then. Music, music, music. That is the basis of my position at the moment.
We are called Dream Bigger and the workshops are for young people aged 12 – 18 teaching music production, songwriting and really just giving them tools to express themselves and not put onto them what we think is the right way to do things. It’s all about them and their confidence. Trying to get them confident enough to get on a stage or even speaking in front of someone else. There’s a lot of reasons kids haven’t got confidence in themselves but even speaking 3 words in front of others is amazing.
We run our workshops every Monday at this stage after school from 3.30 – 6pm at the Clubhouse which is under the Conservatorium. We are just planning our holiday program as well as a massive youth and community event for June, mainly focused on the health of youth.
I was the kid who would never public speak all through high school and I was the kind of kid who was never trusted to do the speaking. The first time I ever got on stage was Lismore Show to perform. We did 2 songs and there were about 50 people in the tent. I thought I was going to vomit, my heart was racing and after we did it…..It was the most exhilarating feeling ever. It felt like I was on top of the world. Its mind blowing how good that feels. It’s healing! If I can do it, anyone can.
I’m not classically trained in any instruments, I’m self taught other than a year I did at SAE after getting a scholarship. I went and did a Cert 3 in Music Industry and from there I realised I can it all myself as well. I write, I rap, I produce all the music using Ableton. playing drums and synths. I love it!
I’m also in a band called Teddy Lewis King with Mitch King who is my co-facilitator in the Dream Bigger program. We also have DJ Mud AKA Brendan Waters. We’ve played at Falls Festival as part of The Connect music program. The first time we played there we were called Superfresh. The last time we performed as Teddy Lewis King. We’ve played at Sydney Opera House, won Dolphin awards, played heaps of venues.
Mr Rhodes is my solo name. Mr Rhodes is more me and it’s all generated from me. Mr Rhodes in on Triple J unearthed, Spotify and Soundcloud. The song on Unearthed is called Lowlight. It’s in all the big stores and it’s been a while in the work. It was a hard song to write.
I’ve never had any interaction with my father in my life and my mum died 3 years ago and that is what Lowlight is about actually. I was in a really bad place after that. It was always just mum and me. I have heaps of cousins and extended family but I miss her. You know what! I can feel shit and I can feel sad and angry. I can be happy. I feel amazing today, I’ve had a great day. You are allowed to cry, you are allowed to feel. Show emotion and don’t let it bottle up. After Mum died I bottled it all up and my uncle got me to see a counsellor. As soon as I walked out that room I felt this huge weight lift off my shoulders and it felt like the first time I stepped off stage. That’s how good it felt.
I try to set a good example. I’m no saint but I’ve learnt from my mistakes. All I can do is teach them to learn from theirs and believe in themselves. If you believe in yourself the world is your oyster.”
I graduated in 2011 and after school I did nothing for a year. I thought I was going to go to Uni but I did a month in Sydney at UNSW studying Social Work and I didn’t like it at all. I came home and started working at what was Crusty’s Bakehouse. I worked there for about 18 months and all the while I was making music. Crusty’s shut down so I was out of a job.
I was doing a lot of gigs around the area at that time and organisations started asking us to do workshops so we started songwriting workshops and it has snowballed since then. Music, music, music. That is the basis of my position at the moment.
We are called Dream Bigger and the workshops are for young people aged 12 – 18 teaching music production, songwriting and really just giving them tools to express themselves and not put onto them what we think is the right way to do things. It’s all about them and their confidence. Trying to get them confident enough to get on a stage or even speaking in front of someone else. There’s a lot of reasons kids haven’t got confidence in themselves but even speaking 3 words in front of others is amazing.
We run our workshops every Monday at this stage after school from 3.30 – 6pm at the Clubhouse which is under the Conservatorium. We are just planning our holiday program as well as a massive youth and community event for June, mainly focused on the health of youth.
I was the kid who would never public speak all through high school and I was the kind of kid who was never trusted to do the speaking. The first time I ever got on stage was Lismore Show to perform. We did 2 songs and there were about 50 people in the tent. I thought I was going to vomit, my heart was racing and after we did it…..It was the most exhilarating feeling ever. It felt like I was on top of the world. Its mind blowing how good that feels. It’s healing! If I can do it, anyone can.
I’m not classically trained in any instruments, I’m self taught other than a year I did at SAE after getting a scholarship. I went and did a Cert 3 in Music Industry and from there I realised I can it all myself as well. I write, I rap, I produce all the music using Ableton. playing drums and synths. I love it!
I’m also in a band called Teddy Lewis King with Mitch King who is my co-facilitator in the Dream Bigger program. We also have DJ Mud AKA Brendan Waters. We’ve played at Falls Festival as part of The Connect music program. The first time we played there we were called Superfresh. The last time we performed as Teddy Lewis King. We’ve played at Sydney Opera House, won Dolphin awards, played heaps of venues.
Mr Rhodes is my solo name. Mr Rhodes is more me and it’s all generated from me. Mr Rhodes in on Triple J unearthed, Spotify and Soundcloud. The song on Unearthed is called Lowlight. It’s in all the big stores and it’s been a while in the work. It was a hard song to write.
I’ve never had any interaction with my father in my life and my mum died 3 years ago and that is what Lowlight is about actually. I was in a really bad place after that. It was always just mum and me. I have heaps of cousins and extended family but I miss her. You know what! I can feel shit and I can feel sad and angry. I can be happy. I feel amazing today, I’ve had a great day. You are allowed to cry, you are allowed to feel. Show emotion and don’t let it bottle up. After Mum died I bottled it all up and my uncle got me to see a counsellor. As soon as I walked out that room I felt this huge weight lift off my shoulders and it felt like the first time I stepped off stage. That’s how good it felt.
I try to set a good example. I’m no saint but I’ve learnt from my mistakes. All I can do is teach them to learn from theirs and believe in themselves. If you believe in yourself the world is your oyster.”