Musician David Nduwimana reveals how he has gone from arriving in Australia as a refugee to performing the national anthem at the Australia Day Live Concert in front of the steps of the Sydney Opera House.

Mr Nduwimana said a few years after arriving in Australia, he met former Rugby Australia CEO Rob Clarke.

“In 2017, I had a conversation with him. I was talking to him about how I loved the national anthem of Australia,” he told Sky News host Andrew Bolt.

“I love the dynamic of the song and the words – the words are inclusive; that’s what makes me feel connected to that.”

Mr Nduwimana said he became a permanent citizen in Australia around the time Mr Clarke became interim CEO of Rugby Australia.

“He (Rob Clarke) said, ‘you know what, I want to celebrate this day’, then he gave me the opportunity to sing.”

The musician sang what is widely recognised as one of the best renditions of the national anthem on the night of the third 2020 Bledisloe clash between the Wallabies and the All Blacks.

“It was really overwhelming, it was really interesting and exciting times for me to be able to stand up there and just express my heart and my gratitude to everyone, to all Australians and all the people who had been behind the scenes helping me to get through everything,” Mr Nduwimana said.