“You Won’t Be There” was already one of the highlights from Riley Pearce’s 2025 album The Weight of Our Dreaming. But he’s just elevated the track with the help of Irish singer-songwriter Sorcha Richardson, who was last on our shores for Misneach. The artists collaborated remotely on the duet single, “You Won’t Be There (Time Zone Version),” which hit the streaming services today.
“‘You Won’t Be There’ always felt like it could live a double life,” Riley said. “A version where it had a more conversational tone, capturing the two sides of a relationship’s distance that comes with touring. I heard Sorcha’s song ‘Maps of Manhattan’ when I was on tour last year and it instantly became a favourite. I was so impressed with the energy and world she built with her verse – I actually like this version more than the original.”
“When Riley sent me this song, I knew I wanted to write to it,” Sorcha added. “I loved the subtlety he had created within it, and the effortless ebb and flow of the arrangement. The sentiment was something that had been on my mind already; nights spent thousands of miles from home, cinematic and romantic in their own lonely way, but impossible to experience without thinking of somebody you wish could be there with you.”
While I’m not sure when we’ll see Sorcha back in Australia, Riley is preparing to take songs from his The Weight of Our Dreaming album around the country this month. With shows in the capitals and regional centres, there are plenty of opportunities to catch him live.
29 January 2026 – House Concert, Colomatta/Blue Mountains
30 January 2026 – Low 302, Eora/Sydney (with Laura Lucas)
31 January 2026 – Junk Bar, Meeanjin/Brisbane (with Laura Lucas)
6 February 2026 – Bergy Bandroom, Naarm/Melbourne (with Laura Lucas + Jack Raymond)
7 February 2026 – Grow, Kuarka-dorla/Anglesea (with Jack Raymond)
8 February 2026 – Grace Emily Hotel, Tarntanya/Adelaide (with Laura Lucas)
14 February 2026 – Green Door Wines, Noongar Country/Ferguson Valley (with Laura Lucas)
15 February 2026 – Suburban Vibes, Walyalup/Fremantle (with Laura Lucas + Ben Morgan)
Image used with permission from Nettwerk