Jessica Mauboy, Lane Pittman, Pony Gold: Highlights From This Week's 'Grass Roots'

Every week, ABC Country’s Grass Roots program shines a light on the best independently released country music. Selected from the hundreds of new tracks submitted, the one-hour program is now available on demand as well as premiering each Monday at 9 pm on ABC Country, showing the health of Aussie country music across all its sub-genres. Here are three of this week's tracks you should have on your radar. 

Head here to have a listen to this week’s full episode of Grass Roots.

Jessica Mauboy - While I Got Time

Australian pop and R&B star Jessica Mauboy has returned to her country roots in a song that pays tribute to a fellow Australian pop icon: Irene Roberts from Home And Away.

For her powerful new offering, While I Got Time, Mauboy paired the deeply personal with saying goodbye to one of the country’s most beloved soap characters. She teamed up with longtime collaborator PJ Harding to write the track, which arrives as a stripped-back, soul-baring moment showcasing Mauboy’s vulnerability. Now a new mum, While I Got Time finds Mauboy with a new perspective and purpose to her art.

She said about the moving single, “While I Got Time really came from a place of reflection and release. PJ and I wrote it during a moment where I was thinking about what I want to leave behind, and what I want to lean into while I’m still here. It’s about letting go of the past with grace, honouring where I’ve been, and stepping into the unknown with open arms.”

The song marks Mauboy’s debut release under her own label, Jamally. She kickstarts her independent journey not with a whimper but with a country-inspired bang as Jamally becomes Mauboy’s new home for her creative process, recording, releasing, and marketing music – all on her own terms.

Lane Pittman - Man I’m Turning Out To Be

This is Lane Pittman as you’ve never heard him. On Man I’m Turning Out To Be, Pittman returns with a song that’s been four years in the making and honours the man who meant the most to him: his father.

Premiered while opening for Luke Combs on the American star’s recent stadium tour in Australia, the stirring, emotional song was born from loss and transformed into a journey of growth upon being a boy who had to grow up too soon.

Pittman describes the early writing sessions as a “trauma dump,” which occurred in Nashville alongside collaborators Lydia Sutherland and Aaron Pollock. However, the song became integral to his healing process, offering moments of reflection before becoming something anthemic and uplifting.

Pittman said, “This song has lived in my heart for a long time. I’ve tried to write something for my dad so many times, but it never felt right – until this. There’s real stories throughout this track, and if even one person finds peace or comfort in it, that’s enough for me. Dad, I love you. I hope I’m making you proud.”

Pony Gold - Big In The City

Canadian alt-country artist Pony Gold has returned with a country anthem about being from a small town while entering life in the big city.

The first single from her forthcoming album, Big In The City, is a bittersweet track featuring acoustic instrumentation and steel guitar, as singer Theresa Anne Bromley proves why she’s regarded as an artist who makes timeless, tender-hearted songs.

At the heart of it, Big In The City is about chasing dreams, losing yourself in said dreams, and finding your way back. It spotlights a new chapter from Bromley that’s refined, fearless, and packed with emotional depth.

The slow burner effortlessly blends folk and roots music with Americana grit and Pony Gold’s signature relatability, sounding like a late-night confession among friends more than anything else.

You can listen to the latest full episode of ABC Country’s Grass Roots here.