Nick Ward is opening the door to a fresh wave of fans as he joins ARIA Award-winning Troye Sivan on his Australia and New Zealand tour this month.
It’s a moment that feels well-earned, reflecting the assuredness of the Sydney artist’s debut album, House with the Blue Door.
Album tracks like “Shooting Star” and “Gimme” are indie rock anthems made for the stage, packed with energy and instant impact. But beneath the big guitar riffs, there’s a tender side to Ward’s songwriting – honest lyrics reflecting on childhood, family, and the quiet scars that follow us into adulthood.
Ward’s album has standout moments wherever you listen. The title track explores religion’s oft-tight grip, while the nostalgic “All Your Life” (praised by John Mayer as “hypnotic and abstract”) feels like a time capsule – a flicker of hope from a younger Ward. From the familiar walls of his childhood home to whatever comes next, it’s clear he’s on the brink of his next big leap.
To celebrate a monumental few months for the rising star, Rolling Stone AU/NZ caught up with Ward to discuss the making of House with the Blue Door, touring with Sivan, and much more. Read the full conversation below.
Nick Ward’s House with the Blue Door is out now. Find Ward’s upcoming tour dates here.
Rolling Stone AU/NZ: How did your album release tour go?
Nick Ward: So great. Especially nowadays, when you’re releasing music, a lot of the time the clock strikes midnight, your song releases, and you’re still alone in your room at home – nothing really changes. When you’re able to play a show, you can see people in the room and feel that sense of catharsis you get when you release a record. It was nice that the tour was a couple of weeks after the record came out. It felt like a nice little celebration. It was awesome seeing people already knowing the words, even to the deeper cuts.
What’s been your experience of people hearing the album?
It’s been good. Sometimes I forget that people are going to hear something because I’ll just work on it myself and have this little secret to share with my friends for a couple of years while I’m working on it. Then suddenly, everyone gets to listen to it. It’s definitely a funny feeling. But yeah, it’s part of the job.
How do you now feel about the album after its release?
I fucking love it. I spent more than two years on it, so it feels great to finally put it out and let people have it. New people are finding it each week, so I’m just letting it do its thing.
Was childhood and family always going to be the theme of the album?
I knew I wanted to make a record about childhood, especially after seeing other works of art about specific stages of life. [Swedish artist] Hilma af Klint had these paintings about each stage of life. [US filmmaker] Richard Linklater, one of my favourite filmmakers, always plays with time and childhood. So it was on my mind.
I thought it was going to be this sunny, nostalgic, upbeat record, but then I went through more of a personal journey – going to therapy, thinking about the things that happened in my childhood that make me who I am today. I also hear so much of my childhood in the music I grew up listening to in the car. When I listen to the record, I can hear both stories happening at once. It’s not necessarily a happy or sad record.
Your music videos have been a big part of the album’s story. How important is that visual element to you?
100%. Especially nowadays, you can’t just be like, “I’m just a musician.” I love film – it’s right next to music as one of my biggest passions. The visuals and the record were developed at the same time. It wasn’t like I finished the album and then decided which songs would have videos. If anything, the videos were done before the album. It was amazing collaborating with Charles Bucha, Leslie, and my twin brother, Tom. I’m keen to make more videos because I really love what we’ve made so far.
Was most of the album made in Sydney?
It was. I started a lot of ideas, kind of all over the place, some in Perth, some in Sydney, but the majority of the work was just done here at home.
The title track really stands out. What impact did growing up in a religious household have on you?
It’s so interesting when you have all these symbols and stories as a child. Religion can be a really scary thing – you’re like, “What? I’m gonna die because of X, Y, and Z?” It can’t help but instill a little fear. That song is about me nowadays. If I see a preacher on the street or interact with certain people, I feel myself getting a little triggered. The song is about not being able to escape those triggers or not wanting to move past being so affected by them.
Was it tough getting back into that headspace of youth?
I don’t know because I feel like I’ve never left that headspace. A lot of people with anxiety or depression say they revert to a child-like state. It’s not something I was super conscious of.
You wrote “All Your Life” as a letter to your future self. Did you actually do that as a kid?
It’s a little bit of a white lie. It’s not like I wrote, “I hope you’ll be happy,” but there were these old websites where you could email your future self. I did that a lot.
Do you think we stay the same as we grow up, or do we change?
For me, it’s almost like a curve. As a teenager or in your early 20s, you think you’re super independent, that you have your own taste, and your parents’ music sucks, and whatever. Then you come right back to the same place.
Speaking of your dad’s music, how did his taste influence the record?
There’s a lot of The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and [Bruce] Springsteen in particular. Lou Reed was one of my favourites growing up. Musically, I wanted this record to borrow from that but still feel modern – not just like a ‘60s, ‘70s pastiche or a cover band. It was about channeling the emotional influence of that music. Springsteen, in particular, has a specific feeling that I tried to capture.
And your family’s still in the same house you grew up in?
Yep, the same house. I’ve spent my whole life here. We did change the colour of the door, though. (laughs)
Any thoughts on moving overseas?
I did actually live out of home for a little bit when I was in the final stages of work on the album. It was actually nice to have that isolation and separation because otherwise, you’re making music, and your brother and mum and dad are 10 metres away, you know.
I think as an Australian artist there’s always that sort of dilemma, that thought process of wanting to contribute to something here in Australia because I think there are so many great artists here. I really believe that Australia is on the verge of a renaissance with music and as a cultural entity. But you also can’t wait around for the entire system to change. It’s really inspiring to look at the whole world.
As a musician, I’d never thought about playing in Europe or anything like that before this year. It’s amazing to travel and see fans from different cities. But I think Australia, and specifically Sydney, will always be really dear to my heart, and it’s something I never want to abandon.
Your hometown can’t help but shape your art, your worldview, right?
Yeah, I think the themes of the music, and even my experience with masculinity, feel like a uniquely Australian experience. I work in a music collective called Full Circle, and all of us really care about making music in Australia that’s about Australian experiences. We don’t want to just try to relate to a mindset or other parts of the world. I feel like Australia has a story to tell, and it’s so worth telling.
You’re about to join Troye Sivan on tour!
Yeah! I’m so excited, and it’s going to be my first time playing in New Zealand too.
What are you taking from your own tour into Troye’s?
What’s great is we got to play the whole album in its entirety and see which songs resonated the most with people. We cut it down to our favourite songs to play live for this tour, and we feel great about it. I think his fans will create such a nice, supportive space. It’s going to be a blast.
How did you and Troye connect?
I worked on his record in Stockholm about two years ago, and we did a song called “Can’t Go Back, Baby”. He’s just a great guy and has been super supportive of me. I’m very excited to join him on the tour.
How do you see your growth as an artist since your 2021 debut EP?
It’s kind of crazy, to be honest. I graduated high school at the end of 2019, then went straight into lockdown and started working on the first EP. Since then, I’ve honestly just been back-to-back working on music. I don’t have the hindsight yet to see what’s changed, but I definitely feel like every year I get more confident and closer to making exactly what I want to make. With this record, I really feel like I did that. I’m just keen to keep evolving. I would hate to put out music where people know exactly what to expect next.
Do you set a high bar for yourself? Did you feel pressure with this album?
Of course. When I was making it, I actually thought I was making another EP for the first part of the process. I think that was important because I wouldn’t have been able to do anything if I knew I was making my debut album from the jump. Now, I’m very conscious that I’m working on my sophomore album. It comes with its challenges, but I also have a lot more confidence to know exactly what I want.
Collaboration seems to be a big part of your process. Is that important to you?
I find it really helpful to start ideas with people and have that chemistry where you land on something you’d never come up with on your own. But I’m also a control freak, so I like to finish things off by myself. That’s the process I love – starting things with people but then taking them home and chipping away at them.
Are you already thinking about your next album? Any direction in mind?
When I think about my goals and ambitions, it’s usually just about different places to write music. My absolute dream is to rent a house for a month, have all my friends over, and make music.
