Gritty. Grounded. Heartfelt. A standout performer. These are words that describe rising Australian country singer-songwriter, Will Day. Surviving a decade as a full-time country artist, providing for his family by performing up to 250 gigs each year, is an achievement that Will Day is proud of. Growing up in the small rural town of Goondiwindi and sewing his musical roots there has instilled a humble, dedicated work ethic and one that is destined to continue throughout his musical career.
Australia’s eastern seaboard has hosted the now Brisbane-based artist for much of the last few years as his star continues to rise in the country music scene. This modern-day performer has enjoyed an exciting start to his career and has achieved a swag of impressive milestones. His talent and hard work ethic have led him to tour extensively with country music artist Col Finley.
“I rate Will Day as one of Australia’s most energetic live shows in today’s music industry. He is going to really stamp his mark on this industry with his honest, edgy and just down home country”, Country artist Col Finley.
Will grew up listening to some of the great musical influences of our time on family road trips where his parents would play the likes of James Taylor, The Eagles, Paul Kelly and Cat Stevens. Will fondly recalls ‘Father and Son’ as the first song he performed in public when he was 14 in a local talent quest. A pivotal turning point was discovering Keith Urban in his teenage years and it was then that Will decided that country music was where he needed to be. Other country influences followed including Allan Jackson and Garth Brooks before discovering the rich depth of talent we have here in Australia, artists such as Travis Collins. It’s from these artists, Will made country music his own.
Will’s early career offered releases such as Seasons, the award winning first single off his debut EP released late 2016, which enjoyed time in the Top 10 on the iTunes chart.
The tide was turning in 2017 where Will toured internationally to New Zealand. This was followed by headlining the Goondiwindi B n S with record crowds and was a finalist in three categories for the Independent Country Music Association Awards for which he won the fan voted ‘Most Popular EP’. That same year also saw Will win the Male Rising Star Awards at the Southern Stars Independent Country Music Awards in Mildura, Victoria.
In October 2017, Will released his single ‘The Country Life’, which reached the Top 10 on Australian Country Radio, was recorded and produced by Benji Pocock at Vibetone Studios and co-written with Troy Kemp, Damien Baguley and Col Finley. The track came together in an hour after hearing the chorus idea from Damien Baguley and Troy Kemp and told the tale of dropping the city life for a weekend and getting out into the country.
Will has been described by peers in the country music industry as one of the hardest working artists they know. 2018 alone saw him travel some 50,000kms touring regional NSW, ACT along with North and Central QLD. A definite crowd favourite can be put down to his vibrant, energetic stage presence and willingness to give it his all every time he hits the stage. He has opened for the likes of Morgan Evans, Shannon Noll, Icehouse, Diesel, The Whitlams, Hoodoo Gurus, The Baby Animals, The Black Sorrows, Kingswood, Col Finley and The Viper Creek Band while also appearing at some of Australia’s most popular country music festivals, including Tamworth Country Music Festival, Groundwater Country Music Festival and Gympie Music Muster.
2019 was a breakout year for Will, where he enjoyed nine straight shows at Tamworth Country Music Festival, entertaining crowds at West Diggers. In March, he released his next single ‘The Real World’ (co-written with Matt Scullion) which reached number 1 on Australian Country Radio. Will then went on to release the summer anthem track ‘Here to Party’ in October which reached #23 on the major Music Network Country Charts. Other highlights included performing at Groundwater Country Music Festival and performing on the main stage at The Gympie Music Muster in the talent search Grand Final.
Will commenced 2020 with a bang performing to capacity filled shows at ‘Late Nights’ at West Diggers at Tamworth Country Music Festival along with a full media schedule before touring suddenly shut down when the Covid19 pandemic hit musicians hard.
After spending a few months enjoying family life and in perfect timing for Father’s Day, Will released his latest emotive and beautifully penned track entitled ‘Dear Dad’. Holding such special meaning to Will and his family, this track (co-written with fellow country artist Hayley Jensen) is a tribute to his late father who tragically who passed away from Brain Cancer in 2007 when Will was just 18. The track touches on the love of his father, the times they shared and how he wishes he were here today to share special moments and watch his young family grow up. The song resonated with music lovers, especially in a year that was very unpredictable and ever-changing. The track is created air waves with its release debuting at #1 on the iTunes Country Chart and #7 on the All Genres Chart. The new year will see Will release his much anticipated debut album that will coincide with the release of several new singles and video clips as well as a national tour.
Over the past few years, Will has been steadily building a solid, loyal fan base. With a genuine gift of storytelling, combined with compelling vocals and the ability to connect with a crowd, Will Day is fast becoming one of Australia’s premier rising artists and one that will undoubtably be around for many years to come.
