Dan Rankin (aka Trials)

You're all over Triple J. You win all these ARIA awards.

And really, for the first time, people are really seeing you.

You become in demand as a producer.

Yep.

And you become one of the most important figures in Australian contemporary music at this point.

I know you don't like pomposity.

It's bizarre.

I know you don't feel like making any pompous statements.

But nonetheless, do you think there's a lesson there for any creative artist?

You know, the one lesson that I've definitely learned every single time and time again is just trust yourself.

It sounds so basic, whether it's your gut, your instinct, or your ear.

I tried to be trained.

I tried to do SAE and tried to learn how to do audio engineering, and it didn't work for me.

I see numbers and I just melt.

I can't do them.

So when I was trying to do audio engineering, I couldn't understand it.

And as soon as I get into a studio and put my hands on a tactile dial, I know the sound I want to hear.

So I've always been a big believer of just trust yourself.

That is going to get you further than any education can.

In the midst of all this excitement, you met your wife, Katie.