Matt Corby seems a lot older than his 18 years. It could be the beard he wears over his once baby face, it could be his multi-instrumental musical talent, or it could be his lyrical depth and pulling stage presence. Whatever it is, the once Australian Idol runner-up from the Sutherland shire came and conquered, crooning out three breathtakingly beautiful songs during his recent MTV Spankin’ New Session.

The first track, "Take All of Me" introduces Corby as the distinct artist he’s grown into since appearing on Idol in 2007. Sounding like a unique mix between Jeff Buckley and David Grey, Corby stands behind his hollow body Gibson, and accompanied by his four piece band, joins the great folk scene Australian artists are creating and audiences are embracing.

Introduced to the mainstream world through his stint on Australian Idol season five, Matt Corby decided to walk the path less taken, turning down a record deal with major SonyBMG in favour of some form of normality in his remaining teenage years.

“I didn’t want to be part of a big machine like that,” he says. “I sort of realised half-way through Idol that it was a bit harder than I thought it was, with the commercial side of things, and wasn’t really ready for it. So I just wanted to go back to my roots and play what I wanted to play.” He told Signs Of The Times.

Now, two years on, he seems ready to take the next step in his career. Signing with Scorpio Management and releasing through its label Scorpio Music, Corby is set to release his debut EP Songs For… on 19 June 2009.

The EP is set to be the first of two cited for release in 2009, with the media-dubbed pretty boy hoping to push his music primarily in the UK market.

Sporting a short crop, ripped dark blue shirt and facial hair very impressive for someone still in their teens, Corby seems to almost have completely shed the image created on the popular talent show.

Spending the past year and a half gigging around Australia in a series of unpublicized shows, the shireling has built a new fan base outside of the idol target market and has worked with some of Australia and New Zealand forerunning artists.

Collaborating with artists Josh Pyke, Lior and Evermore as well as working with song writers in London and New York, Corby brings a distinctly unique folk sound to his first release.

Looking at a bright, long career ahead of him, the former teen-dream idol appears to be breaking from his shackles, and just like his little songbird, is ready to take flight.