VIDEO PREMIERE: Matt Ward - 'The Way That I Was Meant To Be'

South Australian ARIA #1 artist and storyteller Matt Ward is back with a new single, The Way That I Was Meant To Be, with a music video premiering on Countrytown today ahead of its Friday (24 November) release date.

With an effortless pedal steel guitar drawl against a picturesque backdrop of the Australian countryside, Ward assuredly sings, “It’s just the way that I was meant to be.” Drummer Max Tulysewski keeps the chill song rolling as Ward solidifies himself as an Australian alt-country music star. You can watch the music video produced by Aaron Schuppan below.

The Way That I Was Meant To Be is the title track of Ward’s new EP, released by Heartland Records on Friday, 17 November.

Ward said about the track, “This is really an acceptance song of who I am - but also that we almost must grow.” His new EP captures his live, energetic country meets rock sound, offering a genuine look at his artistic identity.

Ward’s new EP follows his pair of #1 ARIA Australian Country Albums, Heartland (2019) and If I Was In Dallas Tonight (2021).

In June, Ward and Taasha Coates of The Audreys released the collaborative single, Two To Tango, in which the duo become two figures behind an intoxicating conversation between a man and woman teetering on the brink of passion.

Earlier this year, Ward established the record label Heartland Music Australia to “create a safe, dedicated and long-term home for Australian Country and Americana songwriters in Australia.” The first artists to formally come on board included lauded singer-songwriters Amber Rae Slade (US/Tas), Nathan Seeckts (Vic) and Harvey Russel (NSW).

“Heartland Music Australia is excited to be on the cusp of releasing some outstanding new Australian country and Americana music,” Ward explained in a press release. “In the longer term, HMA will provide opportunities for both established and emerging talent to navigate the increasingly complex world of digital music releases.”