Category: Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sewell Siblings Playing Bloodline Shows

The ultra-talented Sewell siblings – Conrad Sewell and his sister Grace Sewell (Saygrace) – are teaming up for some intimate shows in the major capitals next June. The tour announcement comes off the back of the release of Conrad’s gorgeous new single, “Deserve.”

“We’ve always wanted to tour together, but our schedules never aligned – Grace being in LA and me being in Australia made it pretty tough. It finally feels like the right moment in both of our careers to share the stage and make this happen,” Conrad said. “We’ll both be bringing our own sets, but the real magic happens when we come together – harmonies, stripped-back versions of our songs, and a few surprises we’ve never done publicly before. It’s a celebration of family, storytelling, and the music that shaped us – this tour is all about connection: with each other, with our fans, and with the songs that mean the most to us.”

If you’re a fan of Conrad, Saygrace, or both, you won’t want to miss this. Tickets to Conrad and Grace’s Bloodline tour are on sale now through the links below.

5 June 2026 – The Night Cat, Naarm/Melbourne
6 June 2026 – Lion Arts Factory, Tarntanya/Adelaide (ALL AGES)
26 June 2026 – The Triffid, Meeanjin/Brisbane (ALL AGES)
27 June 2026 – Oxford Art Factory, Eora/Sydney

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ama Drops New Pop Gem, “You’re never gonna get the girl”

According to my Spotify Wrapped, Ama was my most played Aussie artist of the year. Her heart-on-sleeve pop numbers really got under my skin, and I had every single on repeat for a while. So I’m thrilled that she’s giving us one more track to close out the year. “You’re never gonna get the girl” is Ama’s first release since her debut EP Julie’s House dropped in May, and it’s probably no surprise that I love it.

Ama has such a gift for writing songs that combine self-aware humour with bittersweet emotion, and “You’re never gonna get the girl.” The gentle layered pop sound reminds me a lot of the music LANY released on their soft album this year, undeniably catchy but acting as the support for the strong lyrics rather than attempting to steal focus.

Ama’s music has made such a strong impression on me this year. With the start of this new chapter, something tells me she’s going to follow up with a massive 2026.

Photo source: AMA EPK

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ella Hooper Releases “Growing Up is Hard to Do” Ahead of Summer Shows

She’s probably still best known for rocking out front of Killing Heidi, but I really dig the country feel of Ella Hooper’s solo material. Her latest single “Growing Up is Hard to Do” is a fantastic example of the brilliant new music she’s making. It’s so much fun with its relatable, introspective lyrics and catchy country-rock sound. Just when you think it can’t get any better, that sax solo from Mika Kohlman kicks in!

“This song comes from a period of self-reflection that kinda started with Small Town Temple – my last album,” Ella continues. “It finds me in a place where I can almost accept that growing pains never stop…I’m just learning to write different songs about them. It feels playful to me, as life is a little lighter now, internally anyway,” Ella adds. “Some days I can roll my eyes at the chaos of the last few years, or my whole life actually…it’s certainly been a hell of a ride. And as they say, if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry!”

If you want to hear more of Ella’s new music, catch her on her summer tour. Tickets are available through the links for all shows.

10 January 2026 – Music in the Vines @ Dellatite Winery, Taungurung Country/Mansfield
21 January 2026 – Tamworth Hotel, Kamilaroi Country/Tamworth
31 January 2026 – Bundalaguah & Myrtlebank Hall, Gunaikurnai Country/Bundalaguah
1 February 2026 – Archie’s Creek Hotel, Gunaikurnai Country/Archie’s Creek
6 February 2026 – The Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mulubinba/Mayfield
7 February 2026 – Mangrove Mountain Hall, Darkinjung Country/Mangrove Mountain
8 February 2026 – Little Alberts @ The Victoria Bathurst, Wiradjuri Country/Bathurst
13 February 2026 – Boyup Brook Country Music Muster @ Music Park, Noongar Country/Boyup Brook
21 February 2026 – Americana on the Bellarine @ Ocean Grove Hotel, Wadawurrung Country/Ocean Grove
28 February 2026 – Westernport Yacht Club, Boon Wurrung Country/Balnarring Beach
15 March 2026 – Music in the Gardens @ Albury Botanic Gardens, Bungambrawatha/Albury (FREE)
20 March 2026 – Yackandandah Folk Festival, Dhudhuroa Country/Yackandandah
28 March 2026 – Always Good Nights @ TBA, Marapikurrinya/Port Hedland
17 April 2026 – Theatre Royal, Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Castlemaine
2 May 2026 – Avoca Beach Theatre, Darkinjung Country/Avoca Beach
9 May 2026 – Portland Arts Centre, Gunditjmara Country/Portland
29 May 2026 – Murray Delta Juke Joint, Ngarrindjeri Country/Goolwa
31 May 2026 – Trinity Sessions, Tarntanya/Adelaide

Photo credit: Jeremy Dylan

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Homegrown Trio Ready to Wow TCMF

Now Christmas is behind us music lovers across the nation are looking forward to the annual pilgrimage to the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Of course, all the usual suspects will be there, but there are also plenty of up-and-coming acts worth your time.

Homegrown Trio are one of the new breed that deserves to be on your radar. They’ve been nominated for a Golden Guitar for Best Duo or Group and just released their gorgeous new single “Do Over.” If you love American acts like Sugarland and Lady A, I know you’ll appreciate this vulnerable song about relationship regrets.

Homegrown Trio will stop by the Toyota Fanzone during the Tamworth Country Music Festival in Kamilaroi Country/Tamworth at 3:45 pm on January 23. They’re also playing Outback Sounds at Buchanan Park, Kalkadoon Country/Mt Isa on May 9.

Image used with permission from Tom Rivers Agency

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bootleg Rascal Flips the Script With “Reasons”

After all this time following them, I thought I knew what to expect from Bootleg Rascal. But they’re really shaken things up with their latest song “Reasons,” taking their tongues out of their proverbial cheeks and delivering a touching heartbreak anthem.

“‘Reasons’ was a co-write we did with our mate Matt Collins from Wharves,” explained guitarist Jimmy Young. “He had a demo of the song and wasn’t totally sure where to go with it. We saw something in it and decided to give it a crack. It also features the always exquisite production skills of our mate Caleb Tasker, and we’re all pretty stoked with how it turned out in the end. On face value, ‘Reasons’ could easily be passed off as another break-up/heartbreak song. Those themes are in there for sure, but I think bubbling under the surface, the song also touches on broader elements of human connection. The commonality of emotions that we as people all share at some point in our lives, no matter our race, sex or background.”

“Reasons” comes from Bootleg Rascal’s self-titled album, released in October. They’re bringing songs from that record and all your old favourites to venues across the country in the New Year. Tickets are available now through the links.

10 January 2026 – Hair of the Dog @ The Triffid, Meeanjin/Brisbane
15 January 2026 – Six Strings Brewing, Darkinjung Country/Erina
16 January 2026 – Ruby’s Upstairs @ Bank Hotel, Mulubinba/East Maitland
17 January 2026 – Freshwater Brewing Company, Dharug Country/Brookvale
22 January 2026 – La La La’s, Dharawal Country/Wollongong
23 January 2026 – The Lansdowne Hotel, Eora/Sydney
24 January 2026 – Miami Marketta, Yugambeh Country/Gold Coast
30 January 2026 – Indian Ocean Hotel, Boorloo/Perth
31 January 2026 – The River, Wooditchup/Margaret River
7 February 2026 – Railway Sports & Social Club, Larrakia/Darwin
12 February 2026 – Grace Emily Hotel, Tarntanya/Adelaide
13 February 2026 – Bergy Bandroom, Naarm/Melbourne
14 February 2026 – Republic Bar, Nipaluna/Hobart
15 February 2026 – Royal Oak Hotel, Kanamaluka/Launceston
21 February 2026 – Solbar, Kabi Kabi Country/Sunshine Coast

Image used with permission from Bootleg Rascal

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Merry Christmas From Sounds of Oz

Merry Christmas Sounds of Oz readers! I hope however you choose to spend it, you’re happy, healthy, and surrounded by love. I couldn’t let the day go past without spreading a little musical cheer, so here’s “I Love Christmas, Too,” the first track from Golden Guitar-winning trio Bella in two decades.

Many years might have passed, but the harmonies from Lyn Bowtell, Kate Ballantyne, and Karen O’Shea are just as magical as ever. I also love the lyrics which reference uniquely Australian traditions like enjoying peeling prawns and playing backyard cricket.

“It’s been such a joy to come together again with a song we all wrote, inspired by our own experiences of Christmas Down Under,” Lyn said.

Kate added, “We felt there was a real gap in Christmas music that truly reflects an Australian Christmas.”

Karen said, “I love a white Christmas song as much as anyone, but here in Australia it’s all about the air-con and a good barbie.”

Merry Christmas music lovers. I hope this track finds a place on your festive playlists!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Shannon Noll back to His Best With “What Ya Made Of”

Oh Nollsie. I love you. Hearing a new single reminds me just how much. Shannon Noll’s latest track “What Ya Made Of” doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but that’s exactly why it’s so good. It’s that straight, down-the-line Aussie pop-rock that made him the nation’s favourite battler.

Nollsie penned this one with superstar songwriters Simon Shapiro (award winning, Darryl Braithwaite, 1927, Jane Denham) and Lindsay Rimes (Kelsea Ballerini, Kylie Minogue, Kane Brown, Timomatic, Stan Walker). They’ve ensured this track is ready for radio without smoothing out Shannon’s rough edges. Its rousing sing-along chorus reminds me a lot of “Lift” and “Shine,” and we all know how well those songs did! Expect to hear this one a lot over the summer!

“I absolutely adore this single, since the moment I got the demo back. It’s been overlooked a few times on albums because it was a bit too rocky at the time and didn’t suit the rest of the album. I think everything happens for a reason and has its time and place and I think it’s time and place is right now – in a time where people need a bit of positivity!” Nollsie said. “I love a positive lyric where you believe in someone else when they don’t necessarily believe in themselves. I think the encouragement in that is just beautiful and selfless and very similar to the meaning of ‘Shine,’ ‘Lift,’ ‘What About Me,’ and ‘Learn To Fly.’ I can’t wait to see what everybody thinks but I absolutely love this one and have done since the day I wrote it with the guys in the studio.”

Shannon will wrap up his current tour with a show at EVAN Theatre in Mooroo Murak/Penrith on January 24. Then he’ll enjoy a little downtime before heading to the Big Red Bash in Wirrarri/Birdsville from July 7 to 9.

Image used with permission from Red Dog Recordings

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Seb Szabo and Joan & The Giants Team Up For “Figure It Out”

I’m a big fan of Seb Szabo and Joan & The Giants, so I knew their collaboration on “Figure It Out” would be my jam before I even pressed play. Thankfully it’s everything I hoped for and then some. If you need a little break from the pre-Christmas stress, press play. I swear it’ll make you feel better.

“Figure It Out” celebrates the friendship between Seb and Joan & the Giants’ frontwoman Grace Newton-Wordsworth. They shared a stage at a warehouse show last year and became fast friends. Seb was there for Grace when she relocated to Naarm/Melbourne earlier in the year after her long-term relationship broke down. She said working on this song with Seb, “genuinely lifted me out of something really dark and helped me find my voice, and made this the best experience I could have had in this new stage of my life.”

He added “We decided we should have a piece of our individual story in the song – myself as a romantic miscast as a bachelor-type, and Grace exiting a long-term relationship and being single for the first time in years. We both I think found ourselves in life situations that we didn’t necessarily ask to be in, but we were having a laugh together while making the best of it all – leaving chaotic voice messages about bad dates and unsuccessful attempts at flirting with strangers. It’s such a blessing to have friends like that – they make everything easier.”

Seb recently wrapped up some solo dates while Joan & The Giants blew crowds away supporting The Fray. I know they’re probably taking some downtime, but could we get them to team up for a tour next year? Please make it happen!

Photo credit: James Morris

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ben Provest Releases Beautiful Folk Gem, “Trying to be Brave”

Some songs capture your heart from the first listen. Others are a bit more subtle. You need to have patience to see their beauty. Listening to those songs can often be more rewarding, because you know you might have missed out if you had just moved on to the next thing. Ben Provest’s “Trying to be Brave” is one of those slow burns for me. So take your time with it. It might not hit you instantly, but when it does I know you’ll fall just as hard as I did.

Ben wrote, performed, recorded, mixed, and mastered this single himself during a month-long residency in a small Icelandic fishing village. You can hear that isolation and calm coming through this single. It’s special. I’m so glad I didn’t overlook it.

“I recorded it in Studio Silo, an incredible space built as a labour of love and filled with restored vintage gear,” Ben explained. “The upright piano was recorded with a pair of Coles 4038 ribbon microphones, and the acoustic guitar and lead vocal with a U67-style condenser. The instruments include my Martin 000-18M acoustic guitar, a Roland Juno 106, the cheap banjo that was laying around the studio, a Fender Precision Bass, and programmed drums. I recorded, mixed, and mastered everything myself in Logic Pro X.

“At its heart, the song was inspired by someone I was close to, Amelia,” adds Ben. “We broke up after living together in Melbourne during COVID, and I wrote this with her in mind. But more broadly, it became about letting go of fear – being brave enough to trust again, to follow your instincts, and to live an authentic life.”

Give yourself a moment or two and let this song seep into your pores. It’s a special one.

Photo credit: Answer Fraser

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Madi Leeds Releases Dreamy New Single, “Nightmare”

Naarm/Melbourne singer-songwriter Madi Leeds has got me feeling nostalgic with her latest single “Nightmare.” While the song was inspired by a creepy lucid dream, it’s got a chill indie feel that reminds me of 90s acts like Aimee Mann and Shawn Colvin. It’s the most relaxed song about existential dread you’re likely to hear today!

“People often say things like, ‘Why don’t you leave that for later in life?’ or ‘What’s the rush?’ But I’ve always felt that getting older is a privilege and feel that tomorrow isn’t promised,” Madi explained. “From experiences with grief and loss I try not to take things for granted.”

She noted that the song was inspired by a lucid dream she had after fainting during a Phoebe Bridgers festival set.

“In the dream, I was asleep in my own home while an old, witch-like woman in a cloak watched me from my street – then suffocated me and I couldn’t wake up. Later, I found out it’s a common lucid dream known as ‘the old hag’. The lyrics draw from that dream but also use it as a metaphor – of being haunted by my future self, or the fear of looking back one day and realising I didn’t live my life to the fullest.”

After recently playing a string of shows in Asia, Madi plans to announce some local dates and more music for 2026. Watch this space!

Photo credit: Isaiah Cirillo @wip.zay