Matthew John Corby[citation needed] was born in 1989 or 1990 and raised in Oyster Bay, New South Wales.

His father John bought his son a three-quarter acoustic guitar for $80, on which Corby started having one lesson a week.

[2][3] Corby attended Inaburra School in Bangor, New South Wales[4] where he grew up steeped in gospel; his passion for music fed first by renditions of "His Eye is on the Sparrow" and later by a love for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

Whilst in London, Corby met with indie label Communion Music and found himself encouraged to learn the craft of songwriting, to understand the marriage between the force of his voice and the words it carries.

[11] In 2010, Corby released two EPs with Communion, My False and Transition to Colour, but was forced home when he ran out of money, having accrued a debt of around $80,000.

[2] Corby's track "Made of Stone" was featured on an episode of Underbelly: Razor in 2011 and on ABC's Brothers and Sisters.

Corby recorded a cover version of INXS's "By My Side" for the band's album, Original Sin, as a bonus track for the iTunes edition.

After a few months of writing, Corby spent September 2011 recording his fourth EP, Into the Flame, with producer Tim Carr.

The EP also features a duet with keyboardist Bree Tranter, previously a part of Australian band, The Middle East.

[12] Upon its release, Corby posted a message on his website and Facebook page: After 12 months of lots of ups and downs, I'm so excited to share this EP with you.

In January 2012, Corby was named the 'Next Big Thing' and won 'Song of the Year' for "Brother" at FBi Radio's annual SMAC Awards in Darlinghurst, New South Wales.

Corby spent the first half of 2013 in Los Angeles, working on his upcoming record, due for release later that year.

[15] Matt was featured on a Hunters & Collectors tribute album collaborating with Australian artist Missy Higgins, recording a version of "This Morning."

Its five original songs were recorded live at the Australian and New Zealand shows, including a cover of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's "Almost Cut My Hair".

The band also features Rohin Jones (who is Museum Collective's musical director), Bree Tranter & Michael Haydon, formerly of The Middle East, as well as Lyndon de la Cruz, Kahl Wallis (of The Medics), Bud Rokesky and Tom Wearne.

[18] In January 2014, Corby released the song "What the Devil Has Made," arranged specifically for the Spirit of Akasha soundtrack.

Also in February 2014, Corby's song "Breathe", from his 2010 EP Transition To Colour, was featured in the closing scenes of the 21st episode of the fourth season of the popular US teen drama / mystery thriller TV series Pretty Little Liars, entitled She's Come Undone.

The song was described as containing "lush, transcendent harmonies, wailing falsetto, folky boom-claps and heartbreaking lyrics."

On 7 September 2018, Corby announced his second studio album Rainbow Valley would be released on 2 November 2018.

Speaking of the influence of his newborn son Hugh on the creation of the album, Corby states "I wanted to create something that was almost instructional for my little boy... A reference for him of the way I see reality and the simple truths that I've come across.

[10] Going into Australian Idol, Corby wondered how his faith would fit in with the show, but stated that it made him self-reliant and brought him closer to God through his own personal drive into bible study.

[10][33][34] Although growing up as a strong Christian,[10] Corby is no longer religious, but does understand the draw of a church for young families in particular to have a community connection and collective moral of kindness.

[3] Corby once stated "I'm a stoner and I don't really have much sympathy for religion any more, I basically believe that human beings are pure entities when they're born, and they have the ability to do whatever they want to change the Earth in a positive way.

"[35] By the time he was 20 he was reading books on philosophy and neuroscience, the latter because he wanted to know how the brain functions, partly because of his experiences with depression and anxiety.

"[36] Corby's musical influences include artists such as Jeff Buckley, Lauryn Hill, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Sufjan Stevens, Patrick Watson, Scott Mathews, Nick Drake, Nina Simone, Otis Redding, Bon Iver, Bob Dylan, Buddy Guy, Charles Bradley and Sam Cooke.

[39] Speaking to Beat Magazine regarding the way fatherhood has changed Matt's perspective, he states "Most of my life, music has been the number one focus.

[41] Corby currently resides with his kelpie Django, partner and 2 kids on his five-acre rainforest property called Rainbow Valley near Byron Bay NSW.