Naarm/Melbourne rock act Pretty Moi have won me over with their back-to-basics new single “ROAD DOG.” It’s got a fantastic garage rock sound, free of studio bells and whistles that might dilute its intensity. I also appreciate the surf and psychedelic rock influences that Pretty Moi wears proudly on their musical sleeve.
“’ROAD DOG’ started as a bunch of old ideas that finally clicked once we leaned into storytelling,” Pretty Moi’s guitarist and cofounder Ruben Vasconez Swett explained. “It’s intentionally absurd and a bit delusional, inspired by an old Norm Macdonald joke.”
“ROAD DOG” is so appealing in its raw sound, but Pretty Moi has more up their sleeve. The track’s B-side “WITH YOU,” featuring the horns of local outfit FREE PARKING blends that psychedelic bent with jazz and Latin flavours. Expect more music that will keep you guessing with Pretty Moi unveil their upcoming EP VOL. 2 later this year.
In a world where there seems to be so much division, MAXON’s new folk-rock track “Everybody” is like chicken soup for the soul. It’s an uplifting anthem that reminds us of the humanity that unites us all.
“A lot of the songs on the album – while hopeful – carry a thread of sadness,” MAXON said. “‘Everybody’ felt like the emotional homecoming. Nay [Pattuwage] and I wanted to write something that celebrates love and connection; something that uplifts.
“I’ve been through dark spaces in my life, and I know first-hand that singing together is healing. ‘Everybody’ is a reminder that joy and love are just as infectious as pain. Let this song be an anthem for togetherness. Honestly, I’d love to make a world choir with this one – send me your audition tapes! Let’s heal the world together!”
MAXON’s debut album Talking With Strangers will be released April 8. Expect to hear more new music from the LP when Maxon plays the following festivals:
“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.
Dharawal Country/Wollongong singer-songwriter franxie has wowed me with her latest single “Nobody’s Home.” This gentle indie-folk single drew me in with its hushed vocals, acoustic sound, and introspective lyrics exploring dissociation and emotional shutdown. It’s heavy subject matter, but themes that are worth sitting with when they’re presented so exquisitely. Take a moment to really listen to this one and take in its beauty, because it deserves so much more than becoming background to your workday!
“This song is about dissociating when things become overwhelming and recognising that shutting down was a coping mechanism,” franxie explained. “It’s not about a relationship ending, but about losing and finding yourself within that state.”
“Nobody’s Home” is a natural follow-up to franxie’s debut single, “Fucking Around,” which tackled themes of autonomy and self-determination. Expect more self-reflection and exploration of honest emotions when franxie releases more music throughout the year. A fiercely independent artist, she’s developing her sound and an EP at her own pace, prioritising her artistic freedom, confidence, and evolution on her own terms.
Listen to “Nobody’s Home” and more fantastic local folk music on my Spotify playlist, “Sounds of Oz Loves Folk.”
After wowing me with “sliding doors,” Naarm/Melbourne-based talent Sidney is impressing me all over again with her latest release “long haul.” This track cements her reputation as one of the best indie-pop acts in the country. With serious songwriting skills, a knack for crafting unforgettable melodies, and a compelling voice, she’s really one to watch.
Recalling the time that inspired “long haul,” Sidney shared “I was on the road all the time doing what I loved, but my partner couldn’t be there with me. The distance caused tension, and I felt torn between chasing my career and showing up for the person I loved. ‘long haul’ was my way of saying: I’m here, I’m choosing you, and I’m in this for real.”
“long haul” is the latest track lifted from Sidney’s forthcoming EP what if it ends? which drops on February 27.
In the 2010s, fantastic songs like “Ivy” and “Afterthought” put Eora/Sydney act Winters End on my radar. However, in 2020 they disappeared from view when founding member Christopher Pinto passed away suddenly from a head injury. After several years of grief and soul searching, his sister and collaborator Marissa Pinto has decided to continue Winters End in her brother’s memory. The new single “Deadtree” is a heartbreaking tribute to Christopher. Marissa’s voice has always captivated me, but I’ve never been quite so moved by it as I am listening to this song.
The recording sees Marissa reuniting with Winters End’s longtime producer Lachlan Mitchell, known for his work with The Whitlams and The Jezabels. It was recorded at Parliament Studios and mastered at Studios 301 by Steve Smart.
Winters End will support Ocean Wizard at Wombat Brewery in Yuin Country/Ulladulla on January 17 before a hometown headliner show at Oxford Art Factory on January 24 to promote the release of “Deadtree.”
Rubibi/Broome-based artist Amy Pania is laying her heart bare under a brand new musical moniker, Amyrah. She admits her latest single “Inside Out” is the “rawest” track she’s ever released.
“I wrote it at the bottom of an emotional pit, struggling with my mental health and these cycles of anger that left me seeing red, but creating the song became the moment I finally climbed out,” she said.
Amy’s voice is gorgeous, soulful and brimming with emotion. And I love when artists aren’t afraid to be vulnerable and so authentically themselves. This is pop music that matters. I can’t wait to hear from Amyrah this year.
Image used with permission from Blue Music Services
Last year I felt division within Australia in a way I’ve never felt before. I happened to catch a train full of people heading to Eora/Sydney for an anti-immigration march. It was packed with white retirees holding flags sounding off about migrants taking over their country. I watched in horror as one man said loudly that he should have worn his steel-capped boots as an Asian woman apologised while trying to make her way through the crowd and get off the train. That same night an Asian man wearing a Make America Great Again cap asked me whether I had a problem with him. Of course I said no, swiftly looked down, but wondered what would have happened if I’d answered in the affirmative. A couple of months later, I found myself sitting in a crowded park during a local seafood festival, trying to enjoy my fish and chips, when more white Boomers began sounding off about immigration. Then of course there was the terrorist attack in Bondi, a frightening reminder that hatred against people based on they are can turn deadly.
I’m naïve enough to think that the tragedy at Bondi and the acts of brave Aussies like Ahmed al-Ahmed may help remind us that we are one community and that our differences make us stronger. I’m also naïve enough to think music can make a difference. So in that spirit, I wanted to post about “Our Land” by Colin Lillie, a Scottish immigrant living in Mparntwe/Alice Springs who’s pretty proud to call Australia home. He’s joined by diverse contributors who played their parts from all parts of the country: Norman Daymarringu, Liam Jangala Price, Xueyan Chen, Gretta Ziller, Pete Denahy, Brad Bergen, Wayne Davis, and the stunning Austranesia Choir from Cairns.
“Its refrain, ‘We belong to this land,’ captures the essence of those who’ve come from all corners of the world to call Australia home”, Colin said. “The song is both personal and universal – a declaration of love for a country that welcomes, unites and inspires.”
Wayne Davis of Treetop Media shot the gorgeous video to highlight the contributions Colin’s collaborators and the parts of Australia they call home. He also made a feature-length documentary which follows Colin’s journey across the country meeting elders, artists, and everyday Aussies, which will be released later this year. After the 2025 we’ve just had, art like this which celebrates togetherness is exactly the sort of thing I want to champion in 2026.
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.
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.
