Cody Simpson: pop star, elite swimmer, life saver.
The Australian artist and allrounder hopes to make a splash with his latest project, a campaign that encourages Australians to become ocean-safe before they dive in this summer.
Simpson, who earned a Billboard 200 top 10 album with Surfers Paradise, is the face of the Beach Passport PSA, which launched a year ago through Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) and the national airline Qantas.
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The beach safety exercise is a complimentary online training resource that, in its first season, organizers say, was completed by more than 37,000 beachgoers.
“Growing up on the Gold Coast, the beach has always been my second home and surf lifesavers are the unsung heroes who keep us all safe,” says Simpson in a statement.
The Beach Passport, he continues, “only takes 15 minutes and will give you the knowledge that could save your life or someone else’s this summer season.”
With over 198,000 members and more than 300 affiliated clubs, according to its latest data, SLSA is said to be the largest volunteer movement of its kind in the world.
The not-for-profit was established in 1907, with a mission to keep Aussies safe in the water, a national pastime in these warmer months. Since formation, more than 715,000 people have been rescued by its surf lifesavers.
Simpson has been a dedicated Surf Life Saving volunteer and member of his local surf club, Northcliffe Surf Club, since childhood, and he’s a medalist in a major competitive swimming, having collected gold as part of the Australian men’s 4x100m freestyle relay team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
He came up short in his bid to qualify for the individual 100m butterfly and freestyle events for the 2024 Paris Olympics, but turned his disappointment into creativity with the publication of his first-ever kid’s book, titled The Sea In Me, and the tease of “exciting projects.” He’s also behind the eco-friendly fashion brand Prince Neptune.
