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A radiating sun beam of courage and humour, Amanda Heartsong is an emerging country artist with a hint of mischief, a call for adventure and a love of the land. Melodious performances through musical theatre were a guiding force during her school years before stepping into the role of protective warrior in a 14 year Royal Australian Air Force Career including two tours of duty. Giving life wholeheartedly to her career path, Amanda did not return home well from a stint in Afghanistan in 2011/12 and found herself navigating the journey of PTSD and plummeted into darkness after her partner passed away from self-inflicted wounds due to his own war battle in 2014. “I felt like I became a ghost. Prior to Afghanistan, I was driven, deeply passionate about my military community and the impactful career role I held. In the early post war days, the shame spiral was never-ending, I walked away from my community so they couldn’t see the husk I’d become, just an outline of a human with nothing left inside.” In 2016, following a deep yearning to connect to the natural world, she moved to the Agnes Water area and discovered the nearby, musical grass roots community of Captain Creek. Under the gaze of the mountains, Amanda found her way on stage, performing in well known local rock band Shaman’s Daughter and a the popular trio Beautifully Broken 1770, before applying for the Country Music Academy Australia, 2020 intake where she emerged as a solo country artist, on tour with Catherine Britt. “Music helped me regain confidence for life, it was a natural place for me to be, in front of a crowd. I had already been in uniform for a third of my life, when people are looking at me as a curiosity it’s a familiar feeling. I recently learned from my trauma therapist why music feels so good; when we play together as a group, it releases Oxytocin into the brain!” Throughout 2022/23, Amanda performed at Music in the Mulga, Cunnamulla Fella Roundup, Crows Nest Country Music Festival, Camooweal Drovers Camp, Proston Back to Basics, Baffle Creek Bike Muster and Baffle Fishing Festival as well as local pubs and clubs along the way. “After 2 years of travelling through the outback and the bush, the way I experience and mentally process music completely shifted. A performance isn’t just a “set” anymore, it’s a week long gathering of music lovers, artists, organisers and volunteers (and local food..yumm)… This inspirational approach to music is a great way to forge real and lasting friendships. Traveling and camping with country-music minded folks feels so wholesome, and has become the backdrop of my current songwriting.” Currently stationed on her 40 acre property in Baffle Creek with a bright red tractor and birdsong for company, Amanda finds her lyrics weaving through the trees and river systems, whether at home or in the red dust of the outback. She is loving life once more, involved in many communities, guided by music mentors such as Lyn Bowtell and veteran mentoring through Open Arms ‘Big Brother’ Programme. At the start of 2024, Amanda completed 12 gigs in 8 days as part of the Tamworth Country Music Festival, opening opportunities to play with many talented musicians in a variety of venues around the area. She is now planning her debut E.P launch in the place where she first stepped on stage, at Captain Creek, QLD. When this ‘old world country charm’ lady steps up to perform, prepare for a journey of feelings.