Back in 2020, when a haunting ballad caught fire across streaming platforms, mates across Sydney and Melbourne reckoned its raw heartache gave life to a proper modern classic. It was a moment that felt like a quiet storm, reminding us that even in an age of overproduced pop, a voice like Ruel’s could still cut through the noise and grab you by the heart. If you have been following the local scene, you know that Ruel is no flash in the pan; he is a talent that reminds us of the golden era of Aussie songwriting, where the lyrics carried as much weight as the melody. When he dropped those tracks, it was not just about the numbers or the charts; it was about that visceral, stinging feeling of growing up that we have all felt at some point in our lives.
I reckon there is something quintessentially Australian about the way Ruel crafts his music. Much like the pub rock legends of the seventies who played their guts out in crowded rooms, Ruel has a way of making his listeners feel like he is singing directly to them in the corner of a quiet room. We have seen plenty of artists come and go since the days of Countdown, but there is a specific kind of soul in his work that feels like a spiritual successor to the greats. It is that same colour and texture you find in the best ballads of our past—a bit of grit, a bit of vulnerability, and heaps of sincerity that you just cannot manufacture in a boardroom.
It is funny how a song can act as a time machine. Listening to Ruel, I am often reminded of why we fell in love with music in the first place. Whether it was the raw power of John Farnham or the polished brilliance of INXS, Australian music has always had a knack for balancing the stadium-shaking energy with the quiet, devastating ballads that stay with you long after the telly is turned off. Ruel captures that duality perfectly. He manages to sound like a seasoned veteran who has lived a thousand lives, even though he is only just getting started. It is the kind of artistry that makes you realise why we are so proud of our local talent.
There is a real story behind the success of his music, a journey of late nights in the studio and the constant pursuit of that perfect, heart-wrenching sound. It is not always glamorous, but it is deeply authentic. When you look at the trajectory of his career, you can see the influence of the greats who paved the way before him. He keeps the flame of Australian storytelling alive, proving that we do not need to look overseas for the next big thing when we have such phenomenal stories unfolding right here in our own backyard.
So next time you find yourself needing a bit of a soundtrack for those pensive moments, give Ruel another spin. You might be surprised by how much of your own story you hear in his. It is a reminder that while the decades roll on, the need for music that speaks to the soul never changes. It is good to see that even now, we are still producing artists who can stop us in our tracks and make us feel everything all at once. Stay tuned, mate, because I reckon we are only just seeing the beginning of what he has to offer.