There’s no denying that Catherine Britt has well and truly lived her life and it’s all laid bare on her ninth career album, “The Hardest Thing”.

This is an album that is intended to be listened to from start to finish. And nothing is held back. It touches on the exploitation she endured as a young female in the music industry, her marriage breakdown, mustering the strength to heal, her road to sobriety and finding love again. “The Hardest Thing” is the ultimate triumph of one of Australia’s most loved and celebrated country artists. This is the sound of redemption and Catherine Britt at her absolute finest.

For her next chapter, Catherine has stripped things back and is keeping things close. She’s taken time and space to not only write but record, with the majority of “The Hardest Thing” being recorded at her home in Newcastle. She and husband, Bradley Bergen produced, mixed and played the bulk of the record while mastering engineer, William Bowden, was called upon to give it the final polish.

The lead single and album opener, “One Divorce, Two Kids & A Few Whiskies Ago”, sums up her life and the story of her new album in three and a half minutes. The following twelve tracks allow her the luxury to dive deeper and explore themes in greater detail. “You Don’t Love Here Anymore”, is a heartbreaking account of the devastation of domestic violence. “Pay No Mind to Me”, musically channels her hero, Hank Williams while lyrically being straight to the point. “Maybe Not” questions whether she should stay in a relationship that’s gone south … or maybe not. “A Little North of Sydney” is about the ties that bind her to her hometown of Newcastle NSW, but how after a relationship sours, the city “feels like it’s not big enough when you break it into two”. “Red Pickup Truck” talks of how she instantly freezes whenever she catches a glimpse of a certain vehicle while the title track, “The Hardest Thing”, puts things firmly into perspective. The brutally honest track talks about how the hardest thing in her life will never be leaving a relationship that has run its course.

The second half of the album sees Catherine come out with all guns blazing and informs you to “run for the hills and hide” as she is now in her “Cowgirl Era”. “Sky Blue” is a vulnerable moment about shutting the world out when things get too overwhelming. Co-written with David Lee Murphy, “What I Want”, brings out a wild and raunchy side while “I Found a New Love” and “Only A Country Boy Knows”, talk about finding love and safety with the right person. The album closes with a reflective and tender, “Broken Heart At 33”, dedicated to her now husband.

Catherine Britt is one of the most successful artists in Australian country music. She is a five-time Golden Guitar Award winner, six-time ARIA Award Best Country Album nominee, signed to RCA in the US at just 17, earned two US Billboard Top 40 Chart singles, toured and worked with everyone from Brooks & Dunn to Alan Jackson to Dolly Parton, is the youngest Australian ever to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and recorded a duet with Sir Elton John.

Catherine Britt

Performers