If you’ve ever fallen out with a close friend, you know it can sting more than any break-up with a romantic partner. Gia Darcy has channelled those emotions into her latest pop bop “Subtle Changes.” Its shimmery upbeat vibe helps to balance the single’s emotionally raw lyrics.
“This song is about a falling out with my best friend. Neither of us are good at saying how we actually feel, but we can both tell something’s shifted. The crossed arms, the awkward silences, the slight change in tone… That’s where the heartbreak lives,” she mused. “It’s not loud, but it’s real.”
Gia worked with some heavy-hitters on “Subtle Changes.” She co-wrote it with New York-based songwriter Ross Newhouse before working with producer Liam Quinn, known for his work with Peach PRC and Ruel.
Gia will return to the stage on September 27 supporting Joan & The Giants at their free show at Vic on the Park in Eora/Sydney.
Sometimes you hear an artist and you wonder how on earth they’ve possible escaped your attention. How are they not the biggest thing on the planet? Because they’re just that good. Kathleen Halloran, a singer-songwriter from Naarm/Melbourne, is one of those artists. With her new single “Cost of Living,” she has very quickly won my heart. It’s such an exquisite folk ballad, I’ve found myself hitting play several times for another hit. And I’ve got to shout out Ross Irwin, of the Cat Empire and the Bamboos, for that beautiful string arrangement which takes this song to the next level.
“It’s a soaring, soul-baring track that dives deep into the creative life — the highs, lows, doubt, and beauty of following your own artistic path,” Kathleen explained. “It’s deeply personal, but universal for anyone walking an unconventional road.”
Kathleen has some exciting shows coming up, so make sure you see her play anywhere you can:
Reigning Toyota Star Maker winner Felicity Kircher is making her mark on the country scene with the release of “Fair Weather.” The track impressed producer Brandon Dodd so much that he jumped at the chance to collaborate with her.
“When I first heard ‘Fair Weather,’ I knew this would be a song I would love to work on for Felicity’s new EP,” he explained. “The beauty of the song is that it has an underlying vulnerability in the lyrics masked behind a catchy hook. I enjoyed capturing these two elements and finding a true representation of Felicity as an artist through this process.”
Felicity said the songwriting process began when venting her frustrations about friendships and other relationships to good pal and fellow artist Lottie McLeod.
“As a chronic overthinker, this song became a significant outlet for the self-doubt, confusion, and hurt I had been feeling,” she admitted. “I picked up my pretty new Maton guitar (thank you Maton & Star Maker) and the chorus poured out of me, basically word for word, as you’ll hear. Working on this song has been a therapeutic journey, and I’m so excited to share it with you.”
Felicity will be pretty busy over the coming months with appearances at plenty of top country music festivals, including Tamworth where she’ll play her first headlining show next year. Here are all the places you’ll see her play.
Sadie Mustoe’s given me chills with her explosive new single “White Flag.” While the title suggests she’s surrendering, there’s some serious firepower behind this song.
“White Flag” starts like a gentle folk song, with Sadie’s ethereal voice accompanied by the strum of an acoustic guitar. But when the drums kick in at the chorus, you know you’re in for something much darker and more dynamic. If Joni Mitchell and Amy Lee had a love child, they might sound something like Sadie Mustoe.
This track’s incredible, but something tells me it’d sound even better in person. You can find out if I’m right when Sadie plays the following shows in the coming months:
I wrote this post a week ago, as rain bucketed down in Darkinjung Country/the Central Coast. But I queued it up to post as I arrive in Japan. As I trade their summer for the last dregs of our winter, it seemed like the right time to share “Paradise,” the summery new single from Salt Tree. If you’re not lucky enough to have a trip on horizon, close your eyes and I swear this track will get you there for a few minutes.
“The song is about imagining a life you could build with someone in a new place,” the band said. “It’s about choosing to stay, to commit, and to create something real together. ‘Paradise’ is wherever you choose it to be, wherever you feel accepted, loved, have purpose, and feel at home.”
“Paradise” comes from Salt Tree’s new EP Adrift, which drops on October 24.
“Adrift is a collection of songs about the moments in life when you feel unanchored; between places, between relationships, between versions of yourself,” Salt Tree explained. “Each track explores a different kind of drifting – from the lows of mental struggle to the excitement of new love, from the sadness of letting go to the hope of being a better person. It’s about learning to trust that even when you’re unmoored, you’re still moving toward something real.”
Salt Tree are currently touring Europe, but they’ll be back here to celebrate the release of Adrift before you know it. Here are all the places you can catch their folky goodness in the coming months.
I listened to “Meet in Love,” the debut single from Yuin singer-songwriter KYARNA, a bit like a blind audition from The Voice. I received it as a wav file, so I had nothing but her striking voice and incredible lyrics to go on. It floored me. I would have quickly turned my chair.
Then I opened up the press release and was floored again. She was so much younger than I anticipated. Her voice is so mature and her lyrics wise beyond her years. I’m sure she’s been here before.
Make sure you stop and listen to the lyrics of “Meet in Love.” KYARNA wrote the single a few years ago about knowing the timing isn’t right with someone, but hoping it might be later down the track. The song’s taken on a deeper meaning now as the person KYARNA sings about passed away earlier this year. That’s helped the song evolve into a tribute to a love story that will never get its happy ending.
While “Meet in Love” is KYARNA’s first single, she’s no newcomer to music. She’s shared stages with Paul Kelly and Troy Cassar-Daley and supported the late, great, Uncle Archie Roach. She’s also been hand-selected to support Liz Stringer at the following Aussie shows later this year. Tickets are available through the links.
I really am a sucker for harmonies. If your voices blend beautifully, you’re halfway towards winning me over. So I’m head over heels for “Genevieve,” the latest track from The Inadequates who show with this release that they are anything but.
With the lush harmonies and intricate guitars, it reminds me a little of something Taxiride might have included on one of their albums back in the day. It’s easy to get swept up in the romance of the sound, but tap into the lyrics and you’ll soon realise it’s a bittersweet breakup song.
“Genevieve” comes from The Inadequates’ debut album Haven’t You Heard, which drops on August 28. They’ll support its release with the following shows:
Jessica Mauboy’s latest song “While I Got Time” has been all over TV lately soundtracking ads for Irene’s sad departure from Home & Away. Now we’ve all wiped away our tears, it’s time to stop and appreciate this incredible song.
I’ve always enjoyed Jess’ upbeat dance pop numbers, but I appreciate that she’s releasing more heartfelt ballads these days. Written with her longtime collaborator PJ Harding, “While I Got Time” is a stripped-back number that sees Jess really baring her soul.
“’While I Got Time’ really came from a place of reflection and release,” she said. “PJ and I wrote it during a moment where I was thinking about what I want to leave behind, and what I want to lean into while I’m still here. It’s about letting go of the past with grace, honouring where I’ve been, and stepping into the unknown with open arms.”
It’s only fitting that such a personal song is the first release from Jess’s own label, Jamally. She created her label so she could take more ownership of her creative process and start recording, releasing, and marketing music on her own terms.
“This is the start of a new chapter for me – not just as a singer or performer, but as a storyteller and businesswoman too,” Jess explained. “After launching my beauty brand Desert Rose, creating Jamally felt like a natural evolution. It lets me work with people I trust and chase what lights me up.”
If it means more fabulous music like this is on its way, I’m really looking forward to hearing what this new chapter in Jess’s musical evolution brings.
Image used with permission from Blue Music Services
After writing songs with Guy Sebastian and for The Voice winner Lachie Gill, Ned Houston is stepping behind the mic with his debut single. The singer-songwriter from Ngambri/Canberra wrote “Self Defence” in Nashville with Melissa Fuller, who’s written songs for everyone from Trisha Yearwood to Grace Potter, and Grammy-winning lyricist David Hodges, who’s known for his work with Ed Sheeran, Evanescence, and Christina Perri.
Melissa was pregnant at the time, and Ned said her “calm, maternal energy” helped him open up and process his feelings about the relationship he left behind six months prior. “Self Defence” was the result of that vulnerable songwriting session.
“The song came from a very real moment in my life — a betrayal I didn’t fully process until much later. I’d found out, through a friend, that my partner had been with someone else while I was overseas working,” he recalled. “When I confronted her, she tried to cover it up using a family member’s mental health crisis as an excuse. I ended things immediately – no arguments, no closure – just silence. At the time, I thought I was okay. But months later in Nashville, the grief of that relationship hit me unexpectedly, and hard. ‘Self Defence’ is about that delayed processing of a relationship that ended suddenly without any closure. It explores the blurred line between protecting yourself and leaving something unresolved.”
With a dream team of songwriters, the track was always going to feel more polished than your average debut. But couple those lyrics with Ned’s vulnerable vocals and you’ve got a recipe for success. Hopefully this marks a new chapter as a solo artist, because he’s clearly got the goods.
I’m feeling all warm and fuzzy listening to new material from John Butler. His latest single “King of California” celebrates his 25-year partnership with his wife, muse, and regular collaborator Mama Kin. If you love love, I know you’ll fall for this one as hard as me.
“My partner and I have been on a pretty big ride together, constantly evolving and working out what it means to be life partners,” he said. “With every new phase of living comes a new season of self-reflection and reassessment. We’re here to ground and uplift each other, never to minimise or restrict.”
“King of California” comes from John’s new studio album PRISM, which drops on September 5. You can preorder the vinyl, CD, or merch bundles now. He’ll play shows all around the country, across the ditch, and in the UK and Europe to support its release. Tickets are selling fast though, so get on it!
