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TWO TONE PONY RETURN WITH NEW SINGLE & VIDEO ‘DON’T YOU EVER WONDER WHY’
 
Fresh off the back of their previous single ‘You Haven’t Heard Of Me Yet’, which hit #5 on the Australian Country Radio Chart, #12 on the Country Songs Top 40 Australian Airplay Chart and landed on Apple Music’s ‘New In Country’ editorial playlist, NSW Central Coast outfit Two Tone Pony return with ‘Don’t You Ever Wonder Why’, a reflective country-rocker steeped in longing, fate and the ache of roads not taken.
 
Blending old school West Coast rock undertones with classic country textures, the new single finds the band leaning into the cinematic storytelling that has quickly become their trademark. Led by the songwriting of David Kirkpatrick – son of Australian country royalty Slim Dusty and Joy McKean – ‘Don’t You Ever Wonder Why’ unfolds like an old highway memory, equal parts heartache and hope.
 
“I can’t really say where this song came from. I was strumming a few chords one night walking around downstairs in my house when I started singing the lines – keep the fire burning Molly, keep your lantern lit tonight,” David shares. “And I got a really strong vision in my head of a Celtic woman in an Irish valley on a farm (and no – I never had a girlfriend called Molly). The story just tumbled out after that. I had a real sense of a man yearning to be back with her, but he didn’t know how.”
 
Produced once again by multi award winning maestro Rod McCormack ( The Wolfe Brothers, Gina Jeffreys) the track balances earthy instrumentation with sweeping emotional weight. Brandon Smith’s fiddle work dances through the arrangement alongside McCormack’s driving five-string banjo, while Kirkpatrick’s unmistakable Telecaster tone keeps one boot firmly planted in country rock tradition.
 
“The band did a fabulous arrangement of the song, and it features our newest member Brandon on fiddle which just lifts it to a new level,” David says. “I was struggling to get the right sound for the electric rhythm until Rod suggested the Gretsch 6120 which gave the perfect combination grit with clarity – but I stuck to my trusty Telecaster for the solo.”
 
Accompanying the release is a visually rich video shot at Macmasters Beach on the NSW Central Coast, produced entirely in-house by the band. Built around themes of confusion, longing and fate, the clip follows David through a series of locations, echoing the song’s central image of a man searching for lost love.
 
Though the shoot itself delivered a few unforgettable moments.
 
“A couple of things stand out from the video shoot,” David laughs. “ Firstly, we need to take more care of Brandon. We’d decided to film him playing his fiddle solo on the edge of a small dam. We directed him closer and closer and very nearly lost him down the slippery bank!”
 
“Then as he was playing the last notes of the song, our resident kookaburra, annoyed at the drone we’d been using, decided to show she was still the boss and swooped in from behind Brandon, just missing his head. You can see her in the video.”
 
The release also marks a renewed chapter for the band, who returned to the studio and stage with fresh momentum after David underwent major shoulder reconstruction surgery earlier this year – the longest stretch he can remember without playing guitar.
 
Now recovering and preparing to return to live performance, Two Tone Pony are set to appear at the Clarence Valley Country Muster on Saturday October 31 – their first festival performance since David’s surgery.
 
Since forming in 2018, Two Tone Pony have carved out a reputation for heartfelt original songs that draw equally from classic country, folk and rock influences. Their debut album ‘Born On The Road’ reached #11 on the ARIA Country Albums Chart, while their growing catalogue has now surpassed 420k streams across DSPs.
 
With ‘Don’t You Ever Wonder Why’ , the band continue to sharpen their distinctly Australian identity – creating songs filled with humanity, unique soundscapes and the kinds of questions that linger. 
 

Fresh from signing a global publishing deal with Community Music and earning an APRA AMCOS 2026 Most Performed Country Work nomination for ‘TROUBLE’ (with Tori Darke), Australian country artist Jay Santilli is set to release her new EP HEART on June 12.Led by radio single ‘Meant For Me’, the six-track project explores themes of ambition, resilience, love and self-belief. Drawing from her own experiences chasing a music career, Santilli delivers her most personal collection of songs to date.”‘HEART’ is about holding onto your dreams, backing yourself through the setbacks, and appreciating the people who support you along the way,” says Santilli. “It’s a snapshot of where I’ve been and where I’m heading.”Produced predominantly by Nashville’s Noah Needleman (Brett Young, Colbie Caillat, Gavin DeGraw), the EP features songwriting collaborations with Jesse Dozzi, Ben Wagner, Morgan Johnston and Michael Mumford.The release marks the beginning of a major year for Santilli, with a second EP already planned for later in 2026. Following recent support across radio and streaming platforms, and performances alongside artists including Kaylee Bell, Taylor Moss, Wade Forster and Andrew Swift, HEART further cements her position as one of Australia’s rising country artists.HEART is available on all streaming platforms from June 12, with lead single ‘Meant For Me’ serviced to Australian country radio.

RISING COUNTRY MUSIC STAR, TYLA RODRIGUES, DROPS “HONKY TONK HEALING” ANOTHER TASTE OF HER FORTHCOMING DEBUT ALBUM RELEASE
Rising country star, Tyla Rodrigues, has been in demand globally since the start of the year with a whirlwind of festival performances: Tamworth Country Music Festival, Holler Country Festival in Newcastle, C2C Berlin, C2C London and CMC Rocks in Queensland. As Tyla prepares to hit the road again for CMA Fest in Nashville and Lasso Festival in Montreal, she drops her new single,  Honky Tonk Healing.The song is the follow up to her hit single, Can’t Keep Doing This, which hit #9 on the Australian National Airplay chart in just 3 weeks and has exceeded 1 million streams. The new single,  Honky Tonk Healing, was produced by Jared Adlam and penned by Tyla, James Johnston (leading Aussie country artist), and US songwriter Jacob Durrett (Big Loud Publishing). As Tyla describes the new song, “ Honky Tonk Healing is for anyone who’s ever walked into a bar carrying the weight of the world and walked out feeling that little bit lighter. It’s a love letter to neon lights, steel guitars, and the kind of country music that can fix anything!”An artist with her roots deep in traditional country music. Rodrigues, at just 22 years of age,  has quickly become a sought-after performer, regular on global playlists and fixture on the Australian airwaves with her hit singles. 

Pushing the boundaries of country-pop, rising Australian artist Ella Powell returns with her latest single,  Hate My Clothes an infectious yet introspective anthem that explores the quiet pressures of conformity with striking honesty.Blending confessional lyricism with irresistible hooks,  Hate My Clothes pairs emotional depth with vibrant, undeniable energy. Drawing inspiration from 70s disco-pop, the track delivers a nostalgic warmth layered with a modern country edge, creating a space where listeners can both reflect and release.“Lately, I’ve noticed how easily we shrink ourselves and edit who we are just to fit in,” says Powell . “ Hate My Clothes” came from sitting in that discomfort and being brutally honest about it. I wanted to capture this idea by drawing on a small, universal moment that we all experience but rarely talk about.”Ella Powell is carving out a distinctive lane in country-pop, emerging as one of the genre’s most compelling new voices. Her songwriting captures the quiet, universal experiences that often go unnoticed – longing, self-doubt, and resilience transforming deeply personal moments into powerful, sing-along connections.After years of honing her craft, Powell broke through in 2019, winning the People’s Choice Award at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Her debut single  Paper Town soon earned her the title of National Songwriter of the Year, launching a steady stream of releases that gained editorial support across Spotify and Apple Music while climbing multiple charts.Her debut EP,  The End of the Beginning, has since surpassed half a million streams across 80 countries. Most recently, her single  Passerby  debuted as the third most downloaded song across all genres in Australia on release day and gained multiple Apple Music editorial playlisting support.A captivating live performer, Powell has graced stages across the country from the iconic Deni Ute Muster alongside Kip Moore and Tyler Hubbard, to Sunset Sounds with Thirsty Merc and Kingswood. She has also performed as official pre-entertainment for Taylor Swift and Luke Combs at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, further cementing her reputation as a commanding presence on stage.In 2025, Powell returned to Tamworth as a Top 10 Toyota Star Maker finalist, joining an alumni legacy that includes some of Australia’s most celebrated country artists including Keith Urban, Kaylee Bell and Lee Kernaghan.With a growing catalogue, an expanding fanbase, and a slate of new releases and live shows planned throughout 2026 and beyond, Ella Powell continues her ascent as an artist destined for the global stage.Ella Powell’s new single “Hate My Clothes” is serviced to radio on Monday 25th May and all streaming platforms on Friday 29th May.Serviced to radio by Little Sparrow PR. Distributed by GYROstream.

For Olivia Mae Graham, the dream has always been clear but now it has finally become real. An artist who has spent years writing songs, playing every stage she could, and building her career from the ground up, this momentum represents more than recognition, it’s arrival. Graham will debut a brand new song on the CMAOntario stage at the 14th annual Country Music Association of Ontario Awards in Port Credit on May 31, while also earning nominations in four categories: Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Music Video of the Year.A year of milestones, all leading to this moment. As she prepares for the show, Graham hints at what’s to come. “What will I wear? What will I sing? You’ll have to wait and see,” she says with a smile. Graham, joined by bandmate Nolan Gibson (Musician of the Year nominee) and the 3x nominee the Western Swing Authority, will step onto one of Ontario’s biggest stages with the same authenticity and storytelling that has propelled her career. Shared with her team, who have also been recognized this year, for their work on her debut album Nobody, Jay Allan and Aaron Murray Record Producer(s) of the Year.With her ever-growing fanbase and the MaeFlower community, Graham is stepping into a new chapter, one defined not just by potential, but by purpose. Her current single ‘I’m Not Sorry,’ continues to gain traction. “I couldn’t be more proud of this album, this team, and the Ontario country music family for welcoming my music with open arms,” says Graham. This is only the beginning.

About the album:Reflections — A Journey Through Love, Loss, and Healing, There are moments in life that alter us forever—moments that break us open, reshape us, and ultimately reveal who we are beneath everything we thought we knew. My new album, Reflections, was born from one of those moments.This project is more than a collection of songs. It is the most vulnerable, honest, and emotionally charged work I’ve ever created. Reflections began taking shape after the passing of my partner of 34 years—a loss that left me searching for meaning, for grounding, for some way to breathe again when the world suddenly felt unfamiliar. Music became that lifeline. Every lyric, every chord, every whispered melody on this album came from nights when grief felt overwhelming and mornings when hope dared to return. These songs are pieces of my heart.They explore the ache of missing someone who shaped your world, the quiet memories that surface when you least expect them, and the slow process of learning to carry love and loss together. Some tracks are raw and trembling; others are warm with the light of healing. All of them are honest. My greatest hope is that Reflections reaches anyone who has felt the weight of loss or the power of love that refuses to fade. If these songs can bring comfort, connection, or even a moment of understanding to someone walking a similar path, then this album will have done what I created it to do.Thank you for being with me on this journey. Thank you for listening—truly listening. This album is for my partner. And it’s for anyone who has ever loved deeply enough to grieve.

SHANLEIGH ROSE RELEASES STRIKING NEW Folk-Country SINGLE “LIKE MY MAMA LOVES TOBACCO”

Rising Australian country-pop storyteller Shanleigh Rose delivers a bold and evocative new single with “Like My Mama Loves Tobacco” —a track that lingers long after the first listen.Sitting in the fragile space where love and dependency collide, “ Like My Mama Loves Tobacco” explores the emotional complexity of holding onto something that still feels like home. Between fields left fallow and the quiet weight of generational addiction, Shanleigh leans into truth over resolution—offering a raw, unfiltered reflection on emotional attachment. Backed by Tamworth Songwriters Association award-winning lyricism and deeply vulnerable vocals, the folk-country ballad captures a feeling many recognise but rarely articulate.

“Since I was a child, I’ve witnessed the way addiction lives and breathes in people. I remember telling myself, ‘I will never let that happen to me.’ Fast forward to 17, and I’ve fallen head over heels for someone so intoxicating and all-consuming that it hurts. In writing this song, I realised that what I felt for them acted more like my mother’s relationship with smoking than love. And just as I had witnessed in her, I could not let go of it. I knew how bad it was for me, but I just couldn’t put it down. Eventually, it began to burn away my soul, and I knew I had to make the decision… loving me meant letting him go.” — Shanleigh RoseDrawing inspiration from the candid, deeply human songwriting of Melody Moko and Fanny Lumsden—particularly Moko’s “Like Hank Would” and Lumsden’s “Fallow”—the track also benefits from the guiding hand of producer Michael Muchow, whose close ties to both artists bring a sense of creative alignment to the project.“It is a really different direction to any of my previous releases, but I’m just in love with this track… It’s the most ‘me’ song I think I’ve ever put out.” — Shanleigh RoseMulti-award-winning Melody Moko adds:
“Shanleigh Rose has a gift for songwriting that is both vivid and personal. With ‘Like My Mama Loves Tobacco,’ she doubles down on that gift, delivering a take on dependency that feels innocent and mature in the same breath, much like Shanleigh as an artist.”An enchanting storyteller and captivating performer, Shanleigh Rose continues to establish herself as a formidable force in Australian music. With songwriting at the core of her artistry, she has built a growing audience drawn to her evocative lyricism and memorable melodies. 2026 has seen Shanleigh expanding Spotify catalogue now surpassed 100,000 streams across ten single releases, reflecting her steady rise and adding Oppurnities  to perform and work alongside industry greats including. Fanny Lumsden on her 2026 tour, including a standout performance at iconic Brisbane venue The Triffid  with Shanleigh calendar slowly filling up it further cements her reputation as a compelling live act.

With “Like My Mama Loves Tobacco,” Shanleigh Rose doesn’t just tell a story—she invites listeners to sit inside it. It’s intimate, confronting, and unmistakably authentic, marking a powerful new chapter for one of Australia’s most promising voices.See Shanleigh Rose Live
May 24th – The Linville Hotel – Linville, QLDMay 29th – The Maleny Show – Maleny, QLDJun 27th – Hotel Radnor – Blackbutt, QLDJuly 4th – Gravel & Flannel Festival – Wondai, QLDJuly 11th – Radnor Hotel – Blackbutt, QLDJuly 17th – Farm to Table – Toowoomba, QLD​​​​​​​August 28th & 29th Gympie Music Muster, Amamoor State Forest

Today (5.15), Mackenzie Carpenter – the country singer-songwriter who has amassed more than 100M career streams – sends a soured love spinning into the neon-lit dust with a flip of her ponytail on “ High Pony,” out now via Big Machine Records. Written by Carpenter alongside Jimmy Robbins and Matt Stell, the retro-tinged track rides on twangy guitars and a country-pop dancefloor groove as she shrugs off a cowboy, too stuck on his high horse to admit what’s been lost. 
 
“I feel like, in girl world, a high pony is like an alter ego,” says Carpenter. “It brings out this more confident, unbothered side of you. That’s exactly the energy behind this song.”
 
“High Pony” further spotlights the coveted pop-country edge and lyricism that have made Carpenter – a recent ACM “New Female Artist of the Year” nominee – one of the genre’s fastest-rising artists.   
 
She has earned recognition as part of MusicRow’s “Next Big Thing Artists Class,” Spotify’s “Hot Country Artists to Watch” and CMT’s “Next Women of Country.” Beyond her own releases, she’s become an in-demand songwriter, crafting tracks for Megan Moroney, Lily Rose and Hudson Westbrook, with more new music expected in the coming months.
 
ABOUT MACKENZIE CARPENTER:
Raised in the small town of Hull, Georgia, Mackenzie Carpenter grew up writing songs with her brothers and singing in church, shaping a voice that felt honest before it ever felt polished. That foundation became the heartbeat of her debut album, Hey Country Queen, a 13-song introduction that blended humor, heartbreak, and sharp storytelling, earning over 100 million streams to date and recognition as one of Holler’s Best Country Albums of 2025. But if Country Queen was the crown, her next chapter is the aura.
 
Mackenzie’s new releases mark an evolution that confidently wears a magnetic and contagious presence. It’s the sound of a woman you notice before you understand why. Aspirational–but undeniably human–close enough to recognize yourself in her, while luminous in a way that makes you fall in love with who you’re becoming. Following the April 3 release of her new song “All In Already,” the 2026 ACM New Female Artist of the Year nominee continues the momentum with her sassy new track “High Pony,” arriving May 15.
 
Still rooted in classic Country storytelling, this new project expands the atmosphere around it. The production feels warm and charming. The writing cuts deeper but lands softer, and a rare duality exists throughout. It’s playful yet iconic, and grounded yet glowing. Mackenzie moves from barefoot honesty to center stage confidence without changing a single thing about who she is. This music leans into nuance: the tucked-hair glance, the laugh that spills out without apology, the ache beneath the wit. It feels like sunshine blended with a secret, both effortlessly cool and undeniably alluring.
 
Beyond her own artistry, Mackenzie continues shaping the next wave of Country music as a trusted co-writer behind Megan Moroney’s “I’m Not Pretty,” “Indifferent,” the CMA-nominated “You Had To Be There” (with Kenny Chesney), and multiple tracks on Moroney’s latest album. Her breakout duet “I Wish You Would” (ft. Midland) was hailed as one of 2025’s most irresistible collaborations, cementing her as both a compelling voice and a sought-after pen. Named to MusicRow’s ‘Next Big Thing’ Artists Class, Spotify’s Hot Country Artists to Watch, and CMT’s Next Women of Country, Carpenter has shared stages with Miranda Lambert, Jordan Davis, Parker McCollum and more. She continues into 2026 on select dates of Riley Green’s Cowboy As It Gets Tour, as well as select dates of Jason Aldean as support for his Songs About Us Tour.
 
ABOUT BIG MACHINE RECORDS:
Led by Founder, Chairman, and CEO Scott Borchetta, Big Machine Records & Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment are the core record company brands in Borchetta’s portfolio of businesses. 
 
The Big Machine/Nashville Harbor artist roster includes Riley Green, The Band Perry, Rascal Flatts, Lady A, The Jack Wharff Band, Marfa, Aaron Lewis, Caroline Jones, Cole Goodwin, Greylan James, Mackenzie Carpenter, and Shaylen.

Shania Twain , five-time GRAMMY Award winner and the top-selling female country-pop artist of all time, has announced her seventh album, Little Miss Twain. Marking her most personal work in a hallowed career of acclaimed albums, classic hits, and over 100 million albums sold worldwide, Little Miss Twain establishes a return to Shania’s roots. The album’s lead single “ Dirty Rosie is out now and introduces an album that seamlessly blends country, pop, rock, soul, and bluegrass in an artistic evolution tracing the formative experiences that led to Shania becoming one of the most beloved, influential stars of our time. Little Miss Twain is out July 24th via Republic Nashville. Pre-order it HERE:  
Ahead of release, Shania will also return to the road, joining Harry Styles for a massive 12-night stand at London’s Wembley Stadium. Shania will follow the London shows with a special one-off headlining performance in Ireland, at Limerick City’s Thomond Park Stadium.
 
“A lot of Little Miss Twain is reflective of my teens, my roots as well as the energy of the rock and R&B I loved so much, but still with that Western twang,” Shania says. “Where I’m from you don’t go anywhere on a horse — you go on a snowmobile. I was dreaming about the Western lifestyle and I was living in a very different world than where I ended up.”
 
From the very beginning of her career, Shania forged ahead with a vision all her own, blazing the trail for the crossover success of country music, the erosion of genre strictures, and a new generation of similarly uncompromising female country stars that claimed her as a primary influence. Shania broke records at every turn, making history as the first artist to ever release three consecutive Diamond-certified albums. Yet even with the range and impact of her past work, she’s never written something as self-referential and introspective as Little Miss Twain. The album gets to the core of her as a person and a musician, only possible with decades of hard-earned wisdom and perspective.
 
With 2017’s Now, Shania ended a 15-year break from releasing music and quickly reclaimed her throne as one of the definitive country-pop artists of her generation. She followed it in 2023 with Queen Of Me, and kicked off the global Queen Of Me Tour, which ranked among the Top 10 highest-grossing country tours of the year. In between tours, she also launched sold-out Las Vegas residencies. Never content to rest on the stratospheric success of her past, Shania now returns with an album that builds upon not just the experiences of her early years, but also the groundbreaking career that followed. The title may call back to Shania’s days as an eight-year-old singing late night at the bar, but the album finds the artist more vital than ever as a songwriter.
 
About Shania Twain
Globally celebrated songwriter, artist and performer Shania Twain is a five-time GRAMMY Award winner, multi-award-honored trailblazer, and one of music’s most iconic and influential voices. Bold, boundary-pushing, and unapologetically original, Twain helped redefine country music for a global audience, opening the door for the genre-blending sound and cultural crossover shaping country and pop music today.
 
With six acclaimed studio albums and more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, Twain remains the top-selling female country-pop artist of all time. Her era-defining catalog includes timeless hits such as “Any Man of Mine,” “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” “You’re Still the One,” and “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” She also made history as the first artist ever to release three consecutive Diamond-certified albums.
 
After decade-long break from releasing new music, Twain made a triumphant return with NOW in September 2017, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making it the first female country release in more than three years to top the all-genre chart. The album’s success was followed by her year-long, sold-out NOW World Tour. In 2021, Twain launched her second Las Vegas residency, “Let’s Go!”, which sold out completely and ran through September 2022. In July 2022, Netflix released Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl, a career-spanning documentary on her life and legacy, with an accompanying Highlights album. Most recently, Shania released her sixth full-length album, Queen of Me, on February 3, 2023, via Republic Nashville, receiving glowing reviews. In April 2023, she kicked off her sold-out global Queen of Me Tour, which ran through November 2023 and ranked among the Top 10 highest-grossing country tours of the year. In 2024, Twain returned to Las Vegas for her third sold-out residency, “Come On Over!”, which concluded with a grand finale in February 2025.
 
A renowned fashion icon and enduring cultural force, Twain continues to influence generations across music, style, and pop culture. She is currently working on new material for her seventh studio album with Republic Records, while also developing television and film projects.
 
Through The Shania Twain Foundation, Twain also supports causes close to her heart, including food insecurity, youth empowerment, and access to mental health resources for children and families in need. Please visit shaniatwainfoundation.com for more information.

AWARD WINNING COUNTRY STAR MAX JACKSONDROPS FAN FAVOURITE, SHOTGUN SLIDEFROM HER #1 ARIA COUNTRY ALBUM,  DANGEROUS IN DENIMHot on the heels of releasing her #1 ARIA Australian Country Album, Dangerous In Denim, and announcing her headline album tour dates; Max Jackson drops a fan favourite single, Shotgun Slide.I hope it’s got a bench seat So I can shotgun..Slide on over, when you take the corners a little too fast, that’ll be fine Cause maybe I’ll end up under your arm Stealin’ a kiss from passenger side I ain’t the kinda type too  materialistic but I’m hell for leather right now got me hopin’ that car you drive has got a bench seat So I can Shotgun SlideWritten by Max, she describes this track, “ This song is so much fun!!! I actually wrote it all on my own one day when we had just arrived home from a massive tour weekend and I think having a bit of that crazy happy, crazy exhausted energy put my brain into this little pocket of quirk.  I love the “talky” country songs that have been trending at the moment so I had heaps of fun going between singing, speaking and everything in between.  It’s really just about that very beginning, spark of love where you wanna get a little closer!”Over the last 18 months Max has impressed audiences and gathered a legion of new fans with her infectious energy and stage presence at many of Australia’s biggest country music festivals and also graced stages in Germany and the UK. To top it all off Max was also named Female Artist of the Year at the Australian Country Music Awards in both 2025 and 2026.Join Max Jackson on her Dangerous in Denim Australian Tour. You will be guaranteed a high-energy show where the artist and audience unite in a fun-filled party that leaves everyone “satisfied to the MAX.”