Toby Gad – Urban Rebel PR Interview
As one of the most prolific songwriters of all time, Toby Gad knows a thing or two about creating a hit. Writing tracks such as ‘All Of Me’ with John Legend, ‘If I Were A Boy’ with Beyoncé, ‘Untouched’ with The Veronicas and more, he has also crossed into the dance music world with Armin van Buuren, ILLENIUM and more. Now, he’s delved further into the electronic world with a remix package for his Donna Summer collaboration ‘Run’.
Talking about his wider career, ‘Run’ and more, we put 10 questions to Toby Gad.
As a songwriter, what is the top song you’re most proud of writing and why?
I would say my top song that I’ve written is still ‘Untouched’ because it feels revolutionary, rebellious and has just become the number three top song in Australia of all time. It’s with the Veronicas and it feels unorthodox, energy that feels timeless and seeing them perform the song on stage in Australia in big venues where tens of thousands of people sing the lyric is just wonderful to watch.
Please tell us about your latest project/ release!
My latest project is the song ‘Run,’ which I wrote with Donna Summer in 2007 and which finally saw the light of day. We released the song alongside four remixes and I’m very happy to work with Urban Rebel on those four remixes.
Is there one song/album that you listened to and thought, “I wish I wrote that”?
That happens a lot and I’m not sure, I couldn’t just say there’s one. Maybe the Supertramp album that has ‘Breakfast in America,’ or ‘Give A Little Bit,’ all these songs on there. That was an album that I just thought was pure genius, but so was Queen, many of the albums. I’m not sure if it’s just one album where I could say that, but it might be one of those great ones from the past.
Outside of music, what other passions do you have, and how do you enjoy spending your time?
I like to surf. I like to paddleboard, surf and kite surf. I just spent a week at Lake Garda in Italy, one of my favourite places in the world, just kite surfing every morning and working on my book.
What’s on your career bucket list as an artist? What would you still love to achieve?
Well, I’ve had three global number one records and I’d love to do one or two more. But at the moment I am looking back, re-recording. I just released 16 of my greatest hits with 17 new artists and I have performed them in a lot of different places. The last one was at the London Shard on the 72nd floor in an amazing performance with artists like Paloma Faith, Megan McKenna, Ruth Ann Cunningham and many more performing my hit songs with me with a string quartet.
What’s your best motivational tip for getting things done?
I would say find pleasure in or find your gratification in the process of making music and don’t look too much at the success the song might have one day or might not have. If you’re at your happiest while you’re writing the song, while the ideas come to you and while you are discovering music, then you have already won and everything else is just gravy.
What have been some standout moments for you in 2025 so far?
In 2025 I was excited to perform and to release the greatest hits album of my biggest songs. I would say those two things were the standout moments, how it was received, performing these songs live with new artists and having them stand the test of time in new renditions.
Which artist would you most love to write a song for or collaborate on a song with?
Funny enough, recently I’m more focused on artists that like to perform with me and then I write with them. For instance, Paloma Faith went on stage with me recently to sing my songs and then in return I wrote with her for her album. These are new times and as songwriters you can’t really survive anymore, so I want to encourage songwriters to also be artists and also be DJs and also release your own music.
If you weren’t a musician, what do you think you would be doing instead?
I would be an architect. I’ve had a few years where we did four mid-century house renovations in Los Angeles and I had a lot of fun studying Lautner and the greats of architecture. And building houses is similar in a way of creating art or music. Houses can have a very special feeling and can make you feel a certain way.
Finally, what are you most looking forward to in 2025?
I have a performance coming up in Idaho. Again, my greatest hits, but this time with more musicians on stage, more orchestra, dancers and different singers. I’m looking forward to that and I’m very happy with the independent path I’m forging at the moment.
I also went to Matteo Bocelli’s concert in the fields of Tuscany, with thousands of people, when he performed two days before his father Andrea Bocelli performed in front of 10,000 people. Matteo and I have worked on his new album, which is coming out in September and has five of my songs on it. I hope I will be working more with the Bocelli family. We bonded and had so much fun together.
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