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Sunburnt Country Music

Interviews with Australian country music artists

For over a decade Sophie Hamley has been interviewing Australian country music artists for her website, Sunburnt Country Music. Now new interviews will be made available in this podcast. Listen to Golden Guitar winners s
Latest EpisodeTuesday, May 23, 2023

Hayley Jensen brings it on

Season 2, Ep. 49
Sydney-based artist Hayley Jensen is one of Australia’s most powerful live performers, with a range and dynamism honed since childhood, although she first came to public attention on Australian Idol several years ago. Since then she has released three studio albums, the latest of which was Breakin' Hearts in 2021, and she has twice been nominated for the Golden Guitar for Female Artist of the Year. Jensen has a brand new single, ‘Bring it On’, and if you need a song to motivate you to do just about anything, this is the one. 'We’ve all felt undervalued, underestimated and taken advantage of at some point in our lives,' Jensen has said of the song. 'Just as we’ve all had self-doubt & questioned our worth. "Bring it On" is an empowering anthem about standing up for yourself and finding the strength to fight for the life you deserve. I really hope this song inspires others to do just that!' To find out more about the song I spoke to Jensen recently, and our conversation also covered stagecraft, about which she had many fascinating things to say, and Jensen's development as a performing artist. More about Hayley Jensen: https://www.hayleyjensen.net/Listen to Hayley Jensen on Apple Music: https://apple.co/3OtuIS6Listen to Hayley Jensen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2pYmedjA9VyTosPNO3OaTi?si=fas8XPYERza5jTCM9HU4DwMore Australian country music interviews, as well as playlists and reviews: https://sunburntcountrymusic.com/
Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Hayley Jensen brings it on

Season 2, Ep. 49
Sydney-based artist Hayley Jensen is one of Australia’s most powerful live performers, with a range and dynamism honed since childhood, although she first came to public attention on Australian Idol several years ago. Since then she has released three studio albums, the latest of which was Breakin' Hearts in 2021, and she has twice been nominated for the Golden Guitar for Female Artist of the Year. Jensen has a brand new single, ‘Bring it On’, and if you need a song to motivate you to do just about anything, this is the one. 'We’ve all felt undervalued, underestimated and taken advantage of at some point in our lives,' Jensen has said of the song. 'Just as we’ve all had self-doubt & questioned our worth. "Bring it On" is an empowering anthem about standing up for yourself and finding the strength to fight for the life you deserve. I really hope this song inspires others to do just that!' To find out more about the song I spoke to Jensen recently, and our conversation also covered stagecraft, about which she had many fascinating things to say, and Jensen's development as a performing artist. More about Hayley Jensen: https://www.hayleyjensen.net/Listen to Hayley Jensen on Apple Music: https://apple.co/3OtuIS6Listen to Hayley Jensen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2pYmedjA9VyTosPNO3OaTi?si=fas8XPYERza5jTCM9HU4DwMore Australian country music interviews, as well as playlists and reviews: https://sunburntcountrymusic.com/
Saturday, May 20, 2023

Interview with Kaitlyn Thomas

Season 2, Ep. 48
Kaitlyn Thomas has been a singer and songwriter from a young age, and her first single, ‘I Wish’, was released in 2011. Since then Kaitlyn has honed her country-rock and pop sound and taken it all the way to our TV screens, appearing on the 2023 season of Australian Idol. Her latest single is the anthemic ‘Pretty Little Thing’, which came about, she says, 'after being told I don't fit the mould and what is typically expected as a female artist. I wanted to write about embracing who I am and female empowerment.'We talk about the song, Idol and many more things besides, because Thomas is great fun to talk to as well as being interesting, and above all passionate and knowledgeable about music.More about Kaitlyn Thomas: https://www.kaitlynthomasofficial.com/Listen to Kaitlyn Thomas on Apple Music: https://apple.co/45lF3p1Listen to Kaitlyn Thomas on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4bgeZZHRLzODQZ8b5DoYuo?si=yoWqSn6ATZy6W0z0ab_AngMore Australian country music interviews, as well as playlists and reviews: https://sunburntcountrymusic.com/
Monday, May 15, 2023

Interview with Ben Mastwyk

Season 2, Ep. 47
Ben Mastwyk is the ringmaster of his band The Millions and the creator of three albums, the latest of which, Livin’ on Gold Street, was released in 2021. Mastwyk's music is thrillingly entertaining while also being lyrically thoughtful, proof that an artist can be dedicated to putting on a great show - even in recorded form - while also being interested in the structure and integrity of the songs. Or, indeed, proving that those things are intrinsically related.Mastwyk's new single released in March is called ‘Actually’ and it is a cosmic country trip that’s taking him all the way to two shows in South Australia in May 2023. Those shows are listed below and tickets are available at https://sixteenhandshigh.comBEN MASTWYK & HIS MILLIONS (Melb)HILLSBOROUGH (Bris)BENNETT & CO. (Adl)plus, Special Mystery GuestFRIDAY 26 MAY - The Wheatsheaf Hotel, Adelaide, doors 7 p.m.SATURDAY 27 MAY - Three Brothers Arms, Macclesfield, doors 2 p.m.More about Ben Mastwyk: https://www.benmastwyk.com/Listen to Ben Mastwyk on Apple Music: https://apple.co/3M1ZgHLListen to Ben Mastwyk on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4J6Xy1loJviGDmhoWfqkH2?si=_QQDOFZ3SyudrurKqfxi7Q
Sunday, May 14, 2023

Interview with Maddie Cail

Season 2, Ep. 46
Maddie Cail is Gold Coast singer-songwriter who is a relative newcomer to the country music scene, releasing songs such as 'Look At You Now' and 'Good Girl Gone Bad' over the past couple of years. But she has galloped - pun completely intended - in with a great new song, 'Giddy Up', that is all about taking chances and getting on with things, even if that means accepting that something hasn't turned out the way you want it to.Cail is also a primary school teacher who, as I found out when we spoke recently, uses music as a teaching tool - which sometimes has her confused with the music teacher! It was a delight to talk to her and find out more about her songs as well as her plans for the next little while. More about Maddie Cail: https://maddiecail.net/Listen to Maddie Cail on Apple Music: https://apple.co/3nWRWFcListen to Maddie Cail on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1BKgoE8u1DSJQfRxLNPnwd?si=_YohXi9cSqCGFax8chy2PQMore Australian country music interviews, as well as playlists and reviews: https://sunburntcountrymusic.com/
Monday, May 8, 2023

Interview with Brooke Schubert

Season 2, Ep. 45
Brooke Schubert is an artist from Queensland who recently had two different singles released - one on her own, 'New Kids in Town', and another, 'Simple Things' with Route 33. It's not the first time Schubert has collaborated in recent times, as she released 'Simple Then' with Will Day in 2021. Schubert will be familiar to Australian TV audiences too as she has appeared on The Voice and Australian Idol, and also seems to have a good handle on TikTok! These were vehicles for Schubert to share her longstanding passion for and dedication to music with audiences, and that passion is infectious and inspiring. With new great singles already behind her this year, and more to come, she is bringing that passion to fans old and new.More about Brooke Schubert: https://brookeschubert.com/Listen to Brooke Schubert on Apple Music: https://apple.co/3VEmXKBListen to Brooke Schubert on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/37AhJFVvcLzRvWWHaHOrlq?si=0FHW2oW1QX-VpsdB6e9szAMore Australian country music interviews, as well as playlists and reviews: https://sunburntcountrymusic.com/
Saturday, May 6, 2023

Brad Cox on his new album Acres

Season 2, Ep. 44
Since Brad Cox first came to our attention in 2018 he has released two studio albums and an acoustic album, and had multiple nominations for awards including Golden Guitars, ARIA and APRA. His first, self-titled album was released in 2018 and showed the breadth of Cox's songwriting skills. His second album, My Mind's Projection, was released in 2020. The acoustic album What's Your Favourite Country Song? was released in 2021.Once the world shut down Cox was landlocked and he set to creating new music. Singles 'What Brought You Back', 'Single Life' and 'Last Time Last' were released in 2022. Now Cox has released third studio album, Acres, and is now heading out on the road to bring the songs to his devoted fans. Just before Acres was released we talked about that album, the fans and more.[NB: mild language warning]More about Brad Cox: https://www.iambradcox.com/Listen to Acres on Apple Music: https://apple.co/3nzAGWyListen to Acres on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/7i5lVXY0ro1Y94G6AqlS2e?si=6ovXCJDwSmGCanVNtirdcAMore Australian country music interviews, as well as playlists and reviews: https://sunburntcountrymusic.com/
Friday, May 5, 2023

LEO and the perfect pandemic song

Season 2, Ep. 43
LEO is a singer-songwriter of alt-country and folk-influenced songs who travels the east coast of Australia playing her music. In 2021 she released an EP in 2021 and a lovely Christmas single, ‘North Star’. Last year she released an acoustic album that contains what just may be the perfect pandemic song, 'Refund'. It's appropriate because the album sprang from lockdowns when LEO was unable to work - as she made her living as a working musician - and going through intense personal changes. The album covers heartbreak and renewal, hope and despair and acceptance, delivered with power and subtlety, so it was great to have a chance to talk to LEO about how she became an artist and the writing of the album.More about LEO: https://leo-o-music.bandcamp.com/album/leoPhysical signed album booklet - https://py.pl/BGzHQDigital copy - https://py.pl/9AhhmqWYUnZ More Australian country music interviews, as well as playlists and reviews: https://sunburntcountrymusic.com/
Copyright Sophie Hamley
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