- Big Time Summer Tour wih Big Time Rush, Cody Simpson, Tyler Medeiros, Rachel Crow and Victoria Duffield at Rogers Arena, Sunday, Sept. 16, 7 p.m. Ticket: www.livenation.com/Big-Time-Rush-tickets/ artist/1532105.
IT all began in his room three years ago with just a guitar and a video camera. The then 12year-old sang covers of his favourite artists and posted them on YouTube.
Fast forward to 2012 and Australian teen pop star Cody Simpson has performed on the Today Show and been featured on magazine covers (such as J-14 and M-Magazine) all over the world.
Sunday Simpson, along with Big Time Rush and Victoria Duffield will be wrapping up the Canadian portion of Big Time Rush's Big Time Summer Tour when they take the stage at Rogers Arena.
"It's the last show on tour," Simpson says. "I am excited to put on a great show for the fans and it's going to be a really fun one."
While this is not the first time Simpson has been to Canada the Big Time Summer tour is producing a few firsts for him.
"I've been here (Canada) a couple of times actually," he says. "I've never been to Vancouver before though . . . It's always good to come up here, the fans are super excited."
On Oct. 2, Simpson will be releasing his newest album titled Paradise. He says this latest disc is different from his previous efforts.
"The style of music is definitely more unique to me," Simpson says. "I've really created a sound on this album that people will really understand and it's something that I can represent."
"I am just excited to show the world what I have to offer and who I am with this album," he adds.
According to Simpson the album stays true to its name and reflects the lifestyle that he grew up with.
"It represents paradise and the life that I live." he says. "It's a very simple lifestyle and I just wanted to create music that reflects the kind of guy that I am. There is a lot of really chill acoustic beach music on there.
There are also a couple dance songs on there as well."
The Australian says he's been influenced by musicians such as Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, and John Mayer.
Simpson was discovered on YouTube by producer Shawn Campbell. Campbell has previously worked with big name artists such as Missy Elliot, Chris Brown and JayZ. Eventually, Campbell invited the young Australian musician and his family to his recording studio in Frederick, Maryland, and it was there that Simpson's career began to take flight.
"He was the first producer that I worked with when I came over to the United States," Simpson says. "It was really good. We did a lot of records together."
He eventually signed with Atlantic Records in 2010.
"It all happened so quickly, the next thing you know I have three million followers on Twitter," Simpson says. "It all happened so quickly. I never really expected it to happen."
"Now that's it happening I am working as hard as I can," he adds.
In 2010 Simpson released Waiting 4U EP and then followed that up with the release of Coast to Coast EP in 2011. Coast to Coast reached number 12 on Billboard 200 with over 24,000 copies sold.
Simpson is no stranger to touring. In 2010 he participated in the Camplified Tour where he performed at various camps across the United States. In 2011 he embarked on his first American wide tour titled Waiting 4U, with two young singers Greyson Chance and Camryn.
For much of 2012 Simpson has been on the road touring. Earlier this year he wrapped up his Welcome To Paradise Tour, where he made stops in a handful of cities including, New York, Chicago, Toronto, and Montreal.
Simpson says the feeling of being able to perform in front of thousands of screaming fans is hard to describe.
"It's something that you can't really describe," he says. "It's very unique . . . It took me a little awhile at first to get used to, but now it's something that I thrive in."
Later this year he will be heading to the U.K. and Europe for his next tour titled Paradise where he will be performing songs of his upcoming album.
For Simpson, like many musicians nowadays, staying connected to his fans is crucial for him.
"My fans are just amazing. It's hard to describe," he says. "I think it's very important nowadays to keep in touch with your fans and be really personal with them."
Simpson along with his management and the The Power Play Group LLC, have just released the 'Smitten with Cody Simpson' app for iPhones and Androids. The application will allow users to keep track of where Simpson has been and currently is.
"They can see how many miles away I am," Simpson says. "That is so cool that my fans can see if I am close to them or far away from them."
While on tour Simpson has received plenty of gifts from fans. He recalls when he once mentioned in an interview that his favourite animal was a turtle, and sure enough while on his tour a fan gave him one.
"I got a live turtle the other day," Simpson says. "I donated it to my manager's sister . . . she's looking after it right now."
Before his career in music, Simpson was once a successful swimmer back in Australia.
"I was actually an Australian Champion for a couple years. I used to work pretty hard on that but I've switched my focus to music now," Simpson says. "When I signed my record deal, my label was telling me I had to move to L.A. It was the chance of a life time and I wanted to take the opportunity."
