For country singer Hayley Jensen, her fifth studio album Country Soul is a bold statement of independence, creativity and confidence. From its anthemic opener to its reflective closer, this record showcases Jensen at a point in her career where she’s fully in control of her artistic vision. 

Across thirteen tracks, she explores the highs, lows and unfiltered energy that define her sound and outlook, all while navigating the nuances of being an independent artist in the modern country landscape. Sitting down with Jensen to chat all things Country Soul, it’s clear from the get-go that her passion for this record runs deep.

From the first notes of the opening track, Country Soul, it feels like this album is designed to make a statement. It’s big, anthemic and bursting with energy. “I’ve lent into some of those sounds - the more soulful, bluesy, country, rock sounds have always been a big part of who I am… I feel like this album is just a real step up for me in terms of everything I’ve just put into it,” Jensen says, reflecting on the sound that defines the record. It’s a sentiment that carries through the album, with each track presenting a different facet of her artistic identity.

Collaborating with songwriters and country music icons like Melanie Dyer, Sarah Buckley, Michael Paynter and Michael DiLorenzo among others, Jensen co-wrote every track on Country Soul, making it a distinctly personal record. “I’ve always been independent, but I’ve sort of been with labels or what have you, whereas this album is 100% independent - I’m putting it out on my own record label. I think a lot of that journey of working out how to stand on my own two feet and trusting my own intuition around my abilities and what I’m able to achieve as well is woven in throughout some of the stories in the songs.” She explains.

Jensen’s understanding of audience dynamics hits another defining feature of Country Soul. While the genre is predominantly American in origin she navigates the differences between Australian and U.S. audiences with ease. “You’ve got to watch your language, you know? ‘Did we use that word? Did they use that word?’ Like ‘ute’ and ‘truck’, and ‘porch’ and ‘veranda’ and some of those kinds of things,” she says with a laugh.

At the same time, her work honours her roots, maintaining the authenticity that Australian fans cherish. “I'm quite heavily influenced by the American country music sound in what I do. So it does translate pretty well to the audiences in the States or in Canada, but I also like to make sure I keep it connected to my roots. Songs on my album like Outskirts or Dirt Rich, they’re about where I grew up in the country, which was 40 minutes outside of Canberra on a 30 acre property, riding my horses and having the big bonfire country parties.” 

This ability to remain connected to her roots helps her stay grounded, even when her music takes her to the most glamorous of stages. “I'm just the biggest dag of a person.” Jensen admits when reflecting on how she manages to stay so down-to-earth. “The opening line of Country Soul is 'you can take a girl out of the country, but you can't take her out of me,’ and I am that person. I'm a dork, I will say silly things and I’m the least pretentious person you'll meet. I live right in the city of Sydney, but my mum still lives on a property outside of Canberra. We still got the horses, we go home and still get out there and stack some wood - that’s just the life that you grow up living. I think those values and just that way of life and thinking, it sticks with you no matter where you sort of go. I think that's what it means to have a country soul.”

Being fully independent has also allowed Jensen to be involved in every aspect of the creation of the album - from writing and recording, to producing visuals and overseeing vinyl pressings. It’s a process that, while challenging, has given her complete creative ownership. “It’s probably completely unrealistic to think that I could keep doing this forever… I’m a music artist, but I’m also a creative artist, so when I make something, I also get a vision for it visually and I can see how it can all come together and tell a story.” Embracing the dynamic nature of artistry and noting the importance of linking visual and musical elements, Jensen explains, “We are all multifaceted - we take things in in different ways. We could hear a song and not think anything of it, and then next minute we see a visual for it, and all of a sudden it clicks and we feel connected to that song or we understand where it’s coming from. And so I do feel like it is really important to be a part of that process.”

While satisfying, she admits that this hands-on approach comes with its own demands, “That does mean that I’m a crazy person and spend ridiculous amounts of hours learning new skills like graphic design, but it’s fun, you know? For me, it’s all part of the creative process and creating. The fonts that you use and the colours - they bring on different emotions and feelings, and I just like to be a part of that. So it was a fun one, this one. I haven’t really done that in my other albums before, so I thought I would take a punt this time. It feels great because it all feels like a part of me is being released.”

With the album nearing release, Jensen is gearing up for a national tour to bring these songs to life. Kicking off at the Gympie Music Muster, the shows promise to mirror the energy and diversity of the record. “I’ve got such a beautiful team of musicians that I work with that I absolutely adore and that are super creative as well. We’ve got live screens that we’re producing which are going to be having some elements from the music videos but otherwise conveying the songs and helping to bring the energy and a full immersive experience. I’m really, really excited to play these songs live,” she says.

Country Soul represents a career-defining moment for Hayley Jensen. This record is confident, versatile, unapologetically authentic and incredibly fun. It demonstrates the power of independence, the importance of creative control and the rewards of embracing one’s own voice. 

From the incredibly infectious energy of Country Soul to the reflective closing track You Decide, Jensen has crafted a record that not only celebrates her journey as an independent artist but also invites listeners to join her in that space - signing, stomping and feeling every note along the way. Jensen is sharing a huge part of herself, and the result is an album that feels so very genuine and impossible to ignore.

Country Soul is available now. You can purchase a copy here.