Coming of age in country music capital Tamworth, Aleyce Simmonds was already playing local pubs as a teen. Her 2011 debut Pieces of Me introduced her barnstorming singing while mingling traditional country touches with hard-hitting rock drums. Observe how her vocals vibrate with sheer feeling against crashing guitar hooks and twanging banjo on 2020’s “How Bad Can It Be”. Simmonds is also an in-demand duet partner, lamenting farmers’ modern challenges alongside Aussie icon John Williamson on 2019’s “Three Sons” and evoking the power of true intimacy with Shane Nicholson on 2018’s “As Above, So Below”. But she can also cut loose and rock out, as heard on feisty small-town anthem “Designated Driver”.