T.R.U.T.H.

Last updated

T.R.U.T.H.
T.R.U.T.H. by Guy Sebastian.png
Studio album by
Released16 October 2020
Recorded2018–2020
Length41:22
Label Sony Music Australia
Guy Sebastian chronology
Conscious
(2017)
T.R.U.T.H.
(2020)
100 Times Around the Sun
(2025)
Singles from T.R.U.T.H.
  1. "Before I Go"
    Released: 2 November 2018
  2. "Choir"
    Released: 31 May 2019
  3. "Let Me Drink"
    Released: 15 November 2019
  4. "Standing with You"
    Released: 26 June 2020
  5. "Love on Display"
    Released: 25 September 2020
  6. "Only Thing Missing"
    Released: 26 February 2021
  7. "Believer"
    Released: 20 August 2021

T.R.U.T.H. was the ninth studio album from Australian singer-songwriter Guy Sebastian. It was released on 16 October 2020. [1] T.R.U.T.H. debuted at number one, Sebastian's third number album. With his compilation album Twenty Ten included, it was his tenth top ten album in Australia. It reached platinum certification in 2023. [2] Two top ten multi platinum singles were released from the album, "Choir" which was certified 6 x platinum, and "Standing with You" which gained 2x platinum certification. [2] Sebastian was nominated for a number of ARIA and APRA awards for these songs. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Contents

Writing and Development

Sebastian said about T.R.U.T.H., "I wanted to create something that was about my life, the things that I've been through and my truths. [...] More than anything I've learned the importance of having the right team around you, and what great things can be achieved when you do." [1] "Before I Go", co written with Jamie Hartman, is "about self belief and taking control of your own destiny and legacy regardless of the limitations people or obstacles in your path may place over you." Sebastian said, "This was the very first song I wrote when I sat down to start this new album and it says so much about what I was feeling at the time". [8]

"Choir" is dedicated to Sebastian's close friend and musical collaborator Luke Liang, who died following a battle with mental health. [9] The song was originally a ballad, but Sebastian changed it into "an upbeat, poignant song about the choir of voices Liang has joined in death, and the choir of voices "keeping his light alive" on earth." [10]

"Standing With You" was another song co written with Hartman. It was written just before the COVID-19-related travel bans came into effect. Sebastian said "Recently it has felt like everyone around me has directly or indirectly been touched by mental health issues." He said "So this song is for those people in my life, but also for everyone feeling anxious in this new world and especially our current situation." [11]

Singles

"Before I Go" was released as the album's lead single on 2 November 2018 and peaked at number 43 on the ARIA singles chart. [12] It was certified 2x platinum in Australia and platinum in Netherlands. [2]

"Choir" was released on 31 May 2019 The song peaked at number 7 on the ARIA singles chart and was certified 6× platinum in Australia and platinum in New Zealand. [12] [2] [13] At the ARIA Music Awards of 2019, the song won Video of the Year and Song of the Year.

"Let Me Drink" was released on 15 November 2019 and features The HamilTones and Wale. Although it didn't enter the Aria chart it was certified gold in 2023. [2]

"Standing with You" was released on 26 June 2020. The song peaked at number 10 on the ARIA singles chart. It was certified 2x platinum in Australia and gold in New Zealand. [2] [13]

"Love on Display" was released on 25 September 2020 as the album's fifth single. [14] It peaked at 61, and was certified platinum. [2]

"Only Thing Missing" was sent to radio on 26 February 2021 as the album's sixth single. [15] [16]

"Believer" was released on 20 August 2021 as the album's seventh single. [17] The official music video premiered the same day. [18] It reached 69, and was cerified gold. [2]

Promotional singles

"If He Won't" was released on 11 September 2020, the same day the album became available for pre-order as the album's first promotional single. [19] [20]

Critical reception

Tyler Jenke of Tone Deaf said "..with T.R.U.T.H. serving at Guy's ninth album, it sounds as though we're once again witnessing the start of something beautiful, with his soulful, powerful sound proving it is not only as mesmerising as ever, but that there is truly no stopping a stunning artist such as Guy Sebastian." While Alexander Pan, also from Tone Deaf, said "T.R.U.T.H., shows just why he is one of Australia's leading artists. We all know how good of a singer he is, yet Guy is still somehow improving on, well, everything as his soulful ninth studio album demonstrates how he just keeps getting better with each new release." [21]

Broadway World said: "Although T.R.U.T.H. materialised in spurts - during various sessions with songwriters in different geographical locations across a two-and-a-half-year period - it's undeniably Sebastian's most cohesive-sounding album to date." [22]

Commercial performance

On 21 October 2020, Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) announced in their mid-week report that the album was in contention to debut at number 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. [23] On 24 October 2020, T.R.U.T.H debuted at number one in Australia on the ARIA Albums Chart for the chart dated 26 October 2020. The album became his first number one album in seven years (his last being Armageddon in December 2012) and his third overall. [24]

In New Zealand, the album debuted and peaked at number 39 on the New Zealand Top 40 Albums Chart for the chart dated 26 October 2020. [25]

Track listing

T.R.U.T.H. track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Before I Go"Hartman3:29
2."Believer"
  • Guy Sebastian
  • Hodges
  • Steve Solomon
  • Hodges
  • Solomon
3:45
3."Choir"
  • Guy Sebastian
  • Trevor Brown
  • William Zaire Simmons
2:53
4."I'm Your Man"
3:41
5."Standing with You"
Hartman3:53
6."Only Thing Missing"
  • Guy Sebastian
  • Isabella Kearney-Nurse
  • Brown
  • Simmons
  • Brown
  • Koalo
2:41
7."Love on Display"M-Phazes3:03
8."Who I Love"
  • Guy Sebastian
  • Ryan II
  • Andrew Haas
Afterhrs4:04
9."In a World" (featuring Shungudzo)
3:29
10."Let Me Drink" (featuring The HamilTones and Wale)M-Phazes2:40
11."If He Won't"
Solomon3:20
12."Fantasize"
  • Guy Sebastian
  • Brown
  • Simmons
  • Brown
  • Koalo
4:24
Total length:41:22

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [29] Platinum70,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

T.R.U.T.H. release details
RegionDateFormatsRefs.
Various16 October 2020CDdigital downloadstreaming [1]
Australia11 December 2020 LP [30]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "T.R.U.T.H. CD". JB Hi-Fi . Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  3. (10 October 2019). Here Are All The Winners From The 2019 ARIA Awards.The Music Network. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  4. 2020 Aria Award Winners.aria.com.au. Retrieved 15 August 2025
  5. "Tones and I Leads Nominations for 2020 Virtual APRA Awards". Noise11. 7 April 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  6. "Nominees announced for the 2021 APRA Music Awards". APRA AMCOS. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  7. "Nominees Revealed for 2022 APRA Music Awards". The Industry Observer. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  8. Guy Sebastian Before I Go.girl.com.au. Retrieved 17 August 2025
  9. "Exclusive performance of Guy Sebastian's new single 'Choir'". 9now. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  10. ""We're keeping his light alive." Guy Sebastian on the loss that inspired his new song". Mamamia. 10 June 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  11. Milligan,Kaitlin (22 July 2020).Guy Sebastian Releases 'Standing With You'.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 17 August 2025
  12. 1 2 Guy Sebastian – ARIA peak positions Archived 19 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine . ARIA Chart archives. Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 December 2011
  13. 1 2 "New Zealand single certifications – Guy Sebastian". Radioscope. Retrieved 5 February 2025.Type Guy Sebastian in the "Search:" field.
  14. "Love on Display". Apple Music. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  15. "Singles to Radio 26 February 2021". The Music Network. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  16. "Happy Friday!!! My new single #OnlyThingMissing is here". Twitter. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  17. "Believer (radio mix)". Apple Music. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  18. "Guy Sebastian - Believer (Official Video)". YouTube . 20 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  19. "To celebrate my album pre-order finally going live, I've dropped a new track today called "If He Won't" - you can hear it now, everywhere! 🎶". 11 September 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2020 via Facebook.
  20. "Guy Sebastian confirms the release date and tracklist for his new album T.R.U.T.H." Aussie Vision. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  21. "Record of the Week". Tone Deaf. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  22. "Guy Sebastian releases album TRUTH". Broadway World. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  23. "Guy Sebastian and BTS vying for high debuts on the ARIA Charts this week". Australian Recording Industry Association. 21 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  24. "Guy Sebastian claims third ARIA #1 album with T. R. U. T. H." Australian Recording Industry Association. 24 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  25. 1 2 "Charts.nz – Guy Sebastian – T.R.U.T.H.". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  26. "Australiancharts.com – Guy Sebastian – T.R.U.T.H.". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  27. "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2020". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  28. "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2021". Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  29. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  30. "T.R.U.T.H. (Vinyl) at JB Hi-Fi". JB Hi-Fi . 4 December 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.