For Tori Forsyth, the last few years have been marked by one strong intention: to seek out and pursue what she loves, and settle for nothing less. 
 
It’s a strong philosophy that is powering the country artist to new heights, eight years after emerging from country NSW seemingly fully formed with the evocative single ‘New Wall’ and the acclaimed EP Black Bird. Forsyth’s highly anticipated 2018 debut album Dawn of the Dark was hailed as one of the strongest country records of the year, its powerful song writing underpinning Tori’s gritty and expressive vocals. It planted Tori at the forefront of country in Australia, earning three Golden Guitar nominations and landing Tori on stages across the country and beyond. 
 
Not one to follow a predictable path, Tori’s second album Provlépseis (2021) was a stunning swerve away from traditional country – a bold and bruising rock record that pushed her out of her comfort zone and became a favourite with fans. Big steaming numbers followed, with Tori now boasting over 15 million artist streams on Spotify alone, her fan base stretching across the world. 
 
But 18 months ago, the boundary pushing artist found herself at a crossroads. It was a time marked by uncertainty, and Forsyth began to think she didn’t have anything to give anymore; she wasn’t sure who she was as an artist, what her musical future looked like. The songs weren’t coming, and for the first time in a long time Tori wasn’t putting pen to paper, sifting through her feelings and distilling them into songs that strike at people’s hearts. It was, in Tori’s words, a “big old identity crisis”. 
 
The fog lifted when Tori settled on a new vision: to only pursue what she loved, and to ensure that she was throwing herself into every step without fear, sticking true to her values. Suddenly, with no pressure or urgency resting on her shoulders, the songs began flowing out of her. “I felt like I was holding my breath for years,” Tori reflects. “And then I could finally breathe.” 
 
The new songs were sculpted literally and figuratively by nature, with Tori spending months living in a treehouse in country Queensland listening to country music and working on her parents’ horse stud. “I was literally covered in trees,” Tori recalls with a laugh. The musical touchstones were varied: Ashley McBryde, Carly Pierce, Miranda Lambert, Nashville bluegrass outfit Steel Drivers, with some ‘90s Jewel thrown in for good measure.  
 
It explains why new single ‘Sometimes’ – the first song to emerge from this burst of creativity with the help of producer Scott Horscroft  – feels like it was created from the earth. It’s real, warm, and lived in –  Tori’s vocals fall over the acoustic guitar at the beginning, before it builds into a thrum of drums, curling electric guitars, and harmonies. 
 
It’s rich and lush, courtesy of Tori’s incredible band: Reece Baines on drums, Matthew Newton on guitars and Zachary Miller on bass are the core of Tori’s touring band, a key part of what makes her music magic. The renowned guitarist Thom Mak and Andy Mac (keys) were also brought into the studio to play on the track. 
 
A return to Tori’s country roots, ‘Sometimes’ (which features mentor and friend, country icon Shane Nicholson) is a tender reflection on the ending of a relationship; without malice or resentment, simply bittersweet. “I didn’t want it to be this terrible, sad, depressing breakup song because my relationship with this person wasn’t that,” Tori says. “It’s just that we were two very different people – but it still hurt all the same departing from that.”
 
With a newfound freedom and lightness propelling her forward, and plenty of new music on the horizon, Tori has found her feet – and is once again ready to take her place at the forefront of Australian country.