If you’ve ever felt like you were in a love triangle with your partner and the spectre of another person they still felt drawn to, I know you’ll love “Call Me By Her Name,” the latest single from Naarm/Melbourne-based singer-songwriter CARDAMONE. It’s a heartbreaking song about trying to hold on to someone, even though you know their heart lies elsewhere.
“The track is an emotionally driven pop song about loving someone who is still in love with someone else,” CARDAMONE explained. “It builds from intimate verses into a soaring, dramatic chorus inspired by artists like Sia, exploring the fear of being replaced and the lengths people go to in order to hold on to someone they love.”
CARDAMONE’s gorgeous vocals really drew me into this one. You can hear her fighting back the emotion as she delivers her heartfelt lyrics. Pop ballads don’t get better than this.
After a big 2025 that saw them release their mini-EP Blue, play Harvest Rock Festival, win best group at the SA Music Awards, and support AC/DC, Tarntanya/Adelaide rock quartet Oscar The Wild are continuing the momentum with their latest single “Ghost.” It’s three and a bit minutes of indie grungy goodness which explores the line between healthy affection and emotional dependence.
“Ghost” has quickly become a staple of Oscar The Wild’s live sets. There are plenty of opportunities to see them play this song and all your favourites at their upcoming gigs. Tickets are on sale now through the links below:
Ella Hooper is really leaning into Americana sounds with her latest single, “I Got Eyes (On You).” This foot-stomping anthem of empowerment combines classic country vibes with a little Zydeco and Cajun flair.
“I Got Eyes (On You) is the next step in sharing this new era. I’m pushing the boundaries of what Americana means to me … including more of the diverse flavours I love like the Cajun and Zydeco elements here,” Ella explained. “From the crazy playing on it, to the production, to the cheeky lyrics – I’m really proud of it”
There’s some serious star power behind this one. Ella co-wrote the song with East Nashville lyricist Melody Walker, who has songwriting credits on many songs Ella loves including “Dollar Bill Bar” and “American Dreaming.” The studio band features Nashville greats like Sheryl Crow’s drummer Fred Eltringham, guitarist Tom “Uncle Larry” Bukovac, Willie Nelson’s bassist Rachel Loy, Dan Dugmore who played pedal steel guitar for James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt. And that Zydeco squeezebox you hear? That comes from Australia’s own Flora Smith, Slim Dusty’s granddaughter-in-law.
“I’ve wanted to record in Nashville since I was a kid reading my parents’ record liner notes, seeing the city’s name pop up again and again,” Ella gushed. “Seems like every great singer-songwriter from Dylan to CMAT has their Nashville record, and I felt ready for mine. Being there so much these last few years, I feel plugged into a community — especially in East Nashville — that feels like a perfect chrysalis for my musical evolution.”
While Ella enjoyed her time in the States, she’s making the most of being home with plenty of headlining shows, festival appearances, and dates supporting The Waterboys in the coming months. Tickets are on sale via the links below:
With the release of his debut EP i’ve been looking for you my whole life, Eora/Sydney-based singer-songwriter jnr. establishes himself as one of the freshest names in indie pop. His tunes are ultra catchy with sweet vocals and romantic sentiments that will have listeners swooning. But pay attention and you’ll soon discover that this local talent has a unique point of view that sets his music apart.
Like so many great pop records, i’ve been looking for you my whole life was inspired by a girl. But as he wrote music in France, his partner’s birthplace, jnr. found himself contemplating much more than their relationship.
“When I got there, I started to think a lot more about my relationship to my own culture and the reasons I didn’t want to face my own identity,” he admitted. “Writing my first body of work, which could be some people’s first introduction to me, in a place so foreign to me felt quite ironic. These songs became love songs for both her and my inner child who’s still figuring out where he belongs.”
i’ve been looking for you my whole life is full of bops. The beats are sure to get you grooving and the choruses are made for singing along. Every one delivers a dopamine hit, but understanding the depth of emotions behind them makes for a much richer experience. Up-tempo numbers like the outstanding singles “I guess it’s fine.” and “as you are” dominate, but jnr. shows he can shine in gentler moments too with the poignant closer, “everything.” jnr. strips back his sound here to deliver his final declaration of love. If you weren’t already taking notice, this will be the track that forces you to pay attention.
i’ve been looking for you my whole life is a fantastic pop EP, a collection of irresistible songs that provide powerful commentary on romantic love and self-acceptance. jnr. will showcase this music for hometown fans tonight when he officially launches the EP at Buddy’s Bar. The music kicks off at 7:30 pm with support acts GRXCE and Zhuli.
Rosscoe Frantz has captured my heart with his intimate new single “Raw and Bitter.” Its reverb-drenched guitar provides the perfect backdrop for Rosscoe’s powerful lyrics. Each one is like a gut punch, giving voice to a love on shaky ground. One for the heartbroken out there, it’s incredibly impactful and incredibly human.
“‘Raw and Bitter’ is a stark, intimate reflection on the parts of love people rarely talk about,” Rosscoe admitted. “The moment when a relationship is strong, the feeling is real, but the future isn’t necessarily aligned. The song explores the tension between deep affection and quiet doubt, where love coexists with confusion, and staying means asking the hardest questions. It’s a song about holding something precious in your hands and not knowing whether to fight for it or let it go.”
Rosscoe has supported a who’s who of Aussie talent including Sarah Blasko, Boy and Bear, and Pete Murray through his career. He’ll step into the spotlight as the headliner tonight when he launches “Raw and Bitter” at Mojo’s in Walyalup/Fremantle.
Joe Mungovan has got me grooving with his latest single “Runaway.” This one effortlessly blends synthy pop hooks with rock attitude. It’s a little Franz Ferdinand, a little Bloc Party, and a whole lot of fantastic.
“I once met this girl who couldn’t seem to stand still. She was always reaching for the next thing, daydreaming about our escape from our everyday lives … But the fantasy we shared was as fleeting as the girl,” Joe admitted. “‘Runaway’ is for her.”
Joe will mark the release of “Runaway” with a few New South Wales shows in the coming weeks. Catch him at the following venues:
Press play and settle into the groove of “Bodies in Motion,” the latest soulful single from genre-bending storyteller Saint Ergo. Featuring guest vocals from Maddy Herbert, it’s a sensual number that fuses R&B, electro soul, and baroque pop.
“I had imagined this song as a duet from quite early on… but the song only felt like it came together when Maddy and I went into the studio and we recorded our vocals … Finally felt like the song was right,” Saint Ergo explained. “Some of the lyrical components only came along during this session and it made the story come alive for me.”
After a four-year hiatus from the live music scene, Boorloo/Perth band Nautical Mile are back and rocking as hard as ever with “Daydreamer.” This feelgood pop-punk track oozes nostalgia.
“During our time away, we all had a fair amount of life happening, so coming back to the band felt like us recapturing the spirit of those happier, lighter times,” Nautical Mile explained. “It’s a lot of fun to play, and we’re keen to get out and share it with the world.”
Nautical Mile will celebrate their return with a big hometown show at Amplifier Bar on March 28. If you’re on the East Coast, don’t stress. Nautical Mile aim to play shows on that side of the country later this year.
Bully Hay lays his heart bare with his sophomore album Anywhere But Here. At its core this is a break-up album, but describing it as such doesn’t quite convey all that makes this collection of songs one of the best you’ll hear this year.
After all, albums based around themes of love and loss are a dime a dozen. But few have the grittiness and soul of Bully Hay’s latest release. His voice soars on the opening rock anthems “Lovers Get High” and “If You Can’t Forgive Me, Forgive Yourself” before drawing you in with a heartbreaking acoustic rendition of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill.” This song has seeped into the public consciousness since its feature in Stranger Things, but I promise you’ve never heard it quite like this. While I’ve appreciated versions from Placebo and Meg Myers, this has become the definitive cover for me. It’s one of three “acoustic versions” on this album, but these aren’t the only songs stripped back. Songs like “Trinkets and Coal” and the haunting closer “Here it Comes Again” are also gentle folk numbers that showcase Bully Hay’s impressive vocals and unfiltered lyrics. These quieter moments provide the perfect counterpoints to cathartic rock songs like “Another Lost Soldier” and “Talk Me Off the Edge.”
Anywhere But Here goes beyond the standard break-up album because it doesn’t wallow in that post-relationship limbo. Its powerful songs instead deal with moving forward any way you can, the struggle that comes from putting one foot in front of the other when the ground has collapsed from underneath you. It’s about surviving the fallout, resilience, and the human spirit.
Anywhere But Here is out now. Bully Hay will mark the release with the following Tasmanian shows:
If you’re like me and introspective acoustic guitar-driven music makes you weak at the knees, I know you’ll fall head over heels for “Reflections,” the latest track from Naarm/Melbourne-based singer-songwriter MUKI. This is indie folk-pop at its best, a chilled-out number that leads with vulnerability.
“This is a song I wrote soon after the lockdown, touching on identity issues,” MUKI recalled. “It takes us through a journey in which every single decision one makes defines the person they become. It’s the small decisions we make that shape who we become. When I look in the mirror, it’s hard not to wonder if I’d have been looking at the same person had I chosen a different life or path.”
