Xavier Rudd Shares Reflective New Single ‘Morning Birds’

After more than two decades of bringing his rootsy blend of folk, reggae and soul across the globe, Xavier Rudd is slowing things down — just a little — with his new single, “Morning Birds,” released via Salt.X Records/Virgin Music Group on June 18th.

The track arrives as a stripped-back acoustic offering, led only by Rudd’s voice and guitar. It’s a gentle, meditative piece born from solitude on the road and shaped by long drives, emotional distance, and quiet moments between cities. “Morning Birds” was written while Rudd was touring the United States, and began taking form on his 46th birthday — yet another spent far from home, family and familiarity.

“I began writing ‘Morning Birds’ on my 46th birthday,” Rudd shared in a statement. “I was in L.A. and had a show that night — another birthday, like many over the years, spent away from family and friends, somewhere out in the world playing music. The song unfolded over the next week or so as we travelled through the U.S., and I found myself watching the world go by, thinking about the people I love back home and how lucky I am to share this life with them.”

There’s a warmth and aching simplicity to the song that speaks to Rudd’s skill as a storyteller and spiritual conduit. It’s less about spectacle, more about presence — the kind that comes when you’ve been everywhere but are still searching for the essence of “home.” The lyric “your faces staring back at me” captures that thread of longing that so often underpins the travelling artist’s life, grounding it in love and memory.

As with much of Rudd’s work, “Morning Birds” reflects both his inner world and his outer environment — the two always connected. “There’s so much struggle and pain in the world — I often find it overwhelming, and that feeling tends to manifest into song,” he explained. “My son Malakai took a little time out of his busy Year 8 school schedule to create the cover art for this one. Too blessed.”

The release of “Morning Birds” also comes ahead of Rudd’s extensive run of international tour dates. He’ll return to Australia for two performances later this year, including a special outdoor show at Brisbane’s Roma Street Parkland on September 7th, and a slot at Handpicked Festival in South Australia on November 8th. The rest of the tour will see him perform in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, the UK and beyond, including a week-long stop in Fiji this September.