“I'm Trying To Tell The Truth When I Step Out There”: Bryan Martin Is Bringing His Most Authentic Self Back To Australia

After rocking stadiums with superstars and rubbing shoulders with rockstars, Bryan Martin is headed back to Australia for his first headlining tour.

Bryan Martin(Credit: Supplied)

Last weekend marked a full year since Logansport's finest son, Bryan Martin, dropped his fourth studio album, Years in the Making.

Featuring 13 songs of raw emotion and autobiographical storytelling, the country singer-songwriter has described the album as showcasing “a different side of [him]” following the breakout of his 2023 album Poets & Old Souls and viral single We Ride. The pressure of trying to comprehend the next move after this unexpected success, both personally and creatively, was something that took some time to subside in Martin's mind, which, he believes, is reflected in the album as a whole.

“That record wasn’t just a collection of songs,” he says. “It was a lot of years of trying to figure life out; a lot of wrong turns, a lot of starting over.” Because of this, Martin counts himself incredibly grateful for his audience's open-armed reception upon its release.

“To see people connect with it the way they have... it makes all of that feel like all that struggle had a purpose,” he says. “I think the biggest thing is hearing folks say that those songs helped them through something. That’s always been the goal for me: to write songs that feel real enough that somebody else can see themselves in them.”

Years in the Making was made with a core group of collaborators – including Carolina Story's Ben Roberts (who also duets with Martin on Silver and Gold) and A-list co-writer Terri Jo Box, whose CV includes the likes of Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde and Cody Johnson. When asked what unifies the village that helped to assemble the album from a musical standpoint, Martin says there is one key central aspect.

“For me, it’s trust,” he replies. “That’s the biggest thing. I’ve gotta feel like I can walk into the room with these people and not have to pretend to be anything that I’m not. It’s not just about the song, either. It’s easier to write with people who have walked down some of the same roads I have. I think the best songs come from real conversations, not trying to chase something.”

Of course, Martin has made sure to strike while the iron is hot in regards to new material.

Back in February, he released a new stand-alone single called Tug O' War, which hit the top five most-added songs to country radio in its first week of release. The song was written with a murderer's row of songwriting talent: Bailey Zimmerman's right-hand man, Heath Warren; Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood cowriter, Lydia Vaughan; Shaboozey collaborator, Sam Martinez; and Ella Langley hit-writer, Will Bundy. Even with this remarkable group all contributing to the single, it's Martin's deeply personal performance that buoys it.

“I was going through some heavy stuff at the time,” he says of it. “It's kind of that push and pull that you get in life…you're wanting one thing, but you're feeling like you're being pulled another way. It felt honest, so I didn’t overthink it – I just wrote it how it came out. Sometimes, those songs that show up after the fact end up saying something you didn’t even realise you needed to say.”

Just over a month after the release of Tug O' War, however, Martin lost a key part of his aforementioned circle of trust: Ronnie Bowman, a Nashville songwriting veteran best known for his time in the Lonesome River Band and for writing hits for Chris Stapleton, Brooks & Dunn and Kenny Chesney. Bowman died in late March 2026 following a motorbike accident at 64. At the time of his passing, Martin described Bowmn as “one of the greatest writers and human beings [he] ever had the privilege to know and put a pen to one with”.

“Ronnie was special,” he adds. “He had a way of making you feel at ease right off the bat. Within a few minutes, he just made it feel like we were sitting on a porch somewhere, talking about life. He had so much soul in the way he approached a song. It wasn’t about being clever. It was about being honest. I learned a lot just being in the room with him.”

The last few years have seen Martin hitting the road harder than ever before – ranging from his own sold-out headlining shows to runs in stadiums supporting the likes of Morgan Wallen and Warren Zeiders. With some serious mileage underneath his feet, Martin admits that his approach to performing can differ somewhat depending on what environment he's in. What stays the same, however, is going hell for leather the second he hits the stage.

“Whether I’ve got 90 minutes or 30, I’m still trying to tell the truth when I step out there,” he says. “The difference is, when you’re opening, you’ve gotta earn that respect a little bit quicker. Not everybody’s there for you, so you’re trying to win them over song by song.

“When you're headlining, it feels more like a conversation between you and the audience. Those folks showed up for you, so you can take your time and let the moments unfold naturally. But either way, I’m giving ‘em everything I’ve got. That part doesn’t change.”

Looking forward to the rest of the year, Martin will find himself in relatively unfamiliar territory in September, when he performs as part of the huge Bourbon & Beyond Festival in Louisville.

Yes, there will be other country artists on the bill – including the likes of Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, The Red Clay Strays and Jason Isbell – but he'll also be in amidst artists as varied as the Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, The Flaming Lips and even Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Joan Jett. Martin's response? Bring it on.

“I love it, honestly,” he says. “I didn’t grow up listening to just one kind of music, so I don’t really see it as country vs. something else. A good song’s a good song. Playing in front of folks that might not know your stuff can be a challenge, but it’s a good one. You find out real quick what cuts through and what doesn’t – and I think there’s something about honest, stripped-down songs that can reach people, no matter what they usually listen to.”

Before he gets to all of that, though, Martin is bringing his guitar back to Australia for his first-ever run of headlining shows. He first visited the country as the main support for Chris Young in 2024, fresh from the success of We Ride, which saw him play CMC Rocks to an audience of tens of thousands as well as the illustrious Enmore Theatre in Sydney and The Forum in Melbourne.

“I didn’t really know what to expect the first time, but it blew me away,” he says. “The crowds were locked, and they were listening to every word, which is all you can ask for. There’s something about being that far from home and still feeling like the songs translate… that sticks with you. I’m excited to come back and do it on our own this time.”

Bryan Martin will tour Australia in April and appear at this year’s Meatstock Festival. Tickets can be found here.