Faith Williams, a 23-year-old singer-songwriter from the Central Coast, is making waves in the Australian country music scene.
She was honoured with the CCMA New Songwriter of the Year award at the Tamworth Country Music Festival last year, hit festival stages across Australia, earned recognition in national competitions, and received strong support on ABC Country, triple j, and charted on the Countrytown Hot 50.
This month, she’s releasing her debut album, Home Truths – the title track is out today, and to celebrate, Williams caught up with Countrytown to share a handful of Home Truths.
Williams’ album was produced by Brandon Dodd/Dingo Music Productions. The ten-track collection showcases her depth, versatility and storytelling, blending contemporary influences with heartfelt songwriting and emotional honesty.
Home Truths features the singles Holy Grail, If I Had a Daughter, 10 to 3, and the just-released title track. Reflecting on her debut record, Williams told Countrytown, “Home Truths is the album I’ve always wanted to make.
“I didn’t want my debut to be defined by one sound or one story. I wanted it to introduce every side of me as a songwriter. Every track is different, but they’re all connected by honest storytelling. Whether a song comes from my own life or just within, I hope people can find a piece of themselves in it.”
Celebrate the release of Home Truths – the single – and the forthcoming album with Williams, who digs into five Home Truths for Countrytown.
Home Truths #1: Different isn’t a bad thing
For a long time, I thought being different was probably my biggest weakness. I’d listen to others in country music and wonder why I didn’t sound like them, or why my music didn’t quite fit neatly into the same box.
I’m very much on the alternative country/Americana side of things, and I think I’m finally realising that what I thought was my weakness is probably my biggest strength. I am learning to embrace my uniqueness, and I love making music that sounds purely like me.
Home Truths #2: You can be sure and scared at the same time
I used to think being scared of something meant maybe I wasn’t ready for it. I don’t really believe that anymore. Some of the things I’ve been most certain about have also scared the absolute hell out of me. Music has definitely been one of those things. I think courage gets confused with confidence sometimes, when really it can just be deciding something matters enough to do it while you’re still terrified.
Home Truths #3: You don’t have to have lived a long life to have lived a lot
I think sometimes being young makes you feel like you haven’t earned the right to have much to say yet. But life doesn’t hand out experiences according to age. I’ve become a mum, experienced love and loss, had things work out and things fall apart, and had to grow up in ways I probably didn’t expect. A lot of my songwriting comes from those experiences. I’ve learnt not to measure the weight of somebody’s story by how many years they’ve been here.
Home Truths #4: Being underestimated isn’t always a bad thing
I used to hate feeling underestimated, but I actually think there’s something pretty freeing about it now. You don’t have to spend all your time convincing people who you are or what you’re capable of. Sometimes it’s better to just get on with it and let what you do speak for itself. People are always going to have their own idea of you, and I’ve learnt I don’t need to correct every one of them.
Home Truths #5: The truth always finds its way to the surface
My song Home Truths is about someone who tells a lot of lies, and I’ve always thought keeping up with them must be exhausting. They tell one, then another to cover that one, and eventually something has to give.
There’s a line in the song about a river running wild and free and not being able to hide from the current. I think the truth is a bit like that. They might be able to dodge it for a while, but eventually it catches up with them.
Home Truths, the album, will be released on Friday, 18 September. Tonight, Faith Williams plays an album launch show at The Savoy Bar & Music, Long Jetty – find tickets here.
