For generations, music fans have been fascinated by young performers whose talent seemed far beyond their years.
Many Starts at 60 readers will remember watching a young Jamie Redfern light up television screens, seeing Tina Arena emerge on Young Talent Time, or hearing Johnny Farnham’s voice long before he became one of Australia’s most beloved entertainers.
Now a 14-year-old Queensland musician is attracting attention of his own.
Singer-songwriter, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Shumo AG has teamed up with Indonesian hitmakers Batas Senja, opening the door to audiences well beyond Australia. Yet despite his age, it isn’t modern pop stars driving his musical ambitions.
His heroes are artists many older Australians know well.
Ask Shumo AG who shaped his musical journey and the answer sounds more like a classic rock playlist than a teenager’s streaming account.
“As a guitarist, I’ve been heavily influenced by players like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Jason Becker because they combine technique with real emotion,” he said. “They can play incredibly difficult things, but it never feels like showing off. It feels like they are telling a story through the guitar.”
Then came another discovery.
“When I discovered Freddie Mercury and Queen, I was completely blown away by how much emotion, power and vulnerability Freddie could put into a performance. Even today, watching old Queen concerts still inspires me.”
In fact, Shumo says he spends more time listening to older music than contemporary releases, and his favourites include AC/DC, The Police, Journey, The Animals and, of course, Queen.
“I think older music has something powerful because the melodies, lyrics and performances still connect with people decades later,” he said.
Long before TikTok, YouTube and streaming platforms gave young performers instant access to audiences around the world, talented youngsters often became household names through radio and old-fashioned word of mouth.
Many Australians still remember the excitement surrounding Jamie Redfern in the 1970s. Barely in his teens, he was appearing on TV, recording albums, playing live and attracting fans around the globe.
A young Tina Arena first stepped into Australian lounge rooms through Young Talent Time before becoming one of the nation’s (and Europe’s) most successful recording artists. Dannii Minogue followed a similar path, while Johnny Farnham was just 17 when Sadie (The Cleaning Lady) launched him into the spotlight.
Older readers may also remember Little Pattie, who was only 14 when she burst onto the Australian music scene in the early 1960s. Her hit He’s My Blonde Headed, Stompie Wompie, Real Gone Surfer Boy made her an overnight sensation and one of the country’s first genuine teenage pop stars.
Then there was Delta Goodrem, whose voice and songwriting talent helped propel her to stardom while still in her teens.
Internationally, generations of music lovers watched the early careers of Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson while teen idols such as Leif Garrett and later Debbie Gibson attracted devoted fans around the world.
Of course, not every child star enjoyed a long career. For every young performer who went on to lasting success, there were others who quietly faded from public view.
Perhaps that’s why audiences remain fascinated by talented young musicians as there is always a sense of possibility, and nobody knows where the journey will lead.
Whether Shumo AG eventually joins that list is impossible to know.
What he already shares with many of the young performers who came before him is an unwavering commitment to his craft. His musical journey began at seven years of age after a family friend noticed his natural sense of rhythm.
That observation prompted his father to buy him a guitar and what followed was a level of dedication many musicians will recognise.
“I practised for two or three hours every day until I got blisters on my fingers,” he recalled. “I remember crying because I had to wait for them to recover before I could keep playing.”
A few months later he received his first electric guitar, and the practice sessions became even longer.
“I started practising even more, like literally four or five hours per day!”
Today, Shumo AG is juggling honours classes at school with songwriting, recording sessions and a growing schedule of performances across Australia and Asia.
This year alone includes appearances on major stages in Vietnam and Indonesia, opportunities many aspiring musicians would dream about.
Success, however, isn’t something he measures purely in streams, followers or awards.
“Success to me is being able to write music that feels honest and means something to people,” he said.
“Awards, streams and followers are amazing, but the most important thing is when someone connects with a song emotionally. If a song can help someone feel understood or get through a difficult moment, then that feels like real success to me.”
It’s a thoughtful perspective from someone still navigating high school, and perhaps a reminder that while music trends change, some things remain constant. Hard work, passion and a genuine love of music have always been at the heart of great performers.
About Shumo AG: The Queensland singer-songwriter, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist recently collaborated with Indonesian hitmakers Batas Senja on the single Aku Mencintaimu. The 14-year-old continues to balance school studies with songwriting, recording and live performances across Australia and Asia. You can listen to the song here.