Mulubinba/Newcastle-based artist Chloe Gill won me over recently with her introspective country-pop single “Pushing Punishment.” Now with the release of her debut album I Have a Habit of Dreaming, she shows us even more of her artistry.
The album opens with “A Habit of Dreaming,” a gentle soundscape of slide guitars, piano tones tells you to buckle up and settle in. “Something in the Winter” arrives like a hurricane. It’s country with a healthy dose of rock, anchored by Chloe’s incredible voice which can seemingly do anything. Her low tones are beautiful, but when she opens up on the chorus she really soars.
As the album continued, I became even more enamoured with Chloe’s voice. While “Pushing Punishment” had given me a taste of Chloe’s vocal capabilities, I didn’t know it had the bluesy tones she employs on “Why?” or the edge she exhibits in “Going Down the Drain.” I wasn’t prepared for the way she left herself so exposed in the haunting “Missed Mistakes.” She’s got such a strong solo voice, the beautiful harmonies of “a bad day in februrary” and the gorgeous duet, “Weight of It All,” featuring Jesse O’Neill, also caught me by surprise. The chemistry sizzling through this unforgettable closer makes it one of the album’s highlights.
While Chloe’s voice compelled me, it’s her songwriting talents that really held my interest. As I became more acquainted with the songs I marvelled at her knack for sharing her own heart while creating songs that resonated so strongly with me.
“My goal with this project is not only for neurodivergent people but is for anyone who has ever felt different,” Chloe said. “The record’s whole point is to remind people that it’s everyone’s first time being alive, as well as everyone’s last time being alive. How it’s just so much more worthwhile and meaningful to be kind, grateful, present, not get so caught up in things that don’t serve you, work, life stress, things you can’t control or the past. It’s about leading your own life, dreaming your own dreams and bringing them to life. I have always had a very supportive network around me and I understand not everyone has that privilege or ease in life and that sometimes it’s more complex than that, but this album really serves as a place for people to come to when they just need to feel a little more loved, believed in, confident, capable, strong, fearless and totally inspired to lead their own lives.”
I Have a Habit of Dreaming is out now. Chloe will mark its release with a string of shows kicking off in her hometown this April.
17 April 2026 – Stag & Hunter, Mulubinba/Mayfield
21 May 2026 – The Wesley Anne, Naarm/Melbourne
22 May 2026 – The Taproom @ Shedshaker Brewing, Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Castlemaine (FREE)
23 May 2026 – Peninsula Hot Springs, Bunurong Country/Mornington Peninsula (FREE with bathing)
24 May 2026 – Shiraz Republic, Dja Dja Wurrung, Taungurung, and Yorta Yorta Country/Cornella
30 May 2026 – Knappstein, Ngadjuri Country/Clare Valley
31 May 2026 – The Wheatsheaf Hotel, Tarntanya/Adelaide
27 June 2026 – The Factory Fusebox, Bulanaming/Marrickville
Images used with permission from beehive