Who I Am: Comedy Songs, Synths and Song Sequels

I'm Tom Cardy: a comedian, musician, songwriter and actor from Sydney. I make short, sharp comedy songs with a lot of 1980s synthpop and electrofunk in them, usually filmed straight to camera in a home studio. This shop is where the merch lives.

Where did I start?

I was born in Sydney in 1994. I studied music and psychology at the University of Sydney, then music production at TAFE. Comedy came early: I did improv and Theatresports from high school, wrote and performed in university comedy revues, and played drums in The Lulu Raes. I also teach musical improv workshops.

What is Song Sequels?

Song Sequels began on triple j in November 2020. The idea is simple: take a well-known song and write what happens next. I'm the music producer and composer behind it on triple j Drive, and the sequels have followed hits by Hilltop Hoods, Tame Impala, Amy Shark, Billie Eilish and more, often turned around in 24 hours. The idea came through Michael Hing, from the comedy scene; I'd played keyboard on his improvised D&D podcast The Dragon Friends.

What else have I made?

• Releases: Artificial Intelligence (2021), Big Dumb Idiot (2022) and The Dancefloor at the End of the Universe (2024).
• Screen and podcast music: SBS's The Feed, The Moth Effect, Dragon Friends, and Helluva Boss as composer and vocalist.
• Acting: a role in SBS's Time to Buy (2022).

Who shaped the sound?

The influences I name are Tenacious D, Vulfpeck, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard and "Weird Al" Yankovic. You can hear all of them in the synths.

What's in the shop?

Designs built on the same jokes: the pixel-arcade LEVEL CLEAR YOU WIN! and the two-sided Interplanetary Ballroom, on tees, long sleeves, crewnecks and hoodies. Have a look in the shop.