Growing up in that footy locker room, a lot of bandster happens, and the next minute you've got four daughters and a beautiful wife, and it just changes everything about everything. Even now, when I'm in rooms with other fellows or different places, I'll just walk out of the room or just try and rope me into the convo. That's not going to happen fo other. I've got three daughters this If you're OpEd them on my doorsteps, I'll be booting you off. To be honest, dude, I'm sorry.
Hello, and welcome to the heart of it. We would like to acknowledge the Gadigle people of the Eur nation, the traditional custodians of this land, and pay our respects to the elders, both past and present. My name is Cam Daddo.
And I'm Elie Daddo.
Are you doing, honey, I'm good. Which had the most inspiring chat?
I know, I know it didn't go on long enough for me. I love these two and they're repeat offenders.
They are.
We spoke to them back in twenty twenty one.
Right, of course, we're talking about Mitch Tambo and his gorgeous wife Leilah, and we get into talking about all sorts of stuff with their with their kids and yeah.
Yeah, I mean, and they've got four daughters between them. I just loved Mitch talking about having to counsel his daughters through breakups and and teenage girls things.
Yeah, and tampon shopping and they're all on the same cycle. Like holy cow, that's a lot of hormones.
In one in one house, right, Yeah, and some great there's a great skydiving story.
Oh yeah, sure. And talks about you know, what's it like being a refugee and raising children with that sort of trauma, and how she's she's overcome comes at constantly in her life and pushes through some things that are that are really powerful. They're an incredible couple. I mean, Mitch has been hailed as Australia's most distinctive First Nations entertained. And you've seen him live. You are lucky to see him live.
I've seen him a couple of times now. Yeah, he's amazing. And I he didn't take offense, but he did. He was he had a pair of shades on. He was looking like very much like George Michael and he's heyday there he goes some whiskers and it's like, wow, you should do George Michael.
Really I didn't see him. Is that I didn't get Maybe.
It's the angle of the screen, but I mean George Michael playing ditch and doing that sort of throwing that into a George Michael song.
Yeah. Look, if anyone could do it, Mitch could do it.
I mean he did.
You're the voice in his native language, and that was absolutely phenomenal.
Now they've got.
Yes, because Leila is a remarkable stinger. She's a proud West Papulin woman and of course the mother of four daughters. She's also a really passionate advocate for refugee women in Australia. And yeah, she's got this incredible voice and now joined forcesing Ireland Home.
Yes. And actually this is going to sound really weird, but I did not realize the connection with the T shirt that I'm wearing today with there were rumpies. Island Home was the song of theirs.
Yeah, that's why I said, I know.
What I thought you were.
I should not even admit that, but somewhere in.
Your mind, yeah, somewhere in your mind, But but I know.
The white guy and the Rumpies wrote Island Home.
I just love the T shirt. That's so funny.
And that's what Mitch said about synergy.
Yeah.
So there's a lot of synergies happening in this chat today.
We hope you enjoy it absolutely.
You ready happy to be talking to you, Ali.
Yeah, I'm here.
I do things too.
Yeah, guys, we last spoke in twenty twenty one. A lot of water under the bridge. You've just given birth to your daughter, Phoenix.
That's right, three years ago.
I had her in my arms. Yes you did, yeah, in our garage.
Okay, so she's three now. So look, just to get us up to speed again, many of our listeners have joined us recently, so for them, I'll give us a.
Oh I was going to say, okay, here's a test for you. Give it. Give us a quick history of Mitch and Leile in under two minutes. Ohsticken, I shouldn't time you, but.
Just okay, let's do it. Are you ready for this? Yeah? Okay. So we basically cross paths, and then once we crossed paths, we didn't stop crossing paths, and that led to I guess you'd call it dating, and then we ended up married. I threw Lelle out of a plane, got on one knee, got married, got locked down, I had Phoenix, and now we were just traveling, doing music and just doing life together and family and yeah, that's pretty much it. It was like a really that was a hectic summary.
Yeah, especially when you threw her out of the plane that was slightly disconcerned.
And you know what, Lela absolutely hates heights. And I was like, you know what, I'll take you down the coast. I want to. I got you a paddle board, so we'll go get a wet suit. And it was perfect. She fell asleep and then I hit the blinker and she woke up, and I'm like, we're actually going in here. And basically for the next thirty seconds, if.
You see the video, there's a lot of beats.
We're going skyd having you pumped, and yeah, it was all teed up.
So you had someone like strapped like you were strapped to someone in the skyder.
Yes, I just couldn't.
Oh my god, no, it was so I will never ever do it again.
And you're so vulnerable because, like you know, they opened up this big sliding door and all the winds gushing in and then one by one you're just watching people just disappear. And then they come come to me and they make you wrap your legs underneath the plane and lean back, so you're completely vulnerable. And I just looked petrified and the like smile and then I just turned on my camera face and I got booted out.
I can't even do rollercoasters, so the idea of jumping from a plane is just beyond my fear.
Fact well, there's actually yeah, I think you have to try it.
Just really but truth, oh my gosh, we too.
Really, I feel like.
This is the time. So we did that and it was amazing, and you know, Lelo was real pumped. She wanted to go again. And anyway, about like maybe six months later, not even we come across this article that there was a tragic skydiving event and the man that passed away was actually the man that took Lello down. He put his body first and say yeah, person, yes, yeah, so that was it.
And I knew it was him because you know, it was such a huge moment in my life. I I'll never forget his face. So when I was scrolling through Instagram, I recognize his face immediately and yes, that's.
Just thirty seconds ago you were telling Allison.
I know, yeah, you should do it.
Go Alison. I'm back pedaling now, got it.
It must be weird sitting in an air because I'm sitting in an aeroplane and one moment someone's there and next thing you know, they're gone.
It is so surreal, right, And I don't know if I'd want to go first or last.
That's the thing.
It's I was about the middle of the pack.
Middle maybe middles probably the way to go.
And you know what, like I was like all for it. I was so pal let's do it all, take me to New Zealand. But the thing is is that when you.
That's where all the extreme stuff happened.
I want to do it all. But when you do it and you want to propose, well, you have to get down fast and there's only one way down to get you quick and they spin you do you spin? You do these like circles and it gets you down fast. So you just see me just fighting to not you know, throw up, and we got to the bottom and gets let's do it again. I think I just need a minute.
Could you imagine if the ring had flown out of your pocket as you're like plummeting to the air, the ring down there?
Ready, Yes, it all up.
I snuck off got them the ring. They had this big banner like will you marry me better? And I was on the one knee as lel. But it took it forever to notice because she was just loving life up there. Wow, you're nearly down and you can't you're not even looking at me yet.
I'm not looking.
He had to pat me on the shoulder and go, look, look down there. What does that say?
Because I'm looking at the beautiful ocean because we're over the Great Ocean Road.
Nice and yeah.
I looked down. My thought, oh my gosh. You could just hear me screaming. I'm like all these crazy thoughts.
In my mind.
What am I wearing?
What is there?
Oh?
Man?
Yeah, I've just had my face blown off from like the wind.
Fact it was so unattractive because you've seen those videos like your cheeks like the air and your cheeks and your face is all like mangled looking.
Yeah, it's full on hay.
Yeah.
Like I fully front slipped out of the plane. I'll never forget like front flipping and then actually seeing the plane above me. It was crazy.
Cam's mum did it and she's unreal, like she's eighty.
She did like about two or three years ago.
But there's this photograph of her which is just it's brilliant and hilarious, and she's a very buxome woman.
And so the boobs went up under her chin and the face was like stewage to the exture.
Oh my god, imagine this grin, like beautiful teeth, Like I.
Nearly couldn't breathe because the boobs recovery.
She got punched up by her boobs.
What a brave woman.
So when you did that, Leal, you had you were a mother of three. You had three kids at that point, right, and so now you've got four. We talked about Phoenix. So you had Sophiana, Yes, yes, Opha yep. And is it kilany ki yes?
Wow.
Okay, so you've got that. You've got to spread now, so nineteen to three, she's like, wow, So how are you managing that's a big spread? Yep, that's for four young ladies at very different stages of development. How are you managing that?
Guys with really good shape, with nice.
That's for me?
Yes, I waste it. Let's do it.
Honestly, we just take everything one day at a time and deal with the things, the conversations, literally one step at a time. I think any expectations that you have growing up, you have to throw that all out the window, you know, because in this day and age, they all they're all so different, you know, they're all girls, different needs.
It's it's crazy and it's hectic.
And it's real.
It's real, very very very very real.
They're all still at home, right, the nineteen year old is still with you. Yeah.
So I mean we deal with like I mean, boyfriends, nappies, Barbie dolls, we do the.
Life, the spectrums.
We've got the whole spectrum. It's it's a very holistic household.
Do you get help from the from the older ones, for the for the young, for the.
Young, Absolutely, yeah, that's good. They are pretty amazing in that way. A lot of people think we're gammon, like we're not telling the truth when we say we can actually go out and the girls are looking after each other. Yeah, but they just have that really beautiful sister bond and love for each other. The older ones are quite responsible.
It's crazy, like I think, Yeah, most people don't really believe it because they don't party, so they're just very responsible girls and they're just still in their thing and they're just in life and they've got their own sort of hobbies and purpose and just and chasing their own thing. But it's it's sort of completely different, I think from the way we grew up. It was kind of like when we grew up, you know, there was underage parties and you're getting ready to turn eighteen to just be
out in the night life. But I feel like this generation there's there's a real mixed bag, and we're really blessed that they're not. They're not sort of down that track. They're just still in their thing. So yeah, I mean even in Covid Halo, it was like I was. If I was in covid as at their age at the time, I would not have picked up one textbook, I'm gonna
be honest. I would have just been on a basketball who bought on a bike or But they were like up all night playing Fortnite and then bang roll into their bed and they'd be doing school all day and just very responsible. It's crazy, how else this happened?
How was not that kid?
Yeah at all?
Not growing up?
Has that been? Yeah? The nineties the nineties we were married in the nineties, we were already supposedly when we were still growing up.
Oh god, you're still growing up.
We had a lot of learning to do. That happened, happening, still happening. That's true, was that the biggest surprise is that that sounds like a surprise to you when you talk about that, that that they are not into, you know, partying and stuff like that. Well, yeah, I know for such a broad age group too. What what's another surprise, What's something else that maybe that surprised you.
I think it's all a bit of a surprise for me, to be honest, because you know, I grew up I guess heavily around other fellows. So I think a big surprise for me is being on the flip side of heartbreak as well. Those first heartbreaks you don't realize follows what we do, dah. It can be pretty real and raw, and it can be quite emotional for the whole household, to be honest, So being on that flip side as a as a father in the house, when things like that happens, it takes a massive toll.
Through the whole house.
It really ripples, you don't realize, And so that's been a massive.
Point for me.
How did you counsel your daughter when she was she had her heartbroken?
Mitch?
Was that something that you were able to give the male perspective and you know counsel her?
Well, yeah, I think Lela and I when we got together, I was very much about let's sort of ditch all the like taboo stuff and let's just get in there and talk and be real about things, because if we don't have those conversations, it will be someone else in you know, a locker room or at school that will be given the info that's probably just so left field. And you know, I remember as a young fellow not really having my dad around and being in the footy
locker room. That's really where I took a lot of my education. And I look back now as a man, I'm like, man, none of that, like ninety nine percent of it was not real or helpful. It just gave
me like complexes a young man. So we just got him be real and I just I've sat there, you know, it had had some you know, let them weep and be sad, but really talk through it and be real about it and honest about it and raw about it and vulnerable in it, And I think the best sort of thing is is coming to that realization that as much as it is about us, you know, provide and discipline, at times, we're here to not be dictators, but just to help our kids navigate and help them navigate through
their own choices and decisions and things that happen in life. So I think we're just still our best to do that, but really be in there and having the conversations that a lot of people, man, that's so awkward. How can you talk about that? And so well, it's a conversation if it's our duty is to like, let's just be open and really get in there.
Yeah, it's a lot easier for you than it is for me, though, I found that I had to do a lot of unlearning and kind of push through the cringe.
What makes you cringe? What's the cringe?
Oh, it's the I think I'm quite old school like cultural too.
Yeah, it's the.
Cultural kind of element that I have to try and push through to meet my girls where they're at. Because of how I was raised, you know, we don't talk about anything, so having these conversations it can be quite Oh my gosh, it's everything.
Everything is new for me.
I've had to I'm parenting the opposite way to how I was parenting.
Yeah, Like I'm like, for example, like I guess, like a really basic example would be, say one of the littlies, I want to just bust out and start dancing in coals and get crazy like Lela would be like, you know, because there's that thing of like, you know, being I guess, this thing inverted comms of being humble, being quiet, being like well behaved, not attracting it. That's really the one not attracting attention where I'd just be like, man, let it go, like she loves the song, like cut loose,
just be you. You know. So there was a lot of, like I guess, for both of us, really just breaking breaking off parts of ourselves and stripping back onions on both sides like one hundred percent. And even for me too, I think again, like growing up in that footy locker room, a lot of bands happens, and the next minute you've got, you know, four daughters and a beautiful wife, and it
just changes everything about everything. Even now when I'm in rooms with other fellows or different places, I'll just walk out of the room or just try and rope them into the convo. That's not going to happen fo other. I've got three daughters. If you're OpEd them on my doorsteps, I'll be booting you off. To be honest, dude, I'm sorry.
Yeah, Well, that's the exact man that we need.
Actually, that's exactly the response that we hope men will do, because I think that's that's the biggest ally you can have, isn't it when like the man goes like, we can shout about it, but as women, but when the man goes, eh, not cool, not doing that.
Yeah, I've been in that situation, Mitch, and I've also been around other men who have said it as well, and it's gotten more and more and I'm really happy to say that that there's there's a much more of collusion in that positive way nowadays. It's coming slowly, slowly. Are you getting well?
Do you?
If you feel like you're getting better at it? And the more practiced you become is your heart the reticence push through.
Absolutely.
I'm actually starting to be really proud of the month that I am today. You know, I have a very open, open communication with all of my girls, all of our girls, and you know, Because of that, we're able to be there and just be supportive in every little, you know, decisions that they make. You know, they include us, they want our advice. I think going to your parents for advice at this age, I feel like that's really amazing.
You're doing a lot of things, right, that's a huge green flag.
Yeah.
Absolutely, And when their friends want to talk to you, you know, I think that's awesome too.
How has it been watching Mitch create relationships with the three elder ones.
It's been an absolute beautiful experience because well, for us, we're so lucky that that COVID happened. It was that really important time where Mitch and I, you know, it wasn't long after we got together and decided to move in together when we got locked down and he was just.
Able to forge these really special.
Relationships with each one of the girls. You know, we were stuck in a house together, nowhere to run, so we spent a lot of time really, you know, getting to know each other. The family dynamics, our family dynamics is pretty awesome considering and it's just been it has been a real joy to watch the relationships grow between Mitch and each of the girls. You know, they all
have different titles for him. Our elder daughter Sophie pulled him aside a couple of years ago and asked him if he if it was okay for her to.
Call him dad.
She instigated that.
The eldest daughter. Wow, yeah, so that was that was a huge surprise.
And blessing.
And then you know, with Offlere, she calls him Mitch, but she goes to him. They all go to him for things, you know, they actually would prefer to speak to him than.
It's a different kind of thing.
It's a different thing. It's maybe you know. Also, Mitch has got a masculine energy and he's looking very much like George Michael. I think I'm sitting there going vagued off for a second there, No, but he does. That's the truth. But let's get back to the proper point of it, you know. I mean, it's a different perspective, and and uh, that makes sense to me that they would go to Mitch for some things, you know.
But I have to say, you know, it's beautiful and thanks Lether for sitting back there and big up in me. But that all transpired only through Lele's unwavering belief in me. Because I didn't just walk in like you know, my my personality is if I'm in, I'm in. If I'm not, I'm not. And that's for every decision in life. So as a young person, sometimes not the best, but you know, if I'm in, I'm in, and that's it. And my biggest single letter was like, okay, like, if you got
three girls, can I do this? You know, I was absolutely, I guess petrified when I look back of the thought of failing or you know, I grew up with my dad not around. Am I going to be there? It doesn't work out like what happens here. And Lela never doubted me once. She'd be like, I'd be like, what's wrong you Like, you don't have anything. She's like, no, I just feel it. You're gonna be great. And that was all that ever was. I'll be there freaking out. No,
You're just going to be great. The girl's gonna love young and just said what do you mean? What about this? What about that? And next minute it's eight o'clock at night and you're running to seven eleven because everything shut and you've got to get some pads or something, and you're the one that's getting the text message. All these
things have happened, and there you are. But it only comes honestly through Lela's unwavering belief that I'd be okay in it and that I would grow into it and it'd all work out.
For some reason.
One as a mum, you just know, yeah, I agree. I was just going to say, for some reason, I used to really love sending Cam out for tampons.
It just delighted me. I just was like, text me what you need, honey. I'm like, oh yeah, here we go.
And it was in America too, So you've got three.
Get photographs of like do you want this saze? Do you want your FaceTime?
Libra's on special?
Are you all cycling together? If you start?
Oh yeah, trust me, I've got this.
He knows before we do.
I'm going to get chocolate and les. What do you mean? Like you's a p.
Message market on the calendar? Time to do chocolate for?
Or one of the girls, one of the older girls will come down cranking and he's like what already?
It's like, it's only what it's only been like a week?
Hang on, is this something else?
Whom?
No?
I know this, I know this attitude? Wow, what's going on why as I soon l they talk me through what educate me?
Have you given advice to other families of step parenting and blended families? Have people sort of looked to you or asked your advice? So you've been able to help other families out?
Not so much just I guess around the step side just in general. People have asked me questions, which is always not weird, but I always find it to be really you know, a big deal to answer those kinds of questions. But my biggest thing has been in this journey really seeing a lot of the stigma attached to step and how people treat you when you just fall
under that title of step. You know. I've had interviews on the radio where they're like, oh, it's you're a stepparent and it's like National Foster Care a day tomorrow. Can you talk us through what it's like to be a stepparent? And I'm like, whoa foster gra? Yeah, you know, but like just the idea around that, and like even at home, like I said, the girls call me Dad, Mitch, Daddy, uncle, Dad. I've got four different labels, but to me they're just
my daughters. I don't really see you know, and we're blessed as well to have a great relationship with the girls biological father too, and he totally just rocks and rides with my position in the house. And you know, something BIG's going down, I will just go out the front, we'll have a chat and we're all together sort of in it, which is a really beautiful thing because that was a big fear for me too. It is like, you know, you hear about the horror stories, you know,
but we're really we're really blessed in that sense. But yeah, when people ask me about parenting and stuff kind of spins me. But I also try to answer with all my heart because they're big questions.
It feels like, yeah, and as you say, you're so correct. We've had a few people, a few couples on the show that have had the blended families, and it's they always talk about the challenges, haven't they. And they've some have sought help from therapists even but you know, it's always been it's always been an incredibly beautiful experience for them. But it's comes with its challenges.
Totally, and I think like it comes with understanding relationship. Like let's said before, everyone's different so like one of the girls could be inherently drawn to being, you know, Dad's girl. So me coming in is regardless going to be a little bit turbulent because I need to know if I can trust you and if you're going to respect that my dad is my dad.
Yeah.
Others can be more like, I just love you and you're another dad and let's just rock and roll. Others could be like, man, we've just come out of a hectic domestic relationship. Are you going to put us back through? Like there's so many things to navigate. But I think the thing that I had to keep coming back to is that I'm not the kid anymore whose dad lives four or five hours away. I'm the man and the
adult in this situation. So I have to continually get a hold of me and get a hold of my own trauma and let it go and go No, you're you're the adult now. So if there's if there's a bit of resistance or something has happened, it's not because I'm a jerk or I'm not liked or I'm I'm It's because that there's a little person in front of you that's having a bad day or something's going on.
But I had to get control of my own insecurity and probably my own trauma and how certain things played out for me growing up and realizing, no, dud, you're actually the adult in here. So yeah, you got to get a grip of this, because it's not I'm my mom, im I'm it's you're you're in control or in a position to really influence someone and make someone feel safe and know that they're loved and it's all good.
That's a really wise thing to say. And it took a therapist to help me to understand that, you know, to let the wounded little boy go and step into being the adult man. And it took a long time for that to hit yes in my brain. How did you come to that wisdom?
Wisdom?
I mean, it is wisdom, though it is it's a very help I mean, it's a kind action that you're showing your kids, and it's a very grown up, wise way to be.
I think that I've been on a pursuit of healing for quite a while, but there was this beautiful turning point. I guess that comes to mind, so i'ld start there, and that was It was my birthday one year and Lela rocked up at home and she put rufras on our little Toyota Corolla. I was like okay, and she looked at me and she goes, Oh, you need to pull your dad's surfboard out and you need to go
for a surf connect with your dad. And in that moment, in the space of like two hours, I fought through so many emotions that I had to realize and go, this is grief. And it was like, Oh, it's going to be too much of a headache to get the board down there. You know, it's going to be about the kids. Oh it's just too hot. Oh I have to go and get straps for the roof racks. And I was like, dude, you're doing everything to not confront your grief and just get on the board. I have
to do it. So we took the board, went out in the ocean. I was just like, Wow, I have to really nourish my like five six seven eight, nineteen eleven year old self. I need to go surfing again. And I started to like just chase the things that that version of me really wanted, Like I never had my own surfboard before. I always had to borrow dads because I was always the kid from the bush that would go over there and have to meet his dad again for the first time. It felt like feel accepted
by his stepbrothers. And you know, I was a chunkier kid. They're all it had to get through all these insecurities. But I always had this thing. I wanted a surfboard, and Leather was like, just go and buy a surfboard. Get your own surfboard. So I went and bought the surfboard.
And I started on this journey and started to read a couple of books like how to Do the Work was like a ten dollar book in Kmart, and it was all about self reflecting and understanding how you'd been parented and what you went through and identify and how that's kind of determined a lot of your decision making and how you think today. And then I started to really look at like transgenerational trauma and the things that are inherently just you know, brought down the line, and
how that can be pushed on. And I said to her, I've got to do everything I can to not pass on my business to the kids, you know, because whether it's blood or not. You know, I've been with Clini since she was too, so inherently she's going to take on parts of my traits, whether we're blood or not, because I'm with her like ninety nine percent of the time. So I don't want to pass on all these things. So I had to really start looking at myself and
that hasn't finished. It continues to today, to the food I consume, to you know, the personal in the house, to who I am on the stage, and just trying to really make sure I guess everything's authentic. You know, even with my team and stuff, I'll be like, no, I'm not doing those roles. I don't want to. I don't want my girls to see me kiss another actress. It's not not my thing. I don't want to be someone different on a screen to who I am at home,
And that's just been my preference. I don't judge anyone for it, like you do it, you got to do. It's just me. I always want it to be like, nah, he's just the same as he's at home. He's just more animated on the stage. But I don't want them to ever feel like like, oh, who is that? So I've just kind of been on this weird, crazy little journey of healing I guess, yeah, beautifully beautifully.
Put for you.
You know, your experience of being a refugee has that Do you think that's influenced the way you parent? Oh?
One, absolutely, And that would be because of how I was parented, moving here, living in exile, being born in exile. In hindsight now I can see that I was parented by parents who were just absolutely fearful, you know, always feeling like we didn't belong, always feeling out of place. Every decision that I've made that I make for myself and for my family is really well thought out for me, because everything in my body wants to do the opposite thing,
if that makes sense. So yeah, there's a lot of but I think for me personally, I have a very strong faith in God. Yeah, and so that is what gives me the encouragement, the bravery to just keep pushing forward because knowing what my parents had to go through and how they their life up until my dad passed away, I just don't want to repeat that for my children.
Yeah, And sometimes that takes a lot of energy, doesn't it.
Absolutely a lot of energy, a lot of you know, there's a lot of grief in that as well. It's you know, even though as a child I had the most amazing childhood, I remember always being happy around my family and my community for how this world is now, how crazy it is and how you know, it's so hard to let your kids, especially living in Melbourne in a big city, coming from Canberra, there's even a lot of like pushing through your own fears of like letting your kid go on a train, you know, Just so
those decision making things that you go through on the daily, you know, they're like little breakthroughs that you're that you're pushing through every day.
Totally.
Can I ask you you're a cultural blend? You to you come from very traditional backgrounds, different backgrounds as well. Have you have your career? Is there a family Is there a unified blended tradition that you guys do as a family now which brings the two together well.
In our household, I think culture and faith are very very strong and they that's how it works together in our home and so we have a lot of family time together where we you know, share, but we're all and with that, we have elements of Mitch's culture and the kids have learned to love that as well and embrace that as their own. So that's been really beautiful when we if Mitch, you want to share about when we are smoking to.
Yeah, for sure. So I mean, I guess to answer the question, it's there's not necessarily like a tradition. It's just we live and breathe culture every single day at our house. And like, you know, I'm not Tonguan sofie offen Klani their father's tongue, but I'll be in the house learning tongue in with kilany or you know, celebrating their culture. The girls aren't inherently Kouri, but they know all my songs in language. If it's like Nate oc Day or something going on at school, it's not like
go and get the flag and walk out. They're naturally just chuck on a jersey or something and they'll just wear it and represent it. And like SOFTI the other week was talking about getting a tattoo and it was like, Oh, I want to put this tongue and thing in there, this best puppul and I think I want to get this Aboriginal style art. And I was like, wow, you'd actually like put in elements of my culture on your
skin forever. And it's it's not even like it's said in this big, big momentous speech of this is something special, It's just inherently there. It's like, you know, Lela's family are very god fearing people. But then if they pray sometimes I'll be like, oh, can you like to call them on and do a smoking ceremony, so like everything's just completely blended. They might sing it one of their songs in West Papua, job and Fall and how can we chuck some digch in there? You know, like it's
just all there, just naturally. Yeah, it's just a big celebration, big melting pot.
Beautiful.
If there's one thing that you hope the kids learn from you and take into their own adulthood and when they become parents, what would you love that to be For me?
I think it's just to hit things head on, to not be governed by fear and anxiety, but to just live a life of what if and hope and stepping into things and just being completely proud of who you are and where you come from, and just being bold enough to step out and who you want to be. I think that that would be really beautiful because it took me a lot to break the shackles of anxiety, and I guess fear off my life, and I realized that, you know, I was governed and shackled by a lot
of things I went through as a young person. So I'd like to hope that the work Lether and I have put into ourselves as individuals and into our relationship breaks those shackles inherently and they can just walk and be what they need to be and be free in that. I mean, because even Lelly and I hear and lel speak before about her journey as a refugee, like even me, Mom and I, we did it tough. We had this
crib we caught at the shack. It was like this one hundred and fifty year old house still had horse here in the plast and just like fifty five degrees in the kitchen in summer, and you're putting up blankets as curtains to block off hallways to keep cool in just one little room. And you know, you get into this position where Lella and I are now, and I could be like, you know, go to JD Sports to buy some shoes, and I could sit there with le flat half an hour like trying to say why I
shouldn't buy it. Because financially, I'm just scared, just scared to spend the money, Like, geez, what is tomorrow?
Bring?
Should we do it? Like and there? But are you serious? Like we're okay, but I'm like, it would take me so long to spend money because of the fear around that. So I hope that we can create something where the kids can just be free. Yeah about you Lether.
Yeah, I think for me, I would want the kids to just learn to get out of their own way, because that's my biggest that was my biggest roadblock was me, you know, being able to achieve things and just having all these excuses as to why I can't be this person to being on this stage or you know, speak at this event, or you know. I think getting out of your own way is a huge thing for me that I would not want the kids to.
To hold on to.
Yeah, and first and foremost though, knowing who they're knowing who they are. You know, I think you should be able to travel anywhere around in the world and adapt to any kind of community, and you can do that if you know deep in your heart and your soul and your spirit who you are. I think that would be the most important thing that I would want to pass on to my children is for them to be really strong in their identity.
Yeah, yeah, beautiful.
I think you're. I think you're You're setting a wonderful example to them by working together and creating together. You've got you've done a re recording of Island Home, which we.
Just gone gangbusters right, Yeah, so beautiful.
I pumped it in our house the other this is the song. I love it, such a beautiful version. And you got to say your performance at the at the Radio Awards last year was sensational.
Thank you, thank you.
I was right up pushed up against the stage. There was just great.
Were you in the mush pit between fits and whipper?
I was moshed between fits and whipper and watching you up there on the stage, It's just sensational, so much energy.
Thank you.
What's what's the dream for you two? Working together?
Have you just done it?
Yeah? So? I mean when we first got together, we would just sit in the car and just speak for hours about what life could be like and what we could achieve together, and you know, the standard we could set for our family. And we just speak and speak and speak, and as we go it's just all unfolding. And it's all coming to be and I think there's
something really beautiful about doing life together. And we found collectively so many people like, oh my god, Like you work with your wife, that must be so hard, Like you never have a break, and it's you know, like you get married for a reason, right, because you actually want to be with that person. But for us, it's like, you know, to be doing it together collectively and individually and both supporting each other, it's just the best. It's amazing.
And I've always said, you know, as my career is elevated, I've said to her, like it doesn't stop. We've got to work and we've got to get your music out there in your voice, because you've got such a beautiful story and journey and vision for all people. We've got to work hard to make sure both of us are doing our thing, and and here we are, and to have this song out together. It's really the icing on the cake because Lela's come with me everywhere overseas, different
places to support me and do BVS. But now she's standing beside me on the stage and we're doing it together and there's something really special about that.
Did the kids sing?
Yes?
They all see yeah, that's next.
It's going to be it is next. Sofi has been on stage with us, she's done a few shows. Yeah, yeah, Kilaney, She's h she calls me uncle dad. She's like pumping herself up. Like weekly, she'll come up to me. She's like, uncle Dad, like care, I'm ready now, and I'm not ready for what. She's like, I think I'm ready to get on the stage. And it all kicked it off because I think she asked a question with one hundred
percent surety. I was going to say, you're too young, you have to wait, to your sister's aid, and she was like, uncle Dad, I want to come on the stage too, And I said, awesome, you just let me know when you're ready, and I start chucking you on. She's like, huh, I said, what you can come chare with me. She's like, oh yeah, well, I think I'm a little bit thier. Have to think about it.
And then she'll come back and she'll be up. I've thought about it.
It takes a deep breath. I've had a big think about it, and I think I'm ready.
I'm ready.
And what happened at the most random times, What are you thinking about now? Just like, I think I'm ready to come on the stand.
Yeah. I think last time we spoke, you were talking a lot about risk, taking risks and being willing to take risks. And I'm you know, I'm sure it's about the sounds of it. That's that's where it's heading for those guys too.
Yeah.
Sure, Yeah, you've both of you just set such a beautiful example for all four of you girls. You know, they're seeing you exactly take risks, of seeing you be creative, being loving, being kind, being supportive. I mean the example that you're setting is it's it's really beautiful. And as you say, you know, just that just because culture is there, you know, having that to blend it into into the house, I think that's something that you know, in hindsight. For me,
we weren't a religious family. We didn't have any celebrations, we didn't have any we didn't do a lot as growing up. It was just there weren't there weren't big things that we could look forward to or know that was a tradition and I always wanted that and I
wanted that as a parent as well. And we just do little things like Big Mama's Breakfast on special occasions, but I think kids really hang their hat on traditions and things like that, and the fact you've brought that in so beautifully for your girls is really special.
Thank you. And we're trying to create our own, like family traditions within that as well. So this last Christmas, we kicked off our first ever Christmas Olympics. Yeah, and that was just absolutely insane. I'm talking like fifty minute fifty to sixty minute musical chairs like Battle to the Absolute Sunstroke. I love it, and that apple bobbing yeah, red heart racing making like it went on to the
point where we just couldn't finish. Like normally when all the mob comes around, they're leaving at like two am in the morning. Everyone was gone about eight pm in bed see you later passing out on the couch.
Was it was full of oh that's so cool, guys, will put you on the pulse, Will put you on the pulse. Keep your answers short. Yes, just a couple of questions. What do you miss when you're not together? Come on in here, she's sipping water.
I know she's looking at me like you take the no, let's do it. You're on the pulse.
What do we miss when we're not together each other.
The chaos.
What brings you joy?
Living a life of purpose?
My husband and family?
What my purpose?
What? What time would you like to revisit?
Well, you go, Lily, you're on the pulse.
I would have to say any time where my dad was still alive.
I was going to say, there's this there's this memory I have and it's me and Dad sitting out the back, sitting on our surfboards and not always coming back to that feeling the piece.
I'd go back there, both of you, connection to your Dad's very special. Last question one word.
To describe each other unconditional.
Magnificent.
Oh yeah, Well, I'm going to buy you.
It's going to be a good trip home.
Again. Mitch. I have to say this to you as well.
The last time we spoke to you, you said something that has stayed with me forever, and I've quoted you on it because I thought it was just so beautiful. You were talking about how you go to country when you're when you're you know, there's a bit of mental health or something, and you know, you go to country and you go for a swim and swim in a river or something, and you said you said Country's here
for everyone. And you said to Cam and I You're like, if you're feeling low, just go to country, go lie on the on the grass, go under a tree, or and I just it was just this, really, I don't know, it was so simple, but it was so beautiful. And I think about that all the time now that it's like, yeah, I'm just going to go and get my mental health through nature. I mean, I've always found it that way anyway, but it was just coming from you.
It just was really special.
So thank you for saying, Ah, thank you for sharing that with me. I appreciate that. Yeah, I still stand by it too.
Yeah, yeah, no doubt you two are the best. Thank you for coming back. I just love your Instagram stuff that just if you're not following, love you guys to follow them both. They've got they're just kind, good people.
Their music's unreal.
Yeah, thank you.
You're always supporting my stuff. Of course commenting and that means a lot for sure.
Oh my pleasure.
Where you at?
Cam?
I need you to hit my page now, I will. I mean, Ali's over there, I need you.
Cam's not a big commenter, tho, you know, I'm like one there because I get really excited.
I'm like, I've actually didn't give me anything. Then it's just like.
I will. I've been on a detox absolutely since since I got of December, been on a social media detox. But wait, March one will hit and it's guns amazing.
So yeah, I've actually just tried to turn off every single notification I possibly can. It's good.
Good for a bit.
It's really interesting because I feel like I'm like the last kind of generation that kicked out the street lights in the cult a sack. It's like, so I really struggle with like you can come up with to me with the camera and I'm all good with that, but to put it in selfie mode, yes, I really struggle me too.
I'm having That's where I'm yeah, yeah, I know.
And that's what it's all about these days in this industry. And it's like.
Thing, I think it's absolutely am I am I because some people go just rubbing my face in it and other people go and I just want you to know because I want you to I want to share. I want to share what's going on and this is great, and you know, even if it's not great, you just want to share what's going on so totally.
And I think as creatives, our whole sort of premises is we love connection and we love people and we love having that interaction. But there's just a real disconnect there where I've got to just put it in selfimode and connect that way struggle and it's like we actually we went I went Bush a month or something ago for like a week, and outside of not having Lela and the girls, I didn't really miss anything. I was
like that if I had them with me. This is just something about stripping it back to nothing but fire and just connection with those in front of you. Something really special about that, And like we when you think about it now, with phones and stuff, even when you're at the dinner table, how often do you actually talk and spend time looking at in each other's eyegate and
actually having a personal human connection. Like it's it's very scary in terms of where the most connect did have ever been, but also the most disconnected.
Yeah, where's loss and had around there?
Brother, come and comment cam, Let's go.
Alright, guys, have a great day.
Thanks so much, you guys. Thank you. Love by