Emma Donovan has shared details of her fifth studio album Til My Song is Done, sharing its title track as well as an accompanying music video shot at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre, where she recently performed in support of American alt-country musician Charley Crockett on his Australian tour. The album is set for release on Friday April 19th, 2024 via Cooking Vinyl Australia.
The album marks Donovan’s first solo album in 20 years, with her last three albums being released with her backing band The Putbacks. In a press statement explaining her decision to go solo for Til My Song is Done, Donovan noted that she saw the opportunity for a “clean slate”, and that she views the album as her “looking back at what makes [her] who [she is]”.
Emma Donovan – ‘Til My Song is Done’
“I began by asking myself, ‘who am I?'” she said. “‘Who is Emma Donovan? What do I want to do?’ I want to be the deadly granddaughter, niece and daughter. I want to make my family proud.” This, she says, is reflected in the album being more inclined towards country music than the soul and rnb of her material with The Putbacks: “[It’s] honouring that legacy of our family country music ways,” she adds.
“If [my family are] proud and they’re happy, if [they’re] honoured, that’s all I need to know. Mum would be proud. I know this album is just the start of continuing to stand strong not only for my daughters but for all the other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women working in the Australian music industry today.”
Prior to the album’s announcement, Donovan had released two singles from it: ‘Blak Nation’ in October of 2023, and ‘Lovin’ Looks Like’ last month in January 2024. The album is also set to feature duets with fellow singer-songwriters Paul Kelly (on ‘Sing You Over’) and Liz Stringer (on ‘Change is Coming’).
Further Reading
The Top 50 Australian Songs of 2023
Emma Donovan And Kee’ahn Join Forces On New Single ‘Take No More’
Goanna Release 40th Anniversary Version Of ‘Solid Rock’ With Emma Donovan & William Barton
