Parenthood has made Conrad Sewell ‘less selfish’, ‘a better person’

Fatherhood has transformed singer Conrad Sewell’s life in ways he couldn’t have imagined. His 7-month-old is already guitar-obsessed, and prefers hip hop to nursery rhymes.

Conrad Sewell's new single Make Me A Believer is a proclamation of his unwavering devotion to his wife, Jasmine.

Becoming a father has ushered in “the next chapter” of chart-topping singer Conrad Sewell’s life, and the former party boy couldn’t be happier.

Sewell and his wife Jasmine welcomed their first child, Memphis, seven months ago.

“I think he is musical,” Sewell said.

“There’s a couple guitars in the house, and if I strum a chord from another room he’ll perk up. I can sit him in his rocker and play and it’ll entertain him more than anything else.”

Memphis prefers the classics to nursery rhymes. He loves Motown, Otis Redding, and Stevie Wonder.

Conrad Sewell with his son Memphis. Picture: Supplied

“He’ll go to bed to full hip hop blasting,” Sewell told Confidential.

“Most of our friends have nurseries on the car. We’re bumping Biggie.”

Sewell’s second album, Precious, is due in 2023, and he said he’s already dreading time apart for his “little person” to go on tour.

“That’s the thing about being a parent. You go from not having to care about anything or anyone, to having to think about everything,” Sewell said.

“It shows how selfish we can be as human beings. You have a kid, and it makes you a better person.”

Sewell’s 2019 number one album, Life, detailed his struggles with alcohol and drugs, and how he got his life back on track.

Conrad Sewell and his “amazing” wife Jasmine Sewell, when they made their pregnancy announcement. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Whereas Precious was recorded with a live band of hand-picked musicians, including artists who play for Alanis Morrisette, John Mayer, and Justin Timberlake.

The songs are about Sewell’s ego, struggles, falling in love with his wife, and childhood.

The first single, Make Me A Believer, is a proclamation of his undying love for Jasmine.

“I grew up wanting, trying, to be in the industry,” 33-year-old Sewell said. So his musical focus was always on trying to please people.

“I feel like this is my first proper album that was made the way I wanted.”

Conrad Sewell's second album, Precious, is due out in early 2023. The chart-topping singer is touring shows in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne in November and December.

“It’s been a long journey with health. I’ve been in the industry since I was 16. I went through my stages where I was partying too much. I took a step back from all that. A lot of that had to do with me not being happy with myself, and using that as a mask to feel like this rock star. I looked at that, stopped drinking for a while, did a lot of therapy and tried to get to the bottom of a lot of it.”

“Now I’m at a different stage in my life. I couldn’t party if I wanted to. And I don’t really want to anymore.”

The only embarrassment Sewell has suffered at (kids’) parties recently was his 6-year-old niece and nephew telling all their friends that their uncle’s famous.

But he doesn’t think that’ll be an issue where Memphis is concerned: “That’s a bridge we’ll have to cross when we come to it. I think he’ll be super cool with it, he’ll be like whatever, it’s dad.”

Sewell is performing at the Factory Theatre in Sydney on November 30, before taking the show to Melbourne and Brisbane.