How country star Caitlyn Shadbolt is dealing with isolation

‘We were the first to go with festivals and everything cancelled. We’ll be the last to come back, we’ll probably end up out of work for the longest time’

HOLD SATURDAY COURIER MAIL 7TH SEP Caitlyn Shadbolt poses for a photograph at Doomben Racecourse to promote Country Music Raceday, Monday, September 2, 2019 (AAP Image/Richard Walker)

Gympie singer Caitlyn Shadbolt has opened up on how she's coping with isolation, plans for upcoming music and whether or not the local live music scene has a future.

Caitlyn said her performance career had been put on hold due to gigs and festivals being postponed ion the wake of the pandemic.

"I've cancelled literally every gig in the foreseeable future," she said.

"I don't really expect to have any this year which is a very strange thought.

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"Which is sad, but it also gives us the opportunity to have a forced break, I know I can speak on behalf of myself a lot of my artist friends, being self-employed we always feel guilty for having a break."

Caitlyn said she had been using her time at home to work on new music and had been keeping her fans updated on social media.

The Gympie Civic Centre recently invited her to join a Live Stream and Locals event, which featured local artists and entertainers performing live via Facebook.

Bush To Bay Music Festival at Bay Central Tavern - Caitlyn Shadbolt.

"It was awesome, it was a lot of fun," she said.

"It was very well done, there was some great cameramen, sound and audio engineers, and it was a really great thing for the council to put on.

"I've also been recording my album from home and remotely chatting to my producer who lives in Brisbane," she said.

"It's been a long time coming, I'm excited by it."

HOLD SATURDAY COURIER MAIL 7TH SEP Caitlyn Shadbolt poses for a photograph with 'Ghost' at Doomben Racecourse to promote Country Music Raceday, Monday, September 2, 2019 (AAP Image/Richard Walker)

On the future of live music in Gympie, Caitlyn thinks it will bounce back but that it's going to take some time.

"We were the first to go with festivals and everything cancelled, and I think we'll be the last to come back, we'll probably end up out of work for the longest time."

Caitlyn's new album is scheduled to be released by the end of the year.

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