From Eurovision to Grounded:
The exciting chapter ahead for Yorta Yorta star Isaiah Firebrace
When Isaiah Firebrace first stepped onto The X Factor stage at just 16 years old, he was just a teenager from Moama.
It didn’t take long for Australia (and eventually the world) to realise he was special.
Now 25, a father and firmly rooted in who he is, Isaiah is returning to his native Yorta Yorta country to headline Grounded.
He spoke to us about fame, fatherhood and what it means to return to country.
A beautiful kind of whirlwind
Isaiah Firebrace is a man who’s been around the tracks.
He’s lived a thousand lifetimes in the space of a decade: chart-topping tours, television appearances, record deals, book launches, and a turn on the Eurovision stage.
It’s been a beautiful and, at times, intense whirlwind.
‘As big as my dreams were growing up, I never ever thought this would happen to me,’ Isaiah reflects. ‘I was just a boy from Moama and then life changed dramatically.’
He was suddenly boarding planes, performing for international crowds and shouldering the kind of pressure most adults would struggle to hold. All before he’d even finished high school.
‘I was away from family and away from everything I knew,’ Isaiah shares. ‘There were times I felt really alone and I didn’t always know how to express what I was going through.’
Fast forward to 2025, there’s a steadiness to Isaiah.
He’s grounded, focused and sure of who he is.
‘I’ve grown so much, as a person and in my music, and I just feel like I’ve really landed now.’
A new rhythm
That landing has come with some deep personal milestones, including marriage and fatherhood.
Earlier this year, Isaiah and his wife Stephanie welcomed their son.
And it’s been an initiation that’s brought everything into a deeper focus.
‘Life has shifted in the best way,’ Isaiah says. ‘I’ve taken time off to just be present
with my family, to support my wife, to hold my son and to really soak in these moments.’
During this time, his creative spark has also been kept alive.
He’s been writing – songs, yes, but also another book ‘Come Together Again: Things Aussie Kids Should Know about First Nations Music, Song and Dance Isaiah Firebrace’.
It’s the latest instalment of his series ‘Come Together’ which introduces First Nations culture to young readers across the country. A cause that is close to Isaiah’s heart.
His music is also re-emerging. He’s been working quietly behind the scenes on a fresh wave of releases that reflect who he is today, not just who he was at 16.
‘Now that I’ve got a son, everything feels more meaningful,’ he shares. ‘It’s not just about making music anymore, it’s about what I’m teaching him.’
‘I just want to keep creating from a real place,’ he says. ‘To share who I am, where I’m from and hopefully make people feel something along the way.’
A return to country with deeper meaning
That sense of legacy makes Isaiah’s return to Country even more powerful.
This November, he’ll travel to Dookie to headline Grounded Festival, held on Yorta Yorta country and not far from where he grew up.
It’s the land of his ancestors, his family and his earliest memories.
‘Being on Country reminds me of who I am at my core, it grounds me,’ he says. ‘There’s a feeling when I’m back home that I can’t describe.’
Performing at Grounded marks the first time he’ll be on Yorta Yorta land with his son in the audience. And it’s a full circle moment.
‘I didn’t grow up knowing much about my culture,’ Isaiah admits. ‘Now, it’s something I want to pass down. I want my son to grow up proud and knowing where he comes from.’
More than a setlist
So, what can audiences expect when Isaiah takes the stage at Grounded?
There’ll be hits, yes, but also heart. And maybe some new music?
Expect language. Expect storytelling. And expect songs that speak to Country and family.
‘I just want to keep creating from a real place,’ he says. ‘To share who I am, where I’m from and hopefully make people feel something along the way.’