Category: Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Joan & The Giants Drop Powerful New Single, “Mamma Don’t Cry”

Joan & the Giants have really impressed me with their latest single, “Mamma Don’t Cry,” a beautiful alt-pop track about family bonds, resilience, and metamorphosis. Few artists are prepared to be as honest as frontwoman Grace Newton-Wordsworth, who wrote this song about confiding in her mother that she was in an abusive relationship.

“We’d gone for coffee in Fremantle, and that’s when I finally told her what I had been through,” Grace remembered. “She broke down in tears, heartbroken that I hadn’t told her while it was happening. But the truth is, when you’re in it, you don’t really tell anyone. It takes every ounce of strength just to stop excusing it—and even more to finally walk away.”

Joan & The Giants are heading to the United Kingdom to play The Great Escape and record some new music this month, but they’ll be back before too long for some local shows. Catch them anywhere you can!

13-16 May 2026 – The Great Escape, Brighton
3rd July 2026 – The Bird, Boorloo/Perth
4 August 2026 – Old Bar, Naarm/Melbourne
11 August 2026 – Old Bar, Naarm/Melbourne
18 August 2026 – Old Bar, Naarm/Melbourne
25 August 2026 – Old Bar, Naarm/Melbourne

Image used with permission from Crowd Favourite

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rowena Wise Releases Insightful New Single, “Blood Ties”

Naarm/Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Rowena Wise has rewarded the patience of fans with a fabulous new single, “Blood Ties,” her first solo effort in two years. It’s so cool and bluesy, with superb lyrics that explore family bonds and the costs of emotional restraint.

“I wrote ‘Blood Ties’ after a close friend experienced a mental health crisis,” Rowena shared. “In the aftermath, I watched his father struggle to respond, not because he didn’t love his son, but because he didn’t know how to meet him emotionally… In Australia, especially, emotional restraint has long been normalised… But that silence creates space for shame to grow, particularly within families where unspoken pain lingers beneath the surface.”

Rowena will play intimate shows in the East Coast capitals in May and June to celebrate the release of “Blood Ties.” Tickets are on sale now through the links.

29 May 2026 – The Junk Bar, Meeanjin/Brisbane
5 June 2026 – Low 302, Eora/Sydney
6 June 2026 – Shotkickers, Naarm/Melbourne

Photo credit: Nick Mckk

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Angie Colman Wows Me With “Rome”

Angie Colman has bowled me over with her latest single “Rome.” It’s incredibly raw, without the slick production we see from the major labels, but that feels right for this song. Angie’s powerful vocals insist you listen to her confessional lyrics. It’s got the storytelling quality of a good folk song with the edge of a rock track, and I can’t stop listening.

“’Rome’ was something that I wrote after a friend had told me he was moving to New York to pursue a very interesting and exciting life,” Angie recalled. “I have always struggled with feeling like I’m not getting enough out of this short time on Earth and like I was falling behind in many ways. I spent several long weeks trying to remind myself that it’s okay to be where I am, it’s okay if my life doesn’t look how I expected it to. ‘I wasn’t built in a day’ was a personal reminder to this.”

While Angie wasn’t built in a day, this song was. Working with producer Ryan Brennan, Angie used a live-tracked approach when recording “Rome” in a single day. This is a real departure from her usual layered process, and I think it really pays off. It means that the song just pours out of her, without overthinking or studio tricks.

“That was a really special experience for me and it was one of those days that remind me why I love making music,” Angie said. “It’s also the first song that I’ve ever had anyone else sing on. You’ll hear one of my closest friend and band mate, Willow Fearns, on the backing vocals in this track.”

Following the release of her debut EP How Do I Make My Life Slow Down in 2025, “Rome” marks the start of a new chapter for Angie’s music. Listen out for plenty more to come this year.

Image used with permission from Auxiliary Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kita Alexander & Christopher Duet on “Tell My Friends”

Local talent Kita Alexander has joined forces with Danish singer-songwriter Christopher for a fantastic new pop duet, “Tell My Friends.” The emotional single gives us another taste of Kita’s forthcoming sophomore album, RAGE.

Kita said she was inspired to write the song about the tendency to debrief friends about the negative aspects of relationships. “Sometimes in anger I find that my girlfriends and myself included all tend to overshare with each other. I think it’s necessary and it’s human nature to share emotions with the people around you, but what we don’t talk about enough is how anger if not processed properly can leave lasting marks and embarrassment in its wake. Situations change and moments pass and sometimes we have to clean up the mess that anger left behind.”

“The song tells the story of a relationship coming back together, and what it means to reintroduce this person into your life and friendships,” Christopher added. “It captures the awkward moment when, after all the things you’ve said to your friends, you end up back with your ex and have to break the news.”

Kita’s new album RAGE drops on June 26. She’ll tour the album throughout Australia, Europe, and the United Kingdom in the back end of this year. Before that she’s got a couple of festival shows where she’ll no doubt roadtest some of the new material. Tickets are on sale now for all shows from the links below.

9 May 2026 – Live Fest Tamworth @ Tamworth Regional Entertainment Center, Kamileroi Country/Tamworth
16 May 2026 – BASSINTHEGRASS 2026 @ Mindil Beach, Garramilla/Darwin
12 September 2026 – Northcote Theatre, Naarm/Melbourne
18 September 2026 – Metro Theatre, Eora/Sydney
19 September 2026 – Princess Theatre, Meeanjin/Brisbane
24 September 2026 – The Gov, Tarntanya/Adelaide
25 September 2026 – Rechabite, Boorloo/Perth
14 October 2026 – Club 9, Utrecht
15 October 2026 – Nochtwache, Hamburg
16 October 2026 – Mikropol, Berlin
18 October 2026 – Yuca, Cologne
19 October 2026 – Pop Up Du Label, Paris
21 October 2026 – Kavka, Antwerp
22 October 2026 – Oslo Hackney, London
23 October 2026 – Deaf Institute, Manchester

Image used with permission from Warner Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Max Aurora & The Southern Lights Drop Exciting New Single, “How I Know It’s Right”

If you’re feeling that Humpday slump as much as I am wrap your ears around “How I Know It’s Right,” the latest single from Naarm/Melbourne outfit Max Aurora & The Southern Lights. This energetic, anthemic banger blends elements of indie rock with pop-punk for a sound that’s guaranteed to make you sit up and take notice.

Led by intersex/non-binary songwriter Max Aurora, this band has been turning heads ever since their debut single “How I Missed Home” helped them take out their hometown’s Women in Music mentorship.

“’Written in a single night, ‘How I Know It’s Right’ explores the quiet relief of leaving a fractured relationship and the curiosity of what a wholesome love could feel like,” Max explained. “It explores the urgent, wide-eyed wonder of what a truly wholesome connection feels like, and the restless patience in searching for it.”

Max Aurora & The Southern Lights are promising a stack of new music for 2026, so strap in music lovers!

Image used with permission from Kick Push PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Dawson Impresses With Alt-Pop Single, “maybe someday”

Boorloo/Perth artist Dawson continues to break the mould with his latest single, “maybe someday.” It’s got a cool electro-pop feel tempered by a more chilled-out acoustic vibe, and I’m absolutely in love with it.

“This song is about finding it hard to let go of something that you’re not ready to let go of,” Dawson said. “You question everything, you overthink everything, you wonder if you could’ve changed anything but at the end of the day there’s nothing you can do. All you can do is hope that maybe someday things will be different.”

Dawson’s unique sounds has seen him support such diverse acts as The Beautiful Girls, Broods, Vera Blue, Thelma Plum, and Boo Seeka. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we see him as the headliner.

Photo credit: Rowan Hardy

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Daphnie Releases New Alt-Pop Banger, “28”

After having a not-so-minor age freakout before celebrating my birthday a couple of weeks ago, I’m relating hard to Daphnie’s latest single “28.” Daphnie cowrote this one with comedian Thomas Bleach to encapsulate all of the messy mixed feelings and nostalgia that can come as the years pass.

“People often talk about growing up referring to childhood, but in reality we don’t stop growing and changing, and the older you get the more confusing and weird it becomes.” Daphnie explained. “Something I didn’t realise could happen is having all the trademark signs of aging, being ‘2000 and late’ for listening to the Black Eyed Peas, not seeing friends or doing fun things as much; while also somehow not having your life together. I don’t wanna blink and miss it all, but it feels dangerously easy to.”
This track’s had a long gestation, but I’m so glad it’s out in the world when I needed to hear it most. Even if 28 seems pretty young from where I sit!

“The initial idea came together super quickly as we were getting nostalgic with the 2000s, but then we struggled along with the smaller details for nine months,” Daphnie admitted. “We easily wrote seven different pre’s, and churned through literally hundreds of (often awful) ideas for the chorus tag line. I feel like we really had to get through all the ‘clever’ ‘quirky’ ideas for it to realise all we wanted to say was ‘we’re too young to possibly be 28’.”

“28” comes from Daphnie’s EP which we’ll hear later this year.

Photo credit: Maya Luana

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jeremy Beggs Keeps It Real With “Mess I’m In”

Victorian alt-country act Jeremy Beggs has gotten me pretty excited for his debut album with the release of his latest single “Mess I’m In.” It’s not one of those buzzy singles. I can almost guarantee you won’t hear it on radio, but it’s fantastic. If you care more about lyrics and organic instrumentation than big production and beats, I know you’ll love it too.

“‘Mess I’m In’ is about that moment when you realise that, despite how clever you thought you were, how good you were at hiding it, and how long you thought you could keep ignoring it, everyone can already see what’s going on,” Jeremy admitted. “Whether it’s relationships, challenges at work, or life in general, sometimes you discover that people saw it before you were ready to admit it yourself. And then comes that quiet but powerful moment of acceptance — oh well, I don’t have to pretend anymore. You’ve seen what’s going on and you’re still here, prepared to sit with me, understand, and walk the path forward together. Strap in, because it’s going to get a little wild.”

Jeremy’s debut album The Long Road will drop on May 14. He’s announced a string of shows around his home state to support its release, so get on to them!

8 May 2026 – Tanswell’s Hotel, Baarmutha/Beechworth (FREE)
22 May 2026 – The Painted Lady 1862, Ballaarat/Ballarat (FREE)
23 May 2026 – Wesley Anne, Naarm/Melbourne
30 May 2026 – Door Gallery Cafe, Djilang/Geelong
6 June 2026 – Cosmopolitan Hotel, Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Trentham (FREE)

Image used with permission from Chris Familton Publicity

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rock Out to Toy Saints’ New Single “You Would Know”

Emerging Eora/Sydney act Toy Saints are taking me right back to the ‘90s with their latest single “You Would Know.” It’s a grungy rock effort which manages to feel nostalgic, yet totally fresh. I love its youthful energy and lack of artifice. You can imagine it’d sound just the same live as it does on the record.

On an Instagram post announcing the release of “You Would Know,” Toy Saints declared that “This is just the beginning.” Give them a follow to learn all about what comes next from this exciting indie-rock act.

Image used with permission from Golden Robot Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Elestial Drop Awesome New Single, “Guinness”

It’s Friday and we’re all ready to slip into weekend mode, so it’s the perfect time to share Elestial’s brand new single “Guinness.” Fresh on your streaming services today, this is a cracking track from the independent four-piece from Mulubinba/Newcastle.

“Guiness” explores themes of infatuation brought to life through Elyssa Hawkins’ compelling vocals. I can just imagine belting out this one with mates at a pub after a few too many pints.

Elestial will launch “Guinness” this Sunday, April 26, at Dissent Café and Bar in Ngambri/Canberra. Tickets are on sale now through Humanitix.

Image used with permission from Elestial