Shenai Johnston grew up writing songs in the bush, but when her mum died, she stopped singing. Now she is taking her dream back.
Sitting on the front porch of her rustic farmhouse, surrounded by fig and olive trees, Shenai Johnston reflects on the impact music has had on her life.
It wasn't until years later, when her youngest son Hugo turned three and she moved to a small farm in Boyup Brook with her family, that she decided to get back into music. "But once you grieve and accept it, and you kind of lean into it, it can be really beautiful and empowering like discovering this whole new version of yourself and allowing this person to grow.
Johnston wants to use her voice and honest songwriting style to expand the country music scene in Western Australia.Aussie bush to world's country music hub "I think she would be so, so happy to know that I'm doing this … it's almost like I can hear her fist-pumping that I'm doing this and I think that is going to help me to heal."Johnston is drawn to the honesty of country music lyrics and covers a lot of themes in her songs from heartbreak, to being in awe of her sons' resilience, to living on the land.