Go backstage with The Music and receive FREE:

  • Exclusive members-only editorial, charts
  • Our subscriber-only newsletter
  • Members only competitions to win tickets, experiences and more
  • Access to our street press archives
  • First access to our exclusive limited edition vinyl variants

Thank you for being a part of our community! Enter your email address as verification and you'll be taken backstage right away.

Please ensure that you provide a valid email address.

EXCLUSIVE: Go Behind The Scenes With Ruel & M-Phazes On Their New Track, 'Don't Tell Me'

Staff Writer

More Ruel Ruel

It's been just on a month since 14-year-old M-Phazes protege Ruel burst into the psyche of music lovers everywhere with a stellar performance of Jack Garratt's Weathered on triple j's Like A Version.

It's been a whirlwind since his record breaking appearance (seriously, watch it now if you haven't already) and today marks the release of Ruel's new single Don't Tell Me. 

We have an exclusive behind the scenes look at the recording process, prepare to be blown away by Ruel's incredible voice.

We caught up with M-Phazes, who has been mentoring Ruel for the past two years, to find out how their partnership came together, the development around Don't Tell Me and what they have planned next.

"Ruel's dad sent me a demo, it was a cover of Let It Go by James Bay, I lost my mind when I heard his voice!" says M-Phazes, on how the collaboration begun.

"He is just a 100% natural talent, and the nicest kid you'll ever meet."

Join 'Backstage Pass', our FREE members program for music fans

There was around a one-year development process in putting the track together with M-Phazes and Don't Tell Me co-writer Thief working with Ruel on his first-ever song and time in studio.

"Ruel's voice is constantly improving, he works extremely hard with his vocal coaches who are amazing,"" M-Phazes continues.

"His confidence on stage has skyrocketed in the last year, it's incredible to watch! He was 12 when we first heard him and had no studio experience, so it was a challenge but an extremely rewarding two years. We are all very proud of him."

It seems even M-Phazes didn't expect Ruel's Like A Version appearance to blow up as big or as quickly as it did. "We were all pretty nervous about it since it's his first radio performance and interview," he explains, "but after the rehearsal I knew he would crush it, I knew he would get a good reaction but had no idea it would go crazy like it did."

"We currently have Ruel writing a lot with different writers and produces, we will have him come to the US to work on music at some point, then who knows, I'm just excited to see what's to come."

'Don't Tell Me' is out today, grab your copy here. You can catch Ruel supporting Angus & Julia Stone on their tour this September; check theGuide for more info.