A spirited statement of pride in his rural roots, James Johnston’s 2021 hit “RAISED LIKE THAT” fulfilled the potential that the singer displayed when he competed on Australia’s biggest TV talent shows in his younger days. Born in Wingham in 1990, Johnston learned the songs of Johnny Cash and Garth Brooks while on the road with his dad, who sold and serviced tractors on farms in New South Wales. Johnston’s own love of music and performing led to appearances on Starstruck and the Australian version of The X Factor—he also placed third on Australian Idol in its final season in 2009. Though he spent years travelling Australia, going from gig to gig, Johnston came into his own as a songwriter after a productive spell living in Nashville in the mid-2010s. Released in 2021, “Raised Like That” became the fastest-ever debut single by an Australian country artist to reach a million streams thanks to its joyful, earnest and authentic take on roots music.