“He was a warrior in every way and he was always listening. A dedication to people’s displaced and he was always listening. A little birdy flew into his space, he was always listening. And with the spirit of the ancient ways, he was always receiving. He said come with me people, stand up with me people, as one and as equals let’s honor all people.” Warrior from the album Nanna
It all happened a couple of days ago at Zermatt Unplugged 2016… Before I start writing, I close my eyes and go back to the mystical encounter with Xavier Rudd. To connect with him and tell his story I need to clear the space and let the energy flow. One of the sacred teachings I received, when sitting with him, is that to communicate, through singing, dancing or writing, there’s no need to plan anything. What we need is being clean channels for life energy to pass through. As I listen to the artist’s latest album, positive vibes pervade my body and words start flowing through my fingertips… When I got to the interview I was ready, with my questions and curiosities. I was going to meet a singer, a personality. An Australian native with aboriginal ancestry, promoting traditional music, culture and environmental awareness, having a great success worldwide. As I arrived behind the scenes, I soon realized that I was meeting a soul. Xavier Rudd doesn’t hide behind any mask, he comes to you just the way he was born. Authentic. Barefoot, suntanned, eating a bowl of food… He listens to my questions and, with a calm voice, shares what he believes in. Simplicity, awakening, heart, truth are some of the words that describe him best. If I think of him off-stage I picture silence, the sounds of birds, the sole of naked feet kissing the earth, the swell of the ocean. Xavier Rudd is a natural mystic, a journey, a beam of light pointing in the right direction… He is a peaceful warrior inviting us all to move from separation to union. Before getting on stage and igniting the Alex Venue in Zermatt I ask him how he experiences live shows…
The whole show is a celebration of good vibes, of everybody from all cultures and from all backgrounds just coming together and celebrating connection to spirit, connection to land, to good energies. That’s pretty much what we do. I’m currently touring around Europe, every show is sold out and every time I experience great vibrations… I go off into another place when I’m on stage, you know. Quite often, when the show is over, I can’t even remember what happened. It’s just an energetic situation, I don’t really feel that I’m entertaining, I feel it more like a circle where everybody is celebrating by bringing in their own energy. Sure, I’m channeling the sound but it’s like just one universal vibration that everybody in the space gets to experience. It’s like some kind of church, the church of creation… Forgetting human problems and celebrating being equal in creation!
Creating union feels like one of your biggest calls… how do you cultivate a sense of connection in your daily life?
I don’t have specific rituals or practices… I’m pretty much naturally connected ever since I was a child. I grew up connected to land and still live that way. I live with my family in a small town on the coast, near a river. I sit to the fire everyday, I listen to the birds, I don’t watch tv, these kinds of simple things keep me connected.
Through your music you support many important causes, both environmental and social… would you like to tell us more about it?
I sing and speak about what I care for. I have an opportunity to get meaningful messages to people, why shouldn’t I do it? It’s easy for me and it’s a great blessing… I’m active in the sense that I get involved in causes and I like to create awareness but I wouldn’t call myself an activist. I have friends who chain themselves to trees for weeks and devote their entire life to a cause and that’s what I call being an activist. Through my music I offer my energy in supporting their actions. There’s a good balance between music and activism, in the name of raising awareness.
What are you involved and concerned about nowadays?
One thing I’m getting more involved this year is the Great Barrier Reef, which is a bit of a problem right now. As you know it’s dying but there’s also another threat caused by big coal ships running in and out of the australian Reef and damaging it. Luckily, part of the Reef is still quite intact and I’d like to bring more intention into that. I want to go up there to get more acquainted with what is going on. And, for sure, I will keep supporting Sea Shepherd like I’ve been doing closely for the last 10 years. They just retrieved a 5 km of illegal driftnet that was being used in the Indian Ocean. I’m also shocked by how much plastic and fishnets there’s in the ocean, it’s crazy and we need to change that.
What’s you call, your big WHY, to making music?
There is none. I never sat down and said to myself “alright I’m gonna write a song”, never once in my whole life, it just comes. I just have to let it happen… Ever since I was a little boy I experienced making music as Spirit coming through me. I feel the Spirit of my ancestors, my aboriginal Grandmother… I just need to do is to stay strong, healthy, present and let it come through. I’m called to let that old woman speak without involving my ego. If I involve my ego and my thought process too much than it’s disrespectful to Spirit. I’m not meant to understand it all. A lot of my music just comes from that place… I surrender, allow it and it comes. I’m inspired by the things I believe in and music comes as an expression of that.
Before we leave my friend Marian has a last curiosity, she wants to know the reason behind his barefootedness…
I just get claustrophobic with shoes. I resist about half an hour and than I’ve got to take them off, I don’t need them at home. I just use flip-flops to get on airplanes… I’m trying those things now that I’m around Europe (he says pointing to a pair of snickers) but after 30 min. I’m done!
As simple as that, this is the way walked by a natural mystic… Thank you Xavier Rudd for sharing your essence, your truth and your beauty with us!
