Wade Forster is living proof that Australia and Texas are not that different, no matter how far they are from each other.

From a viral TikTok trend to two sold out nights at Gruene Hall before making his Grand Ole Opry Debut, country artist Wade Forster took the time to talk to us about how his life has changed over the years, his rodeo roots and how Down Under is not that different from our state we know and love.

You grew up on a cattle station in the Queensland outback and became a professional rodeo cowboy before music became your career. How do you think that upbringing still shows up in the music you make today?

It helped with the nerves of performing live and helped with my songwriting. I lived a lot of wild lives before 25, so I had a lot I could write about. I used to get nervous before the rodeo and get my ass beat by animals, so this is much better and safer than that. 

You taught yourself guitar in 2017 after buying a $50 guitar off Facebook Marketplace. What was it about that moment that made you think, “I want to learn how to do this”?

I always liked story telling and poetry. Kendrick Lamar is actually a huge inspiration. I would listen to his lyrics and think that I want to do that. There were no musicians like that from the rural area I am from. I saw that I could do it and be like the country singers I heard and wanted to try. For Kendrick his music was inspiring. We grew up in different places but have similarities that we can agree with. 

Going from teaching yourself guitar to more than 100 million global streams is a pretty wild trajectory. When did you first realize, “Oh, this is actually becoming a career”?

TikTok helped a lot, but by no means am I a TikTok artist. I wanted to do it the right way. I am still an independent artist bringing music to the same lifestyle as me (rodeo, blue collar lifestyle). 

I paid $20 and drove 7 hours to see some artists play so I wanted to give it back. Once we were able to come overseas, that meant it was a career. It was a hobby — and then I realized my body was not cut out for rodeo. God put me in for something else.

“The Aftermath” is described as picking up where “Gooseneck Party” left off — essentially the morning after the party. What did you want this album to say that maybe you couldn’t say on the previous record?

This is crazy. The Gooseneck album was coming out of a concert and I was competing at a rodeo. Every rodeo ends in a gooseneck party. The next morning my photographer took a photo of the outside and that is the photo that you see on the album. It was such a great time to party with everyone like we were all 19 again. Driving back the day after he showed me the photo and I said “now I have to write another album to use that.”  Aftermath is the Sunday scaries. Hangover, driving home, thinking about what happened. It starts out kinda soft and then gets big.

“Anytime, Anywhere, Antoinette” has become your biggest release yet, with more than 10 million streams and huge traction on TikTok. What is it about that song that you think connected with people so quickly?

The line “Saw her for the first time since Covid-19” is the reason that song blew up. I think it resonated with people with change. Covid-19 was the biggest thing that happened so lots of people have changed since then. I didn’t think much when I wrote it. I was just thinking about a girl who I had seen for the first time in a while. Then the TikTok trend was showing people’s transformation using that song. I remember sitting in bed and just watching all of the videos. The song has been used over 80,000 times. I thought some peoples transformations were great, you could tell they had gone from a hard time to a better time, so I make a TikTok telling everyone how  great they were doing. 

You’ve spent a lot of time touring Texas and have already sold out shows here. What is it about the Texas country scene and Texas audiences that feels familiar to you as an Australian?

People describe Australians as British Texans. We are a British colony but raised like Texans. We can get wild and we are proud of where we are from. Being able to come over here and be called Texan’s Token Aussie is great. I also love how Texans will get around Australian culture and are willing to learn. I played a show in Houston and the crowd knew the aussie aussie chant without being prompted. Texas has gotten behind us.  

You’re playing two nights at Gruene Hall because of demand, which is a pretty special milestone. What does playing a legendary Texas venue like Gruene Hall mean to you?

Gruene Hall was one of the first venues I played opening up for the Lowdown Drifters. That concert was in January and I remember how hot it was inside. I said I wanted to play it again and they gave me a date. That one sold out so quick they gave me another date. Two nights sold out is never something I thought I would say. It is awesome to be able to play Willie’s venue. The first time I had asked if any Australians had been through the door, and they said they did not think so, so getting to walk through it was pretty cool.

You’re also playing a PRCA rodeo in Stephenville the night between your two Gruene Hall shows. How much does being able to combine your music career with your rodeo background still mean to you?

It is so awesome. I will be tired that night because I want to be behind the chutes helping them pull the gates and roping. There are also a few Aussies that will compete. So yeah, I want to be down there with them and then go put on a show. I am excited to be in Stephenville since it is the Cowboy capital. I always said rodeo is my one true love. I used to get beat up at rodeos and now I can love rodeos in a different way. I wish rodeos loved me like I love them. 

You’ve shared stages with artists like Cody Johnson, Treaty Oak Revival, Flatland Cavalry and Shane Smith & The Saints. Is there a moment from one of those shows that really sticks with you?

My first time on a big stage was with Cody Johnson in Australia when he was opening for Luke Combs. He flew me down to sing with him and we sang “Mommas dont let your babies grow up to be Cowboys”. It felt amazing to go up on stage and I knew I wanted to do that on the stage. Cody Johnson has been like a big brother. I have been able to call him and get advice about whatever I need. Tyler Hubbard from Florida Georgia Line and Cole Swindell have also been great mentors.

I surround myself with people who are doing it for the love of the game and enjoy the art. I love touring, you don’t make a lot of money but it’s worth it. I have met cool people and had good experiences. 

And finally, you’re making your Grand Ole Opry debut just a few days after your Gruene Hall shows. If you could go back and tell the guy who bought that $50 guitar in 2017 that this is where he’d end up, what do you think he’d say?

Nice joke mate. I am still surprised at how far I have gotten. It could be my last time playing there. I want to be respectful to the people that have been on that stage before me. I got a towel to clean my boots off and respect the stage. I am the fourth Aussie to play there, I was the fourth to play the Ryman, in sports my number was 4, so four may be my lucky number. Hopefully we impress the Nashville folks. 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

2026 is not over yet. That’s all I will say for now.

Do not miss out on your chance to see Wade Forster. Tickets can be purchased on his website. He just announced a few more dates!

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Cover Photo Winton June

Emily Hord is the Assistant Editor of Texas Lifestyle Magazine and a native Texan. She graduated from Texas A&M University, and in her free time she enjoys going to see live music and spending time with her friends and family.