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Since the arrival of his 2023 debut single ‘Drink You Up’, country-pop newcomer Nathan Lamont has been kicking massive goals. He was recently announced as a finalist in the APRA AMCOS Professional Development Awards for 2024 and was also a Top 10 finalist in this year’s prestigious country music competition – Toyota Star Maker. All of this comes ahead of his follow-up single, ‘Skin To Skin’ .

The smooth talking ‘Skin To Skin’ showcases Nathan’s magnetic vocal, effortlessly navigating every dip and crescendo of the rock-infused mid-tempo. Judging the book by its cover it’s easy to discern what Nathan may be crooning about, yet his lyrics leave plenty to the imagination. “You make me feel that we’re forever / That time is still when we’re together / Yeah baby when we’re skin to skin”.

On one hand it’s a steamy tête-à-tête, on the other it’s relationship advice. “The inspiration of the song came from some of the highs and lows of my relationship with my wife,” confesses Nathan, who believes the best medicine is often physical. “With a little bit of intimacy, everything negative can quickly be resolved.”

Yet, those words of wisdom were not the first thing to emerge when Nathan co-wrote the track with fellow Toyota Starmaker alumni, Robbie Mortimer. “The melodic phrasings were built first, and the words soon followed,” reveals Nathan.

He waited until the eleventh hour to put the finishing touches on the song. “The bridge was written in the studio just prior to recording the demo and was the final piece of the puzzle!” Recorded and produced by Alex Mather at Only Hits Studios, the tune took shape thanks to some pickers from Music City, USA. “We had Nashville based session artists, Sol Philcox-Littlefield (bass and lead/rhythm guitars) and Justin Schipper (Pedal Steel) both tracking their parts from the states.”

The irresistibly catchy ‘Skin To Skin’ is only the second offering from Nathan, following the aforementioned debut, ‘Drink You Up’. The singer’s debut single garnered over 185k streams and scored positions on Apple Music’s ‘Aussie Country’, ‘Little Bit Country’, ‘Country Risers’ and Spotify’s ‘Fresh Finds Country’.

Before blowing away Tamworth festivalgoers on the Toyota Star Maker stage in January, Nathan had already warmed up stages for some of the best. He’s supported previous Toyota Star Maker winner Loren Ryan, as well as modern legends Thirsty Merc and Morgan Evans. This year he’s set to rock stages at Tumbafest and A Night in Nashville.

Nathan Lamont’s ‘Skin To Skin’ is a perfect snapshot of the emerging artist. Intimate lyrics and powerful vocals wrapped in a modern country sound that would make any Nashville hitmaker swoon. This singer-songwriter is certainly one to watch

Award Winning Singer-Songwriter Cassidy-Rae Launches Into 2024 With A New Infectious Song ‘Fangirl’.

Buckle up for a toe-tapping ride through the world of fandom as Cassidy-Rae drops her latest contemporary country sensation ‘Fangirl’.

Packed with infectious beats, relatable lyrics, and Cassidy-Rae’s signature style, ‘Fangirl’ is poised to become the anthem for all those who have ever been front row at a show or danced in their room, belting out their favourite artist’s tunes.

This track isn’t just a song, it’s a celebration! Cassidy-Rae’s storytelling prowess brings to life the universal experience of fangirling, creating an anthem for every music lover who has ever lost themselves in the magic of their favourite artist.

With the perfect blend of modern production and classic country storytelling, Cassidy-Rae delivers a fresh take on the genre that is impossible to resist.

‘Fangirl’ comes after Cassidy-Rae’s 2023 radio hit ‘One More Song’ which was added to stations across the country including Triple M Country, iHeart Country, KIX Country, Australian Country Radio as well as countless community radio stations. The track was also added to Apple Music’s Aussie Country playlist and Spotify’s Fresh Country playlist which to date has attracted over 431,000 spins.

Don’t miss out on the chance to be the first to share the magic of ‘Fangirl’ with your audience. Cassidy-Rae invites you to join the party and let the world know that fangirling has never sounded this good.

Cassidy-Rae’s new single ‘Fangirl’ is out to radio and all digital platforms on Friday 9th February 2024.

You may know her as the blue-haired beauty behind global mega hit, “Geronimo”, as Orca on The Masked Singer Australia, as the newest resident of Nashville or you just may have seen her play at some of the biggest country music festivals in the country.

Amy Sheppard is one of the most successful female Australian songwriters of her generation with her songs being streamed in the billions, sales in the millions and now she is back in 2024 with her new single “Small Town Rumours”.

Says Amy, “Small Town Rumours is my fiery new anthem about the relentless gossip swirling through tight-knit communities. With lyrics that confront the chatter head-on, this song celebrates resilience and individuality – values really important to me. The wildfire of rumours may burn, but this single defiantly declares, “All I’ve found is they can’t bring me down” and these are words I live by.”

The single is the first release of 2024 for Amy with her last major single, “Overthinking “, which became her fifth Top 5 hit on the Australian country airplay chart.

On top of this, in the first 18 months of her solo country music career, Amy has released a collaboration with US vocal supergroup Home Free and Travis Collins, had a sixth Top 40 single plus of course her first #1 on the ARIA Australian Country Album chart with her 2022 EP, “Nothing But Wild”.

Due to the success of her first run of singles. Amy has once again teamed up with song writing legends, Lindsay Rimes (Kylie Minogue, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini), her brother George Sheppard (Sheppard, Busby Marou) and for the first time, Danielle Blakey (Morgan Evans, Casey Barnes) with Rimes producing the track in Nashville.

Following her surprise reveal as Orca on The Masked Singer Australia, “Small Town Rumours” is set to dominate country radio again as Amy’s star continues to rise and she embarks on a national media tour of the United States.

Amy, alongside her siblings and Sheppard bandmates, George and Emma, Amy relocated to Nashville in October where they have been busy preparing their new album for release, as well as supporting Amy’s solo country music career.

In addition to her music, Amy is a national spokesperson for body positivity, launching her Kiss My Fat Ass campaign in 2018. She features in the acclaimed documentary Embrace Kids, directed by 2023 Australian of the Year, Taryn Brumfitt, and is regularly called upon to discuss her own journey with self-image, acceptance and fitting in on social media.

Hot off the back of her win at the Golden Guitars for New Talent of the Year, Max Jackson drops her brand-new single, “Fixin’ Things”. After a big year in 2023: announcing her signing to ABC Music, performing at CMA Fest in Nashville, showcasing at SXSW in Sydney and securing the Ambassador role for Tamworth Music Festival 2024. Max wrapped up the year with “Little More Country” securing #1 position on the CountryTown National Airplay Charts for 2 consecutive weeks.

As Max describes her new single, “Imagine a late-night honky-tonk full of people partying their problems away. Fixin’ Things is fun, high-energy and sure to get you moving with its tongue in cheek, quirky lyric, it’ll get you laughing too.”

“I wrote Fixin’ Things with Jay Knowles when I went to CMA Fest in Nashville 2023. My goal was to bottle up the vibe of the honky-tonks down on broadway, bursting at the seams with people dancing and partying to country music. I think so many people will relate to this one about putting your problems in the “I’ll fix it later” pile and just getting on with life. After all, you’ve some good friends you can count on & there’s always a bar downtown waiting for you to dance all your problems away, am I right?”

From humble beginnings in the small country town of Coonamble NSW (Pop. 2750), to winning Australia’s biggest country music competition (Toyota Star Maker), playing national & international Country Music Festivals, a Golden Guitar win, and showcasing at CMA Fest 2023; the last eighteen months has been quite the ride for Australian Country Artist, Max Jackson.

Melbourne-Based Singer-Songwriter Jay Santilli Returns with a Heartfelt Rendition of Brandi Carlile’s ‘The Story’

After a hiatus from the music scene to focus on her growing family, Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Jay Santilli had a busy 2023 releasing two new tracks ‘Love Someone Else’ and ‘Come Back Home’ which were both widely well received. Now she is stepping back into the spotlight with an emotionally charged rendition of Brandi Carlile’s iconic track, ‘The Story.’ Collaborating with producer Daniel Kelaart and guitarist Alex Tomlins, Santilli has meticulously crafted a unique interpretation that pays homage to the original’s authenticity.

Now, with a young family in tow, Santilli is excited to share her latest musical endeavor with the world. The debut performance of ‘The Story’ took place at the Toyota Star Maker Grand Final, where Santilli captivated an audience in the 1000s marking a pivotal moment in her musical career.

Following the release, Santilli’s journey will unfold through radio interviews, street press features, and a robust social media campaign. ‘The Story’ is not just a cover; it signifies the beginning of a significant musical chapter for Santilli in 2024.

Santilli’s singing and writing is deeply rooted in emotion and passion, reflecting her unwavering commitment to authentic storytelling. With years spent honing her craft and sharing stages with phenomenal talents, Santilli invites music enthusiasts to join her on this exciting next phase of her musical journey.

Written by Keith and his long time bass played Jerry Flowers as well as Chase McGill and Greg Wells, ‘Straight Line’ is an up-tempo, joy-infused song about a couple getting back on track
Keith has sold over 20 Million albums, amassed over 10 Billion streams, won 4 Grammy Awards, 6 ARIA Awards, 4 American Music Awards, 13 Country Music Association Awards, 12 Academy of Country Music Awards
‘Straight Line’ this is the first song off a new project from Keith with more music to come in 2024

Written by Keith and his long time bass played Jerry Flowers as well as Chase McGill and Greg Wells, ‘Straight Line’ is an up-tempo, joy-infused song about a couple getting back on track
Keith has sold over 20 Million albums, amassed over 10 Billion streams, won 4 Grammy Awards, 6 ARIA Awards, 4 American Music Awards, 13 Country Music Association Awards, 12 Academy of Country Music Awards
‘Straight Line’ this is the first song off a new project from Keith with more music to come in 2024

Alt-country singer-songwriter Tori Forsyth today announces her third studio album All We Have Is Who We Are will be released on Friday May 3rd (through Island Records Australia) and shares another taste of what’s to come, with the release of a new single and video, ‘Good Enough’.

The long-awaited All We Have Is Who We Are LP will be available on DSPs, CD and in a limited edition “cherry red” (eco-Mix) Vinyl release.

It’s been a long road to All We Have Is Who We Are; an album that dives into the darkness, emerging out on the other side into the lightness and ready to embrace the future.

Tori shares, “This album was written at a time of understanding life a little better and a little more. It feels like a step forward for me. I feel lighter; this record feels lighter and more hopeful. It symbolises that it isn’t always easy to cast things as yes or no or beginning and end, that there is a grey zone in which most things exist. The water is murky, but we swim through it anyway. It’s a reconciliation with myself and a goodbye to a version of me that needed to die. The healing is in the living of life; the songs come from that experience. Being truly part of life, and how without that, there are no stories or songs. This record reflects that entirely and is the benchmark from which I will eternally create from.”

All We Have Is Who We Are was literally sculpted by nature, with Tori spending months living in a treehouse in country Queensland listening to country music and working on her parents’ horse stud. Whether it’s the immersive slow burner ‘Good Enough’ or the low-slung single, ‘Made Your Bed’, all 10 tracks on All We Have Is Who We Are are earthy and strong, with one singular intention: to follow what Tori loves, and to settle for nothing less.

“Returning to the family farm, it was the grounding I needed to be able to determine where I was going with who I am, what I actually wanted out of my life. It got me off the hamster wheel I was spinning. This record sums that up. Every record I have ever released is me, a version of me. This is where I am now and I couldn’t be more proud or more content. It just feels like home.”

New single ‘Good Enough’ is the most delicate and introspective moment on the upcoming album and it’s the song that digs deep into those feelings of being on the spinning wheel and feeling completely inadequate. Underscored by a ringing guitar and lilting harmonies enhanced by Australian country music legend Kasey Chambers, Tori explains about the track:

“Good Enough is simply about the raw emotion of isolation, unseen effort and feeling like you’re missing the mark. Whatever that mark might be. I felt like a little girl writing it because I think it’s something we can begin feeling at a very young age. I wanted it to be an innocent questioning of, when will I accept that I am good enough? Towards the end, the song has a bit of light, showing that we are the only ones who can truly measure what that is for ourselves; everyone else’s perception is irrelevant.”

To capture these emotions on film, the official video for ‘Good Enough’ was shot outdoors in one take, featuring only Tori. Director Bradley Mundane tells, “We had just shot two videos the day before and had to be up at sunrise to get the shot we needed. We had no idea what the weather was going to do and we picked a location the morning of based on the most available fog and lighting. It was really emotional for me shooting this clip. Tori and I have been collaborating for years and capturing this moment felt like Tori had finally found her voice. Proving she’s more than good enough and I’m so proud of her and the artist she’s becoming.”

All We Have Is Who We Are is produced by Scott Horscroft (Charlie Collins, Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley) and recorded at The Grove Studios, NSW with Tori’s full band of Reece Baines (drums), Matthew Newton (guitars) and Zachary Miller (bass). Joining Tori in the studio were the Mak Brothers, Thom (guitar) and Andy (keys), as well as on pedal steel guitar, multi-instrumentalist Jy-Perry Banks. The album includes debut single ‘Sometimes’ feat. Shane Nicholson – nominated recently for a Golden Guitar Award for Best Vocal Collaboration, earning Tori her fourth Golden Guitar nomination.

From Tori’s appearances at Gympie Muster, Groundwater Country Music Festival, BIGSOUND 2023 and her recent Jackson Dean support, there is a newfound freedom and lightness propelling from the Sunshine Coast artist, returning her back to the forefront of Australian country music.

In the coming months, Tori will be showcasing songs from her new album All We Have Is Who We Are at live shows across the country. Watch this space…

Melbourne-Based Singer-Songwriter Jay Santilli Returns with a Heartfelt Rendition of Brandi Carlile’s ‘The Story’

After a hiatus from the music scene to focus on her growing family, Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Jay Santilli had a busy 2023 releasing two new tracks ‘Love Someone Else’ and ‘Come Back Home’ which were both widely well received. Now she is stepping back into the spotlight with an emotionally charged rendition of Brandi Carlile’s iconic track, ‘The Story.’ Collaborating with producer Daniel Kelaart and guitarist Alex Tomlins, Santilli has meticulously crafted a unique interpretation that pays homage to the original’s authenticity.

Now, with a young family in tow, Santilli is excited to share her latest musical endeavor with the world. The debut performance of ‘The Story’ took place at the Toyota Star Maker Grand Final, where Santilli captivated an audience in the 1000s marking a pivotal moment in her musical career.

Following the release, Santilli’s journey will unfold through radio interviews, street press features, and a robust social media campaign. ‘The Story’ is not just a cover; it signifies the beginning of a significant musical chapter for Santilli in 2024.

Santilli’s singing and writing is deeply rooted in emotion and passion, reflecting her unwavering commitment to authentic storytelling. With years spent honing her craft and sharing stages with phenomenal talents, Santilli invites music enthusiasts to join her on this exciting next phase of her musical journey.

Two-time Toyota Star Maker finalist, Cameron Cusack, releases his brand new single, ‘Who We Are’, on Friday January 26th.

Produced by James Sinclair-Stott, accompanied by a music video directed by Isaak Schiller of Art Life Films, ‘Who We Are’ carries a modern country feel with a guitar-driven edge, and an air of sophistication, similar to Cameron’s 2015 release, ‘Endless Summer’. ‘Who We Are’ comes off the back of Cameron’s “They’re Gonna Know Who We Are” tour, and is a party track that, with confidence, represents everyone for who they are, and especially for their passions and dreams.

2024 see’s Cameron embark on a brand new tour, “Bullet Hole Through A Street Sign”, which is also the title track of his upcoming EP, dropping March. The “Bullet Hole Through A Street Sign” tour kicks off at the single launch for ‘Who We Are’, this Australia Day, Jan 26th in Townsville.

Cameron Cusack is a recording artist with a career spanning over a decade, which includes time being mentored by 40x Golden Guitar, and 5x ARIA Award winner, Troy Cassar-Daley. Raised in Southern NSW, now calling North Queensland home, Cameron has toured the country as a soloist, opener, and now headliner of festivals nationwide. With multiple tracks charting in the Australian Country Music Radio Charts, you can frequently find his songs in the PlayMPE most requested country songs for airplay charts.

With a passion for taking music to remote areas of the country, such as the Northern Territory, Cape York, and Western Queensland, if there’s an outback festival, you’ll most likely find Cam. Not one to leave any place uncovered, you can also find him at large events and festivals such as stadium shows for the National Rugby League, Winton’s Way Out West Fest, Savannah In The Round, and the Tamworth Country Music Festival.