A born and bred Sydneysider, Amber Lawrence puts a uniquely Australian spin on the storytelling and pride that underpins much of American country music. Whether it’s “The Man Across the Street”, a tale of a heroic returned veteran; the Travis Collins duet “Our Backyard”; or “100 Year Handshake”, written specifically to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea (and performed at its commemorative gala, at which former US president Donald Trump and former AU prime minister Malcolm Turnbull were both in attendance)—her songs are as Aussie as it gets. Following a six-year stint as a chartered accountant for a national airline, Lawrence took the jump into full-time performance in the mid-2000s and has since released an acclaimed body of work, beginning with 2007’s The Mile. Her back catalogue also features country albums for children, including Aussie Aussie Christmas and The Kid’s Gone Country—a worthy complement to her own Be Your Own Superhero school mentorship program. Still, it’s not all patriotism and kid-friendly sing-alongs: Tracks like “Women Like Me (Don’t Like Girls Like You)”, taken from 2009’s When It All Comes Down, shows Amber Lawrence can do cheeky, rollicking fun as well as anyone.