"It's one of those things where I just think 'Man, my younger self would be so pumped if he knew that all this was coming'," he told Soundbites.

"And it's a nice reminder that I tell myself so that I stop and smell the roses and enjoy the process."

The 21-year-old had only a handful of singles behind him when he opened for Dominic Fike in Los Angeles at a Camp Flog Gnaw & Converse pop-up event last November. He also supported Drapht at The Beery.

He hopes to release his debut EP early in 2021.

"I've always sung. I was the talent show kid, singing James Blunt shamelessly for the whole school," he said.

"Not to flex or anything but I won a Coca-Cola talent competition at the Easter Show when I was little and I got a gold flip phone so I guess you can say things were pretty serious."

Boy Soda describes himself as an R&B/hip-hop artist whose sound is "dictated by a hybrid of smooth and percussive melodies derivative of early 2000s R&B as well as the trap-drum programming driving hip-hop currently".

"I'm not limited to this though, it's just what I enjoy making and listening to currently," he added.

The lyrics to See Someone and Take Your Time touch on men's emotions and mental health. Wise words indeed from someone so young.

"This double-release is the most personal body of work I've ever released," he said.

"Both songs were made to be with each other because the project is my self-help tape - they're my sonic sticky notes on the fridge telling me that it's important to be emotionally vulnerable, to talk to people, to slow down. In Take My Time I say: 'Dad said take a second just to focus on your health, show your friends that men can open up about themselves'.

"I wrote that because I learnt that there's strength through being honest, through crying, through self-love, all from my Dad. Growing up with a muscular, 5th Dan black belt Samoan beast who was always supportive, gentle-natured and emotionally transparent is the reason I can write these type of songs.

"See Someone is definitely a result of this as well, because I'm telling everyone that I had to seek some professional help to support my mental health.

"I think normalising this process in a song is a good way to set an example for people who might be struggling with the same ideas of shame, or of having too much pride - this initially stopped me from opening up. Like, it's cool, talk about it, drop the weight so that you can keep moving.

"Therapy for me is an emotional pit-stop where I can just put some more air in my tyres before I go back to the race."

As for the rest of 2020, he's keeping positive.

"Overall 2020 is a year of growth and adaption for everyone - I think we'll know more about ourselves and appreciate one another even more after 2020.

"If this year brings more road bumps, it's just more for me to write about."

Newcastle cinematographer Bailey Watts shot the video for Take Your Time at Carrington last November.

"Brae aka Boy Soda has an incredible artistic and creative mind," Watts said.

"These songs obviously came from within something he experienced so he had a directors' credit just as much as I did for this one."

Brisbane's Powderfinger are reuniting for a live-streamed performance to "bring a little happiness to fans during these challenging days". Bernard Fanning, Ian Haug, Darren Middleton, John Collins and Jon Coghill called it quits a decade ago but will reform for One Night Lonely this Saturday, May 23. Tune in to the band's YouTube channel from 7pm to hear them perform from their respective home studios.

It's all in aid of Beyond Blue and Support Act.

Support Act's Wellbeing Hotline has been expanded beyond the music and theatre industries to now incorporate all artists and arts workers across Australia. It is a free confidential service staffed by professional clinicians familiar with issues faced by people working in music and the arts. It can be accessed by phoning 1800 959 500 within Australia and by visiting supportact.org.au.

Short Stack's Australian tour with Between You & Me, originally set to kick off on June 19, has been rescheduled. You can catch the pop punksters at The Cambridge in Newcastle on April 3, 2021. Original ticket purchases are valid for entry at the rescheduled show dates.

Newcastle glam-rock band Hot Flush premiered new single and video Rock Attack on The Today Show last week and their '80s-inspired "rockercise" moves found a new fan in host Karl Stefanovic. Worth a watch.

Central Coast singer-songwriter and original member of children's group Hi-5, Nathan Foley, has released a new single called She Devil from upcoming album Hurricane.

Foley said of the song: "This is a dance song, it's tongue-in-cheek and ultimately it's about a relationship experience. It's always a nerve-wracking experience letting new songs out into the world after they have been part of your internal space for so long."