Month: July 2023

The Irishman has been entertaining Australian audiences for several years now, all the while crafting his own catalogue of original music. Originally from the small seaside town of Portaferry on the North-East Coast of Ireland, Reid’s thoughts often turn towards the simple joys of his hometown.

“I have very fond memories of where I was born and grew up, and I haven’t forgotten where I’ve come from. A simple life to some, but it was everything to me”.

The follow-up work to his iTunes number #1 debut album, ‘Portaferry’ sits somewhere between Keith Urban and Kip Moore, with Jonny letting his raspy voice shine throughout. It’s one to play loud, and one to play often.

2021 saw the release of his long-awaited debut album, ‘Another Life’, which reached number #1 on the iTunes Country Album Chart, and number #3 on the iTunes All Genre Album Chart. That success saw Reid play headline shows in the UK, Ireland, Switzerland and Australia in 2022.

Having previously toured with acts such as Nanci Griffith (USA), Ritchie Sambora (USA), Hermitage Green (Ire), and upcoming tours with acts Andrew Swift (Australia) and The Coronas (Ire), Reid is no stranger to performing live.

July 7th sees the release of Reid’s new single ‘Portaferry’, and the first since joining up with in demand Australian producer, Michael J. Bono (Avril Lavigne, Blink 182) creating a fresh radio friendly sound.

An electric live performer and a busy touring schedule … this year looks to be Reid’s biggest yet.

The title track to Luke O’Shea’s forthcoming album, ‘Next Best Thing’, sees Luke teaming up yet again with his multiple Golden Guitar winning musical mate, Ashleigh Dallas.

Inspired from the passing of songstress Nanci Griffith, Luke was exploring a sweet, melancholy melody found in a new open-tuning of the guitar when an impromptu telephone conversation with Ashleigh left him with the striking words ‘next best thing’.

“Imagery is everything with songwriting,” Luke said.

“And when you hear, or rather when you can paint a big visual canvas with just a few, very select words, then that is the eureka moment!”

Luke knew exactly what to do with that new melody and later that evening called Ash up to declare that they had a new duet.

“Thankfully Ash loved the song as much as I did, and she could easily relate to the various ebbs and flows of our favourite things in life,” Luke said.

“I also loved the double entendre of ‘Next Best Thing’ which seemed a perfect title for my upcoming album.”

Ashleigh said she enjoyed working with Luke on another collaboration and was looking forward to listeners hearing this new release.

The joyous video for ‘Next Best Thing’ sees the award-winning trio of Luke, Ash and video co-director Jay Seeney, of Blacklist Productions, reuniting for the first time since the success of the 2022 CMT Video Clip of the Year Golden Guitar-winning ‘Long Way ‘Round’.

“There really is a special friendship and chemistry between Ash and myself,” Luke said

“The unique ability of Jay to be able to encourage and capture that connection, and that joy, is what makes him so easy to work with and such an in-demand director.”

The Long and Short Of It release their brilliant cover version of the global smash hit, ‘Wake Me Up’. A song by Swedish DJ and record producer Avicii, ‘Wake Me Up’ was released as the lead single from his debut studio album in 2013. It reached number one in Europe and was a top charting single in various countries worldwide including Australia.

The Long and Short of It are David Baird and Patsy Toop OAM, who first met in 2007 and already have an impressive resume to boot that includes six album releases, two EPs, and have earnt themselves a slew of awards including a Tamworth Songwriters Award (2011), a Tasmanian Independent Country Music Award for Most Popular Duo (2016), three-time winner of an Indie Country Music Australia (ICMA) Award for Most Popular Independent Country Duo (2017, 2019 & 2021), a Southern Star Awards Award for Best Duo or Band (2016) and a two-time winner of a Gold Media Medallion Award for Best Duo Nationally (2015 & 2018) – to name a few.

The pair’s sumptuous harmonies have been described as “honey-coated chocolate.” David and Patsy continue to uphold their commitment to penning songs that are relatable, inspirational and are storytelling. Since their first release in 2009, the pair have continued to grow musically with every release.

The duo’s 2013 release of ‘You Made Me Stronger’ earned them a Songwriter, Composers and Lyricists Association (SCALA) Festival Of Original Music (FOOM) Award, describing their title track as a “Brilliant Masterpiece” with four of the album’s tracks peaking at number one on Australia’s leading national country music airplay chart. The pair’s 2016 album ‘The Night Of Our Life’ jumped into ARIA Chart at number 3 and remained in the charts for over 20 weeks, whilst also producing four number one independent radio airplay hits. Their ‘Limited Edition Requested Favourites’ album debuted at Number 5 on the ARIA Country Albums Chart. The album is an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary country music. From ballads to beer-drinking songs- all are heartfelt renditions to inspire happy thoughts and good times.

Self-described as their “best work to date,” ‘Midnight Choir’ is their most recent album from the award-winning Melbourne country duo, which blends traditional and contemporary country. The album debuted at #1 on the ARIA Country Music Albums Chart.

Leading its charge was the single ‘Cowboy Lonesome’, that paints the picture of a lonely cowboy missing his partner in the wilderness and how that rural and outback isolation presents a whole new level of loneliness.

The single was the debut collaboration between the pair and Nashville-based producer, Kenny Royster, whom the pair met during a trip to Nashville in 2013 and is credited for his work with US country superstar Luke Combs. The single ‘Midnight Choir’ has also been released with abundant success.

On the live circuit, their captivating and engaging live shows have earned the adoration of fans and critics alike and have frequented country music festivals in Tamworth, Mildura, Canberra, Mt Gambier, Ballina, amongst others over the past decade.

Ella & Sienna, singer-songwriter sisters from Adelaide Hills, South Australia have already proven they are one of the most exciting emerging artists in the Australian music scene today. Inspired by artists such as Missy Higgins, Fleetwood Mac and Taylor Swift, the multi-instrumentalist siblings bring together a unique blend of pop, country, and folk influences. Renowned for their formidable combination of soaring vocals, captivating sibling harmonies, catchy pop hooks, and country inspired storytelling, Ella & Sienna create music with staying power.

Empowering and unapologetic, Ella & Siena’s latest release ” It’s Not Me, It’s You” embraces the sister’s newfound country-pop sound. The upbeat, dynamic song was co-written in early January with legendary Nashville songwriter Phil Barton. Brought to life in studio by renowned Australian music producer Rod McCormack, the anthemic track embodies vocal harmonies that soar over rich layers of overdriven rock influenced guitars and energetic drums intertwined with banjo and slide.

Phil is the most enthusiastic writer and a total creative genius. We all had a lot of fun with this one” – Ella

“Recording with Rod McCormack was an incredible experience. We had a very clear idea of what we wanted the track to sound like, and Rod really brought this vision to life even better than we’d imagined.” – Sienna

Over the past two years, these award-winning sisters have had some amazing success. They have performed on main stages at Tamworth Country Music Festival, Groundwater Country Music Festival, Gympie Muster, NQ’S Rockin Country, the EKKA, Semaphore Music Festival, Country by the River, Fleurieu Folk Festival, and Valley Folk Festival, among others. Having played support spots and shared stages with John Schumann (Redgum), Amy Sheppard (Sheppard), Kristy Cox and Jayne Denham, to name a few. As recent graduates of the Country Music Association of Australia Junior Academy, the sisters have been mentored by industry professionals, and have even seen Kasey Chambers join them on stage at the 2020 Tamworth Country Music Festival .

For musicians of such a young age, Ella & Sienna’s long list of achievements is astounding; Winners of MOST POPULAR COUNTRY ARTIST in the South Australian Music Awards 2022, Winners of the GROUNDWATER KIX START and NQ’s ROCKIN COUNTRY REBOOT competitions for 2022, Top 24 Finalist in THE VOICE AUSTRALIA – Season 11 (2022), Finalist in the Folk Alliance Australian YOUTH FOLK ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2022 and 2021, 2nd place in both the Battle of the Young Stars and Best of the Buskers competitions at the TAMWORTH Country Music Festival and Semi-Finalist in the International Songwriting Competition 2020.

Ella & Sienna have most recently featured as the CountryTown and KIX Country ‘Centre Stage Artist’, following the release of their debut EP “Seven Ways to Say You’re Fine”, which was produced by multi-award-winning producer Matt Fell in Tasmania. A number of singles from the EP, including “Next to Mine”, “Saved” and “Don’t Call Me” enjoyed major support from Country Radio including KIX and ABC Country, success on the CountryTown Hot 50, AMRAP and other charts, with hit major editorial playlists on Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube Music. The music video for single “Saved” was added to high rotation on CMT, and their ecent single,”‘The City in July” hit Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist.

“We are so grateful for KIX Country and their KIXSTART competition for giving us the opportunity to work with these legends and make this song a reality!” – Ella

Contemporary Country Singer-Songwriter Brooke Schubert Releases ‘Burn Like Summer’.

Following the monumental success of her previous single ‘New Kids In Town’, singer-songwriter Brooke Schubert returns with another single ‘Burn Like Summer’. Written by powerhouse writers Jerry Flowers and Kaylee Bell, ‘Burn Like Summer’ is a sizzling country track. With a driving backbeat, clever melodies and a raw, sensual energy, this uplifting song captivates from the first note. It’s a passionate journey that celebrates the transformative power of love, leaving a lasting impression with its irresistible charm.

Brooke’s first single earlier this year, ‘New Kids In Town’ was extremely well received on Australian Country Radio. With high rotation adds across the board on KIX Country, ABC Country, iHeartCountry, Triple M Country and Australian Country Radio as well as countless other stations has ensured long term success on the Official Countrytown Hottest 50 Chart, where it appeared in the second week of release and is still charting 9 weeks on.

Being no stranger to music lovers, Brooke enjoyed a profile boost with an appearance with Keith Urban on his ‘Light The Fuse’ tour of Australia. Her new unreleased album is a direct reflection of her inspirations as she moves seamlessly between Rock and Country.

“My style has always been the dirtier sound of Country, it’s where I feel most comfortable singing and writing”. Brooke said.

The 2023 releases will all feature on Brooke’s debut album containing a collection of songs co-written with country music heavyweights Kaylee Bell, Graeme Connors, Nolan Songs, Jerry Flowers, Linc Phelps and Natalie Pearson, along with shows and appearances at major music festivals.

Get ready to be swept away by the infectious energy and unforgettable melodies of ‘Burn Like Summer’. Brooke Schubert is on fire and ready to rock.

Brooke Schubert’s new single ‘Burn Like Summer is out to radio 3rd July and digital platforms on 7th July.