Late last month, BOY $COUT GATSBY continued his breakout year with the release of “BoywiZard”, a blazing track filled with fizzing one-liners and a smooth beat.
“BoywiZard” found the rising First Nations rapper linking up with Babyface Mal, and it was just the latest memorable collaboration for GATSBY in the first half of 2023.
Just before he and Oliver Cronin dropped their cool collaborative single “One Time”, GATSBY was invited to be the main support for viral sensation bbno$.
Incredibly, it was GATSBY’s first-ever live solo shows, a true baptism of fire, but he quickly rose to the challenge. He impressed bbno$’s crowds in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne, bringing out Cronin and Mal for their own moments in the spotlight.
Check out GATSBY’s memories of the experience below, featuring behind-the-scenes footage and previously untold stories.
BOY $COUT GATSBY’s “BoywiZard” (ft. Babyface Mal) is out now.
I met bbno$ through YouTube group The Misfits when he was out in Australia last year. We watched his Australian show and I was blown away by how he performs and commands a crowd. After the shows, we went to dinner, where I offered to tattoo his name on my foot, like Woody has Andy’s name in Toy Story, if it meant we could work together. He was like, “you don’t gotta do all that, what’s your number?”. Then we just chopped it up till he invited me on tour!
It was really great to be able to watch bbno$ in his element. He is probably the greatest performer I’ve ever watched and just by being around him I’ve learnt a lot. Super welcoming guy as well. Lotta love for his DJ Dan too, who’s secretly the most Australian-at-heart Canadian I’ve ever met.
Image: GATSBY and DJ Rico
Me and Rico both come from Wollongong, Australia, and have mutual friends but had never actually linked until this tour. Super last minute I hit him up (like a week out) and was like, “dude, I need a DJ!!” He hit me straight back and got the dates. THE DUDE POSTPONED A TRIP TO NEW ZEALAND WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND TO MAKE IT!
We managed to get two rehearsals in before we got started on the tour. He just came around my house, we had some decks and a mic and tried to make a show. 2:30 in the morning of the Melbourne show, I drove over to his house, scooped him and we headed to the airport. One of the best people I’ve ever met, we shared a beautiful bromance for the tour, he taught me so much about what it is to be a performer and an artist.
When you first start making music you tell yourself, “one day I’m gonna be on that stage,” but actually going up in front of thousands of people is completely different. Safe to say, I was completely shitting myself and trying to do everything I could to act like I belonged. I think I was going over just about everything that can go wrong in my head.
Image: Babyface Mal and GATSBY Credit: @AloshFilms
Mal is just one of the dopest dudes in Australia in terms of music and just general steeze. I hit him to come out during the show in Melbourne and perform one of our unreleased singles that we are planning on releasing soon.
For the track, I remember I flew into Melbourne for five hours to record it with Mal then flew straight back home, and was just geeked knowing we had made something super special. Mal was offering me a lot of advice when this was taken, keeping me calm and level before I performed.
Image: GATSBY performs in Melbourne Credit: @AloshFilms
There were these five dudes in the very front row who were just completely turning up and giving me energy. I think every support act can relate to the feeling of, “please somebody out here enjoy this,” then I realised they were singing my lyrics back to me!!
They made me feel so comfortable and come alive (even making me rock their sunnies). I was completely blown away by it, just knew that’s where I had to end the set.
Image: GATSBY and his team backstage in Melbourne Credit: @AloshFilms
Melbourne was the first show of the tour and we were lucky enough to crash at my boys’ place. It really made the first show feel super special. We had everyone around the house eating food, listening to us rehearse, working on the stage graphics.
We even had my boy Ollie come through and give me a cut while I was rehearsing. It’s kinda like if a tree falls in a forest and nobody is around, does it make a noise? If you open a huge show at the Forum and all your friends aren’t there to watch, did you even do it?
After the Melbourne show all of our friends were gassed. At 12:30am we hit a Korean BBQ place – whole time me and Rico were just folding into our chairs given we’d been awake for 23 hours. Everyone came back to our boys’ place to party and celebrate what the night was, but me and Rico just went straight to bed, slept till 3pm the next afternoon… everyone else stayed awake till 8am. Received a lot of snapchats of what the party contained but I’ll leave that for your imagination.
Image: GATSBY and Rudy
This dude is named Rudy! Absolute definition of a legend. He’s been supporting my music for the last four years since he was like 12! Always offering insight and feedback on the tracks.
I knew the second he was at the show I had to go give some love. The whole set, Rudy was messaging me and sending me pics of the crowd, the energy before I ever stepped onto the stage.
The second the show was done I messaged him and had to track him down in the crowd. I gave Rudy the hat I was wearing and we got to share a moment. Super grateful to have people like him supporting, and to stand on that stage knowing he was in the crowd.
For some reason, I thought it’d be a great idea to book 6am flights to every city which meant that every single day me and my DJ Rico were running on two hours sleep.
I think it showed how bad the idea was when we arrived in Sydney at 7am, but couldn’t check into our hotel till 11am, so we just wondered the city sleepy and delirious playing on jungle gyms. We did get to eat at some fire breakfast place where I managed to spill milk all over the only pair of pants I brought with me.
Image: GATSBY and Oliver Cronin backstage in Sydney
In Sydney, I was lucky enough to bring along Oliver Cronin. We got to perform our new single “One Time” together on stage in front of a bunch of people – which was the first time anyone had even heard it! Being able to have the first time anyone hears a new song be in front of such a massive crowd was nuts, even sweeter since we were in our home state.
I also got to bring along Cult Shotta, two of the most high energy people in the entire scene. I know everybody says it but these two are genuinely the nicest, most graceful people you’ll ever meet. The energy they bring to their performances is unrivalled.
My girl and best friend also got to attend – having them close by and being able to witness how far I’ve come is a feeling I’ll never forget. Being able to walk off stage and hug them both is one of the greatest memories of my entire life, they’ve seen me from the very very beginning all the way till that moment.
In the end, every flight we jumped on I got to sit alone with it all for an hour and a half. None of this feels real in the slightest, that I get to have these opportunities and foster these amazing friendships.
Every show we had childhood friends, loved ones, people I admired or respect, and it just made it all the greater. Being able to look side stage and see people you care about turns you into a superhuman.
Image: bbno$ and GATSBY’s Dad
Brisbane was really special for me. I remember when I was like 16 I’d get invited to do these really bummy gigs where there’d be like 10 people there, who would hate me and the music. My Dad – no matter what the time was, where it was, what was going on – would come through to watch it, he’d never really say anything about it but he’d always be there to watch.
For Brisbane, I got to bring him out on stage and he stills keeps telling my Uncles about how, when he was down with the crowd after, people were calling him “Gatsby’s Pops.” Really meant a lot to show him the progression. He is also the least shy man in the world, lifting his shirt up on stage and all.
When Dad came backstage and walked into the green room he goes, “right which one of ya’s is the famous fella.” bbno$ just stands up and gives dad a hug and APPARENTLY whispers, “help yourself to anything” (me and Rico didn’t hear this at all, and we reckon it was just dad’s wishful thinking). So Dad starts eating his watermelon and other food. Fully makes himself at home.
My dad comes up to me and goes, “reckon I can ask him for a photo, show your Uncles?” And I’m like, “yeah, just wait till after his set.” Dad then turns, walks over and grabs a pic with bbno$. Super glad bbno$ is about the sweetest dude on the planet and gave Dad all the love in the world.
Image: GATSBY waves to the crowd in Brisbane Credit: @barnadelray
This tour was just an insane experience all around, the amount of dopamine and adrenaline I stepped off stage with is something I can never forget. It’s like you’ve seshed for a week and are now dealing with the world’s biggest come down, just the highest of highs. I think this is my favourite photo from the entire tour, the type of one that I’ll show my kids one day. A really special photo that I’ll cherish forever.
