BILLIE-JO PORTER SPINS HEARTACHE INTO HARMONY WITH HER NEW SINGLE ‘ROUND AND ROUND’
Billie Jo-Porter makes music for the soul. Her latest single, ‘Round and Round’, is her most introspective release yet and is an honest reflection on the emotional loops we find ourselves in. The track follows the success of her previous single ‘This Is Us Here’, a joyful ode to living in the moment, which climbed to #21 on the Country Songs Top 40 Australian Airplay Chart, hit #1 on the AMRAP Regional Chart, and earned playlist adds on Apple Music’s Aussie Country and Country Risers.
It’s often that tragedy is the catalyst for great art. “When I wrote Round and Round, there were some big shifts happening in our family,” Billie-Jo shares. “My partner’s grandma had just had a stroke. It was a moment that really made us stop and take stock.”
Amidst the turbulence, the song became both an anchor and compass, a melodic meditation on duality. “I found myself thinking a lot about how there’s always another side to every situation,” Billie-Jo continues. “The flip side. You know, the light and the dark, the joy and the heartbreak. Round and Round came from that space.”
Both a rallying cry and a gentle hand on the shoulder, the song became “a bit of a pep talk – the kind you give yourself when things feel a bit wobbly.” It’s a song about connection, and the beauty of having someone to share the ride with, or the resilience to ride it alone.
Its groove is meditative, hypnotic even – a patchwork of jangly guitars and earthy drums, ducking and weaving between Billie-Jo’s vocal. Her voice has a certain ease to it, grounded yet driven – “Round and around we go / Dancing with the highs & lows / Like a real life rodeo.”
Produced by multi award-winning Shane Nicholson (Beccy Cole, Lyn Bowtell, Tori Forsyth), the recording process ventured into new territory for the singer-songwriter, who worked remotely with Nicholson for the first time. “When we got the first mix back, my partner and I put it on repeat and danced outside on our balcony. I just love how it turned out. It feels so good. I feel so grateful for Shane. He’s really brought all my songs to life. He’s helped carve out a sound and a vibe that feels distinctly mine, and that truly conveys what I want to put out into the world as an artist.”
The release adds another chapter to an already striking career. Billie-Jo’s 2023 self-titled debut album hit #4 on the ARIA Charts, was crowned ABC Country’s Album of the Week, and saw her voice described by Sunburnt Country as “heart and sunshine wrapped up in great melodies and soulful vocals.”
The 2022 Toyota Star Maker Grand Finalist has also opened for some of the country’s most iconic names – Pete Murray, Tim Freedman, and Melanie Dyer among them. Later this year she’ll be burning rubber across NSW.
“I’m always out playing shows and love getting to new places and coming back to familiar ones too. That’s the best thing about music for me: the connection. Sharing songs, bringing some joy, and being in a room with people who love music as much as I do, that’s what it’s all about.”
In ‘Round and Round’, Billie-Jo Porter offers a moment of stillness in the spin of life. It’s a reminder that even in times of uncertainty, there’s strength in softness, beauty in the in-between, and grace in simply holding on. With every line and note, she invites listeners to find peace in the patterns, comfort in the chaos, and joy in the journey, no matter how many turns it takes.
