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When Central Queensland contemporary country artist Trent Richardson appeared in Australian Idol two and a half years ago, not only had he never performed for an audience before – he thought he was a long way from being a father, which is something he very much wanted.
His life changed fairly quickly: he reached the final six of Idol, which gained him fans and propelled his burgeoning career in country music, and he has since become a father to Archie. It is for Archie that he has written his latest single, ‘Promise You Now’, as from birth his son had the odds against him, spending months in Neonatal Intensive Care. As Richardson says in this interview, ‘There was a period there when we thought he just wasn’t going to make it.’
Archie was diagnosed with septo-optic dysplagia which affects his sight and movement, amongst other things. He will need lifelong medical care yet, as Richardson says, ‘he zips around’, and he has made great progress.
‘We just love him,’ says Richardson. ‘I think that’s the biggest thing. I just adore the little fella.’
It’s clear from talking to Richardson that there’s no one more important to him than Archie, and it’s also clear in the song, which is a father’s promise to a son to always take care of him. ‘Archie chose me to be his dad,’ says Richardson.
The first time I interviewed Richardson he struck me as someone who is focused and determined yet also philosophical about both downs and ups. That is no doubt contributing to why his son is doing so well and also why he’s able to manage fatherhood and work and also creating music. As he says in the interview, writing the song helped him navigate all of it. There’s more ahead for him, on all fronts, and no doubt he will approach it with gusto.
Listen to ‘Promise You Now’ on Apple Music
Listen to ‘Promise You Now’ on YouTube
