You’ve gone from soloist to trio to now playing with nine people as part of The United Nations, how did that all come about?
It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while but I’ve been pretty patient with that concept. I wanted it to feel right so I’ve taken my time with it but this year has presented the right time so away we go. It feels good. There’s something really special about it.

Congratulations on your first album as a band, Nanna! Is it an ode to grandmothers?
It’s dedicated to all the grandmothers. I dedicated it to my grandmothers and my great grandmother as I feel her spirit is always with me even though I never met her. Also the great grandmother of creation.

For readers who haven’t yet heard the album, how different is it to the Xavier Rudd sound they’ve come to know and love?
Not massively different, it’s a reggae vibe with influences from all different cultures. Musically, it’s a really interesting collaboration but when we were recording it, Bobby the drummer said it sounds like a Xavier Rudd record for sure. I like it, I’m really proud of this record.

As a solo artist you’re known for your amazing ability to play multiple instruments at one time. Does having a few more bodies on stage take the pressure off a little bit?
Yes it does! I’m doing less now, well not really doing less but certainly making less sound. I’ve got to leave some room for everybody else, which is a different kind of challenge. I’m up the front and engaging with the audience more where as in the past it was head down doing one hundred things at once.

Nanna is your eighth studio record. What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt on this journey so far?
How long do we have? You’re just learning things all of the time. Being able to travel as a musician you get to go to so many powerful places and meet so many powerful people. You really get to see lots of different human circumstances that are different to what we have here in Australia so there’s always lessons and always things that are there to test you and teach you. Overall, the biggest one is that we can be so proud and thankful of this beautiful country that we are guardians of. There are a lot of other places in the world that are less fortunate so for us to be not embracing each other or to have any kind of racial division is just pointless. People should be working together to love and protect this country and respect one another. I think Australians tend to take what we have for granted and stick to the old ways rather than progressing. From traveling around the world so much you realise that first hand and I think anyone that has travelled can agree.

You mentioned you’ve been to some really powerful places. What have been some of the ones that have stuck in your memory?
Heaps! We’ve recently come back from Europe, I loved it because we played in these beautiful old venues. I’ve played in St. Mark’s Square in Venice, I’ve played in Barcelona, all these old towns that have all of this old history. Most of the outdoor ones have been particularly memorable because when you’re on stage you can look around at the view and just think wow. It really is such a beautiful Earth.

Many of your songs touch on themes of spirituality and the environment, they’re obviously fairly close to your heart. What is your biggest hope for humanity?
That people learn to stand outside of their own ego and realise that we’re just part of a chain and that there was a time when we were all equal in creation. It’s okay that we’ve got technology but socially we need to understand that we need to protect the whole system. When you can stand outside of your own ego, and by ego I mean not just your self-inflation I mean the whole ego, the whole concept of our subconscious, I think there could be a lot of positive change.

Let’s take it way back to the start, what is your earliest music-related memory?
Listening to my dad sing Neil Young songs. In terms of a concert, I went to Paul Simon’s Graceland tour when I was about ten and that was pretty amazing. I remember watching that concert thinking that’s what I want to do.

What inspires you?
Life. There’s so much that inspires me, I get to tour around and meet so many amazing people and hear so much amazing music, I’ve learnt some amazing lessons. All of that stuff is inspiring. My kids are inspiring.

You’re coming to the Gold Coast to play a sold-put gig at Miami Marketta, what can lucky ticket-holders expect from that show?
They can expect to boogie, it’s a groovy show this one. It will be a good little dance party with a good positive vibe celebrating the idea of walking together as one people in this country. Everybody walking together with no division. It’s going to be fun.

Finally, any advice for musicians looking to make a career out of music?
Sure, just play. Don’t worry about the business, just play for people anywhere you can and enjoy your music and the rest of it will flow.