'It is about f***ing time': Kasey Chambers celebrates country music's new dawn
Country music star Kasey Chambers has scored 13 Golden Guitar nominations for her latest album, including recognition for a candid divorce duet with her ex-husband. See the FULL LIST of nominations.
Kasey Chambers has always been a believer and now the award-winning singer is cheering that the rest of Australia is on board.
Outside of the America, Australia is the largest territory for country music popularity, with the biggest name artists from Taylor Swift to Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen and Chris Stapleton selling out stadium shows here.
“It is about f***ing time, hey,” Chambers told The Daily Telegraph.
“I knew they’d get there, I knew they’d catch up. It is a beautiful thing to be a part of. I am just doing what I love to do and trying not to overthink things too much or label anything too much but I’ve always been so proud to be a country music artist, even when it wasn’t cool.”
Chambers was one of Australia’s first country artists to cross over to the mainstream thanks to her global hit, Not Pretty Enough.
On Tuesday, her 13th studio album — Backbone — received an incredible 13 nominations for the 2026 Golden Guitar Awards that will be held at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January.
“It is the soundtrack to my life so I feel like there’s a little piece of almost every album and every stage of my life on this record,” she said.
“It is definitely one of the most special records I’ve ever made – every scar, every heartache, but that’s country music right? If there’s no heartaches in there, I mean, you know, country music (fans) aren’t gonna listen to it.”
The Divorce Song, a track Chambers featuring her ex husband and fellow country music star Shane Nicholson, scored multiple nominations, including Song of the Year, Single of the Year and Vocal Collaboration of the Year.
It marks the first time the pair have collaborated since their acclaimed 2012 album Wreck & Ruin and split a year later.
“To even just have this song out on my record and out sharing it with the world, I can honestly say is one of the most special songs that I’ve ever released, and more so from a personal point of view, because Shane and I have gotten through a lot,” Chambers, 49, said.
“We went through hard times, divorce as you do … we went though our bullshit … like everyone does. And to come out the other end and be able to come back and write a song together, write any song together, let alone a song about how we do divorce so much better than we ever did marriage, we are much better at divorce, and have the song reflect that and to be able to then share that with our kids is a pretty special.”
Winning awards meanwhile never gets old for Chambers, who already has 23 Golden Guitars and 14 ARIA Awards to her name.
That is on top of being an ARIA Hall of Fame inductee.
“Every time you get nominated for something or you enter your album in something, that album is completely different than the last album,” Chambers explained.
“It is almost like they’re your babies, so every baby is a little bit different and you put different things into each one. They all have this special place in your heart.”
Full List of 2026 Golden Guitar Award Nominees
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Amen For the Weekend – Lane Pittman
Good For Me – James Johnston
Hold My Horses – Max Jackson
How Many One More Times – The Wolfe Brothers with Zac & George
The Divorce Song – Kasey Chambers featuring Shane Nicholson
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
A Country Heart Can – Max Jackson – Directed by Jeremy Minett
Australian Made – The Wolfe Brothers – Directed by Jeremy Minett
I Oughta Know Better – James Johnston – Directed by Jay Seeney
Look at me Now – Fanny Lumsden – Directed by Fanny Lumsden and Dan Stanley Freeman
The Divorce Song – Kasey Chambers featuring Shane Nicholson – Directed by Gabe Coggan, Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson
VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
Wade Forster and Max Jackson – Denim
The Wolfe Brothers with Zac & George – How Many One More Times
Warren H Williams, Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson – Ntaria
Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson – The Divorce Song
Brad Cox and Randy Houser – The High Cost of Living
INSTRUMENTAL OF THE YEAR
Chasing the Demons – Michael Fix
Lyrebird – Wicker Suite
Rush Hour – Lindsay Waddington
Slab Hut Gully – Terry Bennetts, Pete Denahy, Ian Simpson, Mark Donohoe and John Bennetts
Snakes Reach – The High Street Drifters
BLUEGRASS RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Born To Roam – Sons Of Atticus
I Love Lovin’ You – Michael Carpenter and The Banks Brothers
Night At the County Fair – Wicker Suite
They Don’t Flick the Finger In the Outback Anymore – Brendan Radford
Words for Leaving – The High Street Drifters
HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR
175 – Written by Sara Storer & Matt Fell – Recorded by Sara Storer
Australian Made – Written by Nicholas Wolfe, Thomas Wolfe and Graeme Connors – Recorded by The Wolfe Brothers
Ntaria – Written by Warren H Williams – Recorded by Warren H Williams featuring Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson
Take That Buckle Home – Written by Wade Forster and Allan Caswell – Recorded by Wade Forster
The Last Time I Saw Slim – Written and Recorded by Pete Denahy
BUSH BALLAD OF THE YEAR
At The Rodeo – Written and Recorded by Pete Denahy
Don’t Let the Old Man In, Mate – Written and Recorded by John Williamson
Modern Day Troubadour – Written and Recorded by Brendan Radford
Slim’s Guitar – Written by Dean Perrett, Lindsay Waddington – Recorded by Dean Perrett
Wild Roan Brumby – Written by William Alexander, Pete Denahy – Recorded by William Alexander
NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR
Felicity Dowd
Felicity Kircher
Sara Berki
Tyla Rodrigues
Wade Forster
GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR
Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham
Homegrown Trio
Kevin Bennett and The Flood
The Pleasures
The Wolfe Brothers
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Andrew Swift
Brad Cox
James Johnston
Travis Collins
Wade Forster
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kasey Chambers
Kaylee Bell
Max Jackson
Sara Berki
Sara Storer
SONG OF THE YEAR
A Country Heart Can – Written and Recorded by Max Jackson Australian Made – Written by Nicholas Wolfe, Thomas Wolfe and Graeme Connors – Recorded by The Wolfe Brothers
Back In the Day – Written by James Johnston and Morgan Evans – Recorded by James Johnston
Cowboy Up – Written by Kaylee Bell, Brooke Singer and Jol Mulholland – Recorded by Kaylee Bell
The Divorce Song – Written by Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson – Recorded by Kasey Chambers featuring Shane Nicholson
ALT/AMERICANA COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Backbone – Kasey Chambers – Produced by Kasey Chambers
Choking on Fuel – Imogen Clark – Produced Jeremy Dylan, Imogen Clark, Michael Carpenter, Sam Hawksley and Mike Bloom
Crucifix and Spinifex – Kevin Bennett and The Flood – Produced by Kevin Bennett and The Flood and Michael Muchow
Enemy Of My Enemy – The Pleasures – Produced by Damian Cafarella Forest House – Jenny Mitchell – Produced by Matt Fell
CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Endemic Intelligence in Multiple Dimensions – Brad Cox – Produced Chris Collins and Brandon Hood Country
Soul – Hayley Jensen – Produced by Michael Paynter, Michael Delorenzis (MSquared), Troy Kokol and Matt Fell
Cowboy Up – Kaylee Bell – Produced by Tom Jordan and Travis Heidelman
Worth Your Love – Sara Storer – Produced by Matt Fell
Australian Made – The Wolfe Brothers – Produced by Rod McCormack and Nicholas Wolfe
TRADITIONAL COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Bush Troubadour – Dean Perrett – Produced by Lindsay Waddington and Dean Perrett
Here’s To You – Tom Curtain – Produced by Garth Porter and Luke O’Shea
How Many Songs – John Williamson – Produced by John Williamson
Road To Riverleigh – Brendon Walmsley – Produced by Rod McCormack
Start All Over Again – Brendan Radford – Produced by Brendan Radford
TOYOTA ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Australian Made – The Wolfe Brothers – Produced by Rod McCormack and Nicholas Wolfe
Backbone – Kasey Chambers – Produced by Kasey Chambers
Bush Troubadour – Dean Perrett – Produced by Lindsay Waddington and Dean Perrett
Choking on Fuel – Imogen Clark – Produced Jeremy Dylan, Imogen Clark, Michael Carpenter, Sam Hawksley and Mike Bloom
Country Soul – Hayley Jensen – Produced by Michael Paynter, Michael Delorenzis (MSquared), Troy Kokol and Matt Fell
Cowboy Up – Kaylee Bell – Produced by Tom Jordan and Travis Heidelman
Crucifix and Spinifex – Kevin Bennett and The Flood – Produced by Kevin Bennett and The Flood and Michael Muchow
Endemic Intelligence in Multiple Dimensions – Brad Cox – Produced Chris Collins and Brandon Hood
Enemy Of My Enemy – The Pleasures – Produced by Damian Cafarella
Forest House – Jenny Mitchell – Produced by Matt Fell
Here’s To You – Tom Curtain – Produced by Garth Porter and Luke O’Shea
How Many Songs – John Williamson – Produced by John Williamson
Road To Riverleigh – Brendon Walmsley – Produced by Rod McCormack
Start All Over Again – Brendan Radford – Produced by Brendan Radford
Worth Your Love – Sara Storer – Produced by Matt Fell
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Originally published as 'It is about f***ing time': Kasey Chambers celebrates country music's new dawn
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