Cody Simpson's astounding career path
Australia’s answer to Justin Bieber potentially has swimming world title dream crushed.
Australia’s answer to Justin Bieber potentially has swimming world title dream crushed.
Cody Simpson's international swimming hopes are in doubt because of his champion swimmer girlfriends' ex-swimmer flame.
Simpson, 25, was set to make his international debut at the World Championships in Budapest next month after finishing third in the 100 metres butterfly at the Australian championships this week.
The international pop star, who once had a song with Flo Rida, made a miraculous return to the pool after a decade-long hiatus.
Since Kyle Chalmers - who finished second in the race - had already ruled himself out of the world titles in order to prepare for the Commonwealth Games in July, Simpson was on track to take one of two spots in the international event.
Yet Chalmers, 23, after a surprise second-place finish, declared he was considering attending after all. He ordinarily swims freestyle.
Chalmers was previously romantically linked to Simpson's 11-time Olympic medalist girlfriend Emma McKeon, 27.
It might also mean Simpson misses out on the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in July.
“You can't make me out to be the villain, right?” Chalmers said after winning the 50m butterfly on Wednesday.
“It's unfortunate that it probably takes Cody’s spot away, but it also takes away five other guys who were in the race … there’s a bunch of guys. It’s not just Cody.”
When you drop an international pop star into a cut throat professional sport, you're bound to get some drama, right?
For many, Cody Simpson is frozen in time as a 13 year old, blonde heart-throb.
A Billboard chart topping musician. Gigi Hadid's ex-boyfriend. And now, an elite athlete.
Love him, hate him, there’s no denying the man is impressive.
Rise to fame
As with all early-2000s musicians, Simpson got his start performing songs in his bedroom for YouTube fans.
Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” and “Cry Me a River” by Justin Timberlake featuring in Simpson’s online set list, along with original songs “One” and “Perfect”. His talents were soon discovered by Shawn Campbell - a Grammy nominated record producers who has produced for Jay-Z.
In December 2009, Simpson showcased where all young musicians wish to be showcased: The 7:30 Report. By 2010, he was performing “iYiYi” at the 2010 Australian Kids’ Choice Awards, and won the Fresh Aussie Musos Award at the same event.
His first full-length album “Paradise” was released in 2012, shortly followed by single “Super Beach Kids”, a re-imagination of Frank Ocean’s “Super Rich Kids”.
As a popstar
Simpson’s 2013 album Surfers Paradise featured collaborations with Ziggy Marley and Asher Roth. It landed in the Top 10 of the global Billboard 200, and spring boarded him into a global tour with Justin Bieber.
He made himself at home as a regular guest on The Today Show and he featured on Live! With Kelly, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Simpson’s latest album, Free, is an opportunity for him to hit reset.
“To me, this feels like the first project I’ve ever put out,” he said. “I want the music to speak for itself. This is meant to allow listeners to feel timeless, happy, and free. The world needs music back.”
As a family man
Cody isn't the only Simpson who has shot to fame (and no, he isn't the brother of Jessica Simspon).
His sister, Ally, has a music career of her own which includes singles "Notice Me" and "Why I’m Single". She also appeared in SBS's reality TV series Filthy Rich and Homeless in 2018, which followed her as she swapped her life of extravagance for one on the streets.
As an athlete
But singing was never enough for Simpson.
His first love for the pool was cut off at age 13, when he was discovered for his music.
“For years I had been fuelled by the silent fire in my stomach of returning to the sport of swimming, with the idea that 2020 would be the year I’d try training again,” he wrote on Instagram in 2020, after announcing he’d qualified for the Olympic trials.
“It is my greatest ambition in life to expand the limit and perceived notion of what’s possible for someone to achieve in a single lifetime, and I’m here to tell you can do absolutely ANYTHING if you are willing to work for it.”
The 24-year-old failed to qualify for Australia’s Olympic team just six months later.
On Wednesday, he got closer to that dream after he qualified for the FINA World Championships (held in Budapest next month) and the Commonwealth Games (July in Birmingham) on Wednesday.
“I didn’t even think I’d be remotely competitive until this year at the earliest, so to make the team is just a bonus on the way to Paris,” Simpson told Amazon after his PB-winning sprint.
“It certainly wasn’t (a publicity stunt), it never was. I’ve been busting my arse all year so it’s amazing to see results like this pay off.”
But with Chalmers announcement, his international swimming career is up in the air.
The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris is Simpson’s end goal. We wish him all the best.
Dating history
Where to begin.
Dating rumours were rife in Simpson’s early teen years. His fans were certain he was dating Stella Hudgens (Vanessa’s younger sister) and Bella Thorne.
But his first-ever official girlfriend was Kylie Jenner, who he dated briefly in 2011 when he was just 15.
His “first love” was supermodel Gigi Hadid, who starred in his music video for “Surfboard”. The pair were on-and-off from 2013 to 2015.
Simpson dated Wrecking Ball singer Miley Cyrus from 2019-2020, ending the relationship to concentrate on his swimming.
“I’d just started training towards the end of our relationship and it put me on a path where I realised I was going to go back to Australia if I was going to do it properly. I saw all these realisations that maybe it’s time to turn the page in a chapter,” he told Stellar.
Seems like Miley has a type. The couple dated just after her break-up with another Aussie hunk, Liam Hemsworth.
His relationship with model Marloes Stevens ended recently for a similar reason - he was training too much and didn’t have time.
And that’s when you date someone with the exact same daily routine as you. Cue next girlfriend.
Simpson is currently dating the Olympic golden girl Emma McKeon. Apparently he and the 11-time Olympic medal winner have recently moved in together, and are trained by the same coach, Michael Bohl.
Smash hits
None worth commenting on other than iYiYi ft. Flo Rida.
But if we have to mention the others, he also had the hits below:
- La Da Dee
- When the Light Go Down
- golden thing (NB: from Cody’s indie phase, when he didn’t capitalise his song titles)
- Pretty Brown Eyes
- Let Go
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