Nearly five years after taking home the best newcomer award at the 2021 ARIA Awards, Budjerah is preparing to step into a new chapter with the release of his first full studio album, Gentleman.
The project, which was produced by Om’Mas Keith (Frank Ocean), is scheduled for release on Friday, July 24 through Warner Music Australia and Warner Records in the United States. The American release follows the partnership agreement made in 2021 aimed at introducing the soul pop artist to a wider audience.
The album is introduced by the recently shared single “Want You Back” along with the title song, which is being released today.
According to the Australian artist, the record reflects the person he hoped to become while growing up. “This album was almost a four-year process for me,” he says. “Between my life at home and life on the road, I experienced so much change and growth. Chasing my dreams I faced new challenges which helped me understand who I wanted to be. Every song on this album holds a piece of me. I hope little Budjerah is proud.”
Budjerah, whose full name is Budjerah Julum Slabb, is already well known across the Australian music scene. The Coodjinburra artist, celebrated for his distinctive voice, continues to establish himself as one of the country’s standout emerging talents with an impressive list of achievements already behind him.
Originally from Fingal Head in New South Wales, Budjerah released his self titled EP in 2021. That same year he became the first recipient of the Michael Gudinski Prize during a lockdown era ARIA Awards ceremony. In 2022 he earned his first APRA Music Award for most performed R&B soul work for “Higher” with Matt Corby and also won the ARIA Award for best soul R&B release.
As a performer, Budjerah joined Ed Sheeran as a support act during the British star’s 2023 stadium tour and also appeared on a remix of Sheeran’s track “2step.” His catalogue has now surpassed 60 million streams even before the arrival of his debut album. In 2023 he also secured representation in the Americas after signing with United Talent Agency. Since then he has continued building momentum through national headline tours.
Before formally revealing the album, Budjerah introduced the project on Wednesday afternoon (March 18), one day after celebrating his birthday, with a special showcase performance at Lazybones Lounge in Marrickville, located in Sydney’s inner west.
Dan Rosen, president of Warner Music Australasia and Southeast Asia, told attendees that this marks the beginning of what he called “the era of the Gentleman.” Speaking to industry guests, he described the album as “is going to be a defining moment in Australian music. We first met Budjerah six years ago with a voice that stopped the nation, a once in a generation talent.” He added that this is a “man who is finally stepping into his power and his full capacity as an artist.”
The 24 year old performer also gave a preview of several songs from the upcoming album, including the closing track “Even At My Worst,” written by Diane Warren, and his 2023 release “Therapy,” which has achieved platinum certification in Australia and has nearly 19 million Spotify streams.
The song “Gentleman” was created with writers Autumn Rowe (Alexis Jordan, Kylie Minogue), Kizzo Keaz (Jon Batiste, Ne Yo), and Philip Lawrence (Bruno Mars) and carries a classic inspired feel. Budjerah says that influence was intentional. “You have to be a gentleman and make sure your girl is treated right,” he explains. “I grew up around a lot of old people, so I was influenced by the music they played as well as watching how they treated each other, and that is what this song is about.”
Check out the Gentleman tracklist below and pre order here.
Gentleman
Want You Back
I Only Remember Your Name
Competition
Could I Be
Sinner
Pretty
Hard Time
Lonely
Let Me Know
Even At My Worst
NEWS
Oliver Tree’s team has provided a new update following the singer’s death in a helicopter crash on June 14, confirming that a new artist grant will soon be established in his memory to help creatives secure funding, a plan he had detailed in his will before his passing.
Accompanying a collection of photos highlighting Tree’s performances, travels and creative work through the years, a post shared Sunday (June 21) on his Instagram account revealed that the musician’s remains have been brought back to California, the state he called home and where he will be laid to rest. “His legacy will live on through his foundation/endowment named ‘Dr. Oliver Tree’s Extremely Epic Grant For Baby Geniuses’ coming soon,” the caption reads. “This is something that Oliver had put together before his passing.”
“We will make sure his wish comes to fruition so that more joy, love and art can be spread into the world, that was his final wish,” the statement continued, adding that “the constant love, support and positivity” shown by fans throughout the past week has helped his “family, friends and collaborators make it through these extremely difficult times.”
Tree was among six people who lost their lives in a helicopter collision in Rio de Janeiro. The musician was in Brazil for his The World’s First Tour run and had performed what would ultimately be his final concert on June 6 in São Paulo. The other victims of the crash were identified as passengers Lucas Vignale, Gaspar Prim and Lucas Brito Chaves, along with pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac.
Just months before his death, Tree discussed his plans to direct his fortune and future earnings from his music toward a grant program for artists during an appearance on the Zach Sang Show. “I take no credit for anything I’ve ever done,” he said during the April interview. “Furthermore, I don’t believe that any of the wealth or things that get made from it is mine. So when I die … my will is set up so that when I pass, my family, nobody is going to get a penny.”
“If I have a wife or kids or anything, they’re not getting a penny,” he added at the time, explaining that the initiative would focus on helping artists create work rather than funding education. “I’ll get my kids through college, that’s the agreement, but there’s not gonna be a silver spoon. All the money is going to go back to artists.”
