Manly Serenades

If you want to know Rachael Fahim’s story, just listen to her music. Some songwriters take inspiration from their lives, Rachael opens up her heart and pours its deepest truths into the songs.

“Songwriting is like my diary. I might be letting people in too deep, but I just have to be vulnerable. When I write about heartbreak and other things I’ve been through, it’s like I’ve taken the weight of those feelings and experiences off me and captured them into the song”.

Her new single ‘Good Luck’, out now via Island Records / UMA, is an aching example of that unfiltered honesty.

After being dumped by a partner so that he could get back together with his ex-girlfriend, Rachael brought the tumultuous mix of sadness and anger into a session at a writing camp. The emotions poured out so powerfully that she had to retreat to the bathroom to tearily unpack the whole story to a friend - not realising the subject of the song was in the adjoining unisex stall.

“It was mortifying, but it really gave me the drive to go back into the room and write the rest of the lyrics. It was so hard to pull all that out of myself, but I knew we had nailed the song, and it gave me closure on the whole experience”. 

Perfecting the recording for almost three years, Rachael relentlessly finetuned the track until the production felt locked in to the catharsis she felt in the lyrics.

The final track is quintessentially Rachael - tactile, infectiously melodic, deeply heartfelt, centered in country but blending in the best elements of confessional pop.

The dedication to perfecting the song is unsurprising to anyone who knows Rachael’s story, a catalogue of hard work and achievements beyond her years. You could draw a line back to the influence of her parents, both practical and supportive - her father a builder and mother a dental nurse.

When Kasey Chambers’ sophomore album ‘Barricades and Brickwalls’ dropped in her life at age six, it unlocked a latent musical passion. The album, which featured the smash ‘Not Pretty Enough’, helped spark a wide-ranging musical palette. Over the coming years, Rachael delved into modern and classic country - from Lee Ann Womack to Linda Ronstadt to Keith Urban to John Denver, despite the shunning and mockery that it could provoke from schoolmates in an era where country sat far outside the mainstream of cool.

After an impressive rendition of the national anthem at a school assembly woke her family up to her sonorous voice, she started singing lessons and was soon making up the beginnings of her own songs. Despite the lack of any industry connections, Rachael felt determined to pursue a path as an artist. It wasn’t just a dream, it seemed like the only life she could imagine.

Driving forward was hard work, but her passion and drive to constantly better herself took her through - through the CMAA Academy of Country Music, being crowned Toyota Starmaker (following in the footsteps of Keith Urban, Troy Cassar-Daley and countless others), five #1s at country radio and a national tour with pop superstar Dean Lewis.

2025 is shaping up as Rachael’s biggest year to date, with her first ever headline tour kicking off at the end of January, and her debut-album in the works for release later this year.

Her ability to connect with the audience at a massive pop show as well as hardcore country fans at festivals like CMC Rocks speaks both to her distinctive blend of country music with influences from pop singer-songwriters like Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo, but also to the way that people fall in love with the beautifully transparent songwriting that reminds them of their own triumphs and struggles.

“I can’t write something even a little untrue into one of my songs, I just won’t let myself, and I think people feel that and feel their version of whatever I’m singing about. Nothing makes me prouder than getting DMs after a show from girls saying they related to my songs and it helped them move past heartbreak the same way it did for me writing them”.

Midwest Molly is the captivating country music collaboration between Kate Hathaway, hailing from the country heartland of Illinois, USA, and her husband Michael Turner, a seasoned musician from the beaches of Australia.

When the two met in the iconic music city of Nashville, Tennessee, they were quickly united by their love for music and each other. Their creative sparks ignited and the MWM songwriting partnership was born.

Drawing from the rich tapestry of both of their musical journeys, Midwest Molly offers a unique blend of American country with refreshing global twists. This music is a testament to their world travels, industry experiences, and the beautiful perspectives they've gained along the way. The resulting songs are as heartfelt as they are unique.

“We write our songs for us, to document our journey, to tell our stories knowing that many will connect having had similar moments in their own lives. Others will simply enjoy hearing tales that are not at all like their own.”

An impressive Kate Hathaway leads the show as Midwest Molly, ensuring whether you're listening to a live performance or recorded track, the experience is as genuine as it is unforgettable.

While Kate and Michael are multi-instrumentalists, in the live setting, along with her timeless lead vocals, Kate plays guitar while Michael delivers drums and vocals.

Briana Dinsdale is rapidly establishing herself as a rising star in Australian country music, with a voice described as the kind that makes everyone in a room stop talking and take notice. Her success was highlighted by being a top 10 finalist in the nationally acclaimed Toyota Star Maker competition at the Tamworth Country Music Festival 2025, which followed her top 10 hit on Australia's official radio airplay charts, with Real Time Love, solidifying her presence in the genre.

Briana's electrifying live performances have graced the stages of Australia’s most iconic festivals, including Groundwater, Lasso, and the Gympie Music Muster. Most recently, she performed to a full house at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Her talent has even taken her to Nashville, the home of country music, where her performances further established her as a name to watch.

As an exceptional songwriter, Briana has a gift for crafting lyrics that speak to listeners of all ages, blending insight and relatability with remarkable ease. Her talents have earned her collaborations with some of the industry’s most celebrated artists, including ARIA award winners Casey Barnes and Bill Chambers, as well as Golden Guitar recipients Melody Moko, Liam Kennedy-Clark, and Lyn Bowtell.

With her remarkable achievements and undeniable talent, Briana Dinsdale is on track to become a leading force in Australian country music.