Catherine Britt Returns With Her Most Honest Album Yet, 'The Hardest Thing'

Megan Hopkins

Out January 23, The Hardest Thing sees Catherine Britt lay it all on the line in a raw, start-to-finish album about heartbreak, healing, and finding her way back to herself.

Catherine Britt
Catherine Britt(Supplied)
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Catherine Britt is back, and she’s not holding anything back. One of Australia’s most respected country artists will release her ninth studio album, The Hardest Thing, on Friday January 23, marking a powerful new chapter in a career that’s always been built on honesty.

This is an album meant to be played from start to finish. It tells a full story, one that covers the highs, the lows, and everything in between. Britt opens up about exploitation in the music industry when she was young, the breakdown of her marriage, the long road to healing, sobriety, and eventually finding love again. It’s raw, reflective, and deeply personal, showing Britt at her most real and most confident yet.

For this record, Britt stripped things right back. She took time away from the noise to focus on writing and recording, with most of the album created at her home in Newcastle. She co-produced, mixed, and played much of the record alongside her husband Bradley Bergen, keeping the process close and intentional. The final touches were handled by mastering engineer William Bowden, giving the album its polished finish without losing its emotional edge.

The album opens with lead single One Divorce, Two Kids & A Few Whiskies Ago, a three and a half minute snapshot that neatly sums up where Britt’s been and where she’s headed. From there, the record dives deeper. Songs like You Don’t Love Here Anymore confront the devastation of domestic violence, while Pay No Mind to Me nods musically to Hank Williams. 

Tracks such as Maybe Not and A Little North of Sydney explore heartbreak, home, and the way familiar places can change after a relationship ends. The title track The Hardest Thing, brings it all into focus, reframing what real strength actually looks like.

The second half of the album shifts gears. Britt steps into what she calls her Cowgirl Era, bringing more fire and confidence to tracks like What I Want, co-written with David Lee Murphy. Songs including I Found a New Love and Only A Country Boy Knows focus on safety, trust, and finding the right person after everything falls apart. The album closes with Broken Heart At 33, a dedication to her now husband.

With a career that includes Golden Guitar wins, ARIA nominations, US chart success, and performances alongside some of country music’s biggest names, Britt’s legacy is already secure. The Hardest Thing doesn’t look back, though it looks forward, proving that sometimes the most powerful music comes from telling the truth.

Britt will preview the album with a special album launch show in January, ahead of its official release at the Capitol Theatre on Thursday, 22nd January with special guest Pagan Newman. You can grab your tickets now here.