Chris Murphy was following in his brother Courtney's footsteps when he auditioned for last year's Australian Idol. But 2006's resident rocker did things his own way and made a big enough impression on the comp to make it to the Final 4.

Now Chris has released a new self-funded album – cleverly titled Chris Murphy – which features the single "What's Next To The Moon", an AC/DC cover that he performed on Australian Idol a few weeks ago.

"The album is 95% my own material," he says. "I do a version of ‘Evie', which was my big moment on Idol."

As for the self-written material, Chris had a massive pool of songs to draw from.

"When you start writing at 13 years old, by the time you're 30 you have a big catalogue!"

Still based in his native Perth, the singer has just finished performing in the new musical Cruisin', in which he played the lead alongside the Little River Band's Glenn Shorrock and his little bro Courtney.

He also continues to play solo shows and with his band Murphy's Lore, but the biggest gig in his life of late is as dad to his baby daughter Ella.

"Having a baby could be the best thing you could ever experience," gushes the proud papa.