Cody Simpson on the homes that shaped his life

He’s the golden boy of Australian entertainment and sport – a pop sensation, a Hollywood actor, and an Olympic-level swimmer.

But behind Cody Simpson’s dazzling public persona lies a tumultuous journey, one he’s now laid bare, revealing how the very roofs over his head played an unexpected role in his wildest highs and deepest lows.

In a candid, in-depth interview on Paul C. Brunson’s “We Need To Talk” podcast, Simpson pulls back the curtain on his multifaceted life, from the dizzying heights of teenage fame to the disciplined grind of elite swimming, and how his property choices and dating Emma McKeon became surprising barometers to his personal growth.

The West Hollywood pad: A teenager’s taste of freedom

Born in Benowa, on Queensland’s Gold Coast, Simpson was just 12 when a US record producer stumbled upon songs he was uploading to YouTube from his bedroom.

What followed was a meteoric rise to fame.

At 13, the Simpson family relocated to the US, where Cody quickly became a teenage sensation, recording music and embarking on extensive tours.

By 16, his album Surfers Paradise debuted in the Top 10 of the American Billboard 200, cementing his status as a global star.

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“iYiYi” by Cody Simpson featuring Flo Rida was published on June 1, 2010, as his debut single under Atlantic Records.

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It was during this whirlwind period that Simpson made a property decision that set him apart from his peers.
“I’ve never broken down like this before, I might as well though,” an emotional Simpson starts the sit-down interview which touches on a range of topics, including his decision to purchase his own home in 2015 at an age when most kids were studying for their Year 12 exams.

“I moved out around 16, 17. I bought my own place and … ended up moving in with my … younger day-to-day tour manager at the time who was also my best friend,” Simpson recalls.

“He moved in with me because I bought this … place in West Hollywood.”

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Simpson in 2017, two years after purchasing his first home in West Hollywood.

The two-bedroomo “bachelor” pad features a step-down lounge room. Source: Sotheby’s Realty.

He further explains, “ … I think it’s cuz I rebelled a little bit against my family and my parents … which is I think is a natural thing to do at that age. That’s not an uncommon thing for a teenager to want their own space and then to … kind of learn their learn your own lessons in a way.”

Having his own space meant complete freedom, allowing him to go anywhere, obtain whatever he wanted, and be surrounded by people who would always say “yes” to him.

He notes that this excessive power and autonomy had negative effects, leaving him susceptible to abusing his freedom.

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Of course there was also a billiard room. Source: Sotheby’s Realty.

The master bedroom. Source: Sotheby’s Realty.

According to the LA Times, Simpson lived in the two-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom residence for about three years before putting it up for sale at $1.95m (US$1.395m).

A Gold Coast homecoming: Trading fame for focus

Moving back to Australia in early 2021 marked a significant turning point in Cody Simpson’s life and living situation.

This transition saw him step away from the distracting environment of Los Angeles and embrace a more grounded, highly disciplined athletic lifestyle.

He described this move as a “full circle moment,” returning to his roots to train with a local coach and swimming group at Griffith University on the Gold Coast under Michael Bohl.

Cody Simpson looks on during the 2024 Australian Open Swimming Championships at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre. Photo by Chris Hyde

Cody reflects of his time in the US and return to Australia during an in-depth interview on Paul C. Brunson’s “We Need To Talk” podcast.

“I ended up moving back to Australia in early 2021 and joined a coach and group there and decided to, I guess, spend the next three years training with them,” he tells Brunson.

”Living back in my hometown … was kind of a nice … a full circle moment which I knew eventually would have to happen

He further realised that Los Angeles was not conducive to the intense training he needed, noting it was a “really weird distracting place” for an athletic lifestyle.

Shared ambition: A home with Emma McKeon

It was after joining his new training group in Australia that Simpson met Emma McKeon, Australia’s most successful Olympic swimmer.

The two formed a relationship and eventually moved in together.

This new living arrangement stood in stark contrast to his teenage years in West Hollywood, which had enabled his early partying and rebellion.

His home life with McKeon was built on mutual understanding and extreme discipline.

By living together and sharing the same intense, gruelling swimming schedule, they were able to support each other through their respective athletic goals.

Olympic Swimmer Emma McKeon and Cody Simpson. Source: Instagram.

Cody Simpson pictured on the Gold Coast. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Simpson reflected that it would be difficult to live with a partner who wasn’t also enduring the sport, because they wouldn’t fully understand what it takes.

“She was training under the coach that I went and trained with and so we met we met at the pool … We immediately became friends and there’s only probably a group of about nine or 10 of us that were training with this coach so it was (a) pretty small group and (so) it was one of those things where we connected through what we were doing,” he explained.

“(It) ended up being a really beautiful thing for us to do together and moving in together and living that lifestyle together and supporting each other…”.

Cody Simpson and Emma McKeon train together at the Sandwell Aquatic Centre ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Photo by Quinn Rooney.

In April 2023, the couple purchased a home together, paying $1.826 million for a five-bedroom property in the coastal suburb of Labrador.

Valuation estimates at the time put the property as high as $2.01 million.

The Labrador sale: A profitable new chapter

Unfortunately, Simpson and McKeon split towards the end of 2025 after four years together, only months after Simpson announced his departure from competitive swimming, having failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

Their “forever home,” as it was once considered, the Queensland property they jointly owned, was put up for sale in October last year.

Australia’s swimming star couple Emma McKeon and Cody Simpson struck a $2.1 million deal for their forever home in the weeks before their separation.

Features of the “no expense spared design” include a high voided ceiling, floating staircase, glass balustrading, designer kitchen, butler’s pantry, alfresco patio, dual living zones, an 8m by 4m concrete pool.

The home, built on a 505sqm block in 2022, sold within 45 days for $2.1 million.

This major property transaction saw the couple achieve a gain of $274,000 on their investment.

While Cody does not comment on the split in the interview, he briefly acknowledges his past relationships, stating, “…things don’t end the way you want you know like but ultimately I look back on everything positively.”