Australia has a long history of badass female singers kicking ass.

From Chrissy Amphlett to Suze DeMarchi to Sarah McLeod, there’s no shortage of women who seized their microphones and rained hell down. These women all firmly sit in the rock genre, while another wild woman started kicking up dust in the lines between rock and country.

Jayne Denham started in the same way as those before her, belting her powerhouse voice across bars as a rock frontwoman, but as she began writing, her producers noticed something different about this leading lady.

Denham recounts her musical beginnings, and the path from dusty towns to blinding stage lights. “My mum was a gospel singer, and my dad and his father were in musical theatre, so that’s where my entertainment side came from,” Jane shares.

“Mum was trained in opera, so I grew up learning how to sing properly. She used to fly all over the country and do Christian events. I was always an entertainer. I sang in church and Darlene and her husband Mark used to say, ‘Jayne, you need to join a band and learn your craft ’cause you’re never gonna learn it singing in church’, which is very true.

“I grew up with my heart in rock music, but I was raised on country. When I started writing, I thought I was writing rock and they said, ‘no, you’re writing country’. My musical histories meshed together.

“Now I’m pushing the boundaries a bit more, which is why I’m working with Marti Frederiksen, who’s produced for Aerosmith and worked with Mick Jagger. [2024 album] ‘Moonshine’ was the first step in that direction, which is really who I am. My true sound.”

Denham has found immense success with her genre-bending sound, achieving five #1 hits and seven Golden Guitar nominations. She highlights her journey writing with others, remarking on finding the magic. “I enjoy writing with a group, that’s my thing.

“I come up with crazy ideas and then work with great writers who help craft what’s in my brain. I’m currently working with Marti, who’s worked with Aerosmith, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, and Ozzy Osbourne.

“We worked with an Australian girl Kylie Sackley, and there was something completely magical about writing together. Marti said, ‘when you find that magical team, just stick with it’.

“The other thing is you have to find people who write melodies for your vocal range. I’ve got a big vocal range, and when I first started, the people writing weren’t writing for that, so my melodies were very plain. It’s been fun to learn what I need from writers.”

Having walked the country line for enough time to know, Jayne discusses the common misconceptions that country music faces, and its evolution over time. “I’d have to narrow it down to Australian country music,” she exacts.

“I remember for the first 15 years, I’d say ‘I’m a country music artist’, and they’d think I sang like Slim Dusty. There’s so much more to country music, which I think is exciting, and it’s getting even bigger. I put spaghetti western meets country rock on my 2021 album ‘Wanted’, which was nominated for Golden Guitar Album Of The Year. So there’s a lot more diversity than people think.

“When I started, my producers with their wisdom said, ‘if you come out of the gate the way you want to do it, Jayne, they will not accept you, because they’ll see it as rock’. So we meshed the two. Now, I just keep pushing the boundaries and what used to be taboo in country is now cool,” Denham laughs.

The ‘Wanted’ album saw Denham unleash creatively, carving a character and evolving her story to a point which necessitated distinct visual identification. “I think branding is important. I was always the country-rock chick with a cowboy hat. Now every country music artist wears a hat.

“When I started, nobody wore cowboy hats; and yet I came from Bon Jovi wearing a cowboy hat and all these rock artists. I’d always walk out onstage with a rock vibe. When I did the ‘Wanted’ album during lockdown, I created a character to blow out the walls with an artistic album.

“I contacted the guy who does the Eurovision costumes, and said, ‘I want badass western meets rock’; and we created the coat. Then I put spaghetti western videos at the back of the stage. Lee Kernaghan was the only other artist really using video at that time.

“I was really proud that we came up with that, putting on a real show. Growing up with my family in musical theatre, I’ve felt more confident doing it that way. It took my show to a whole new level that’s different and unique and high energy. I spend more time on my live show than anything else. It’s an entire piece of art, not just songs.”

Denham and co. will ride into Airlie in Far North Queensland for Airlie Beach Festival of Music next month (7-9 November), alongside a stellar line-up of over 50 acts, including Pete Murray, Jessica Mauboy, The Screaming Jets, Diesel and Choirboys.

Jayne is chomping at the bit to release her power over the festival, showing patrons just how rocking country can be. “This is exactly the sort of thing we plan for. This is where I feel I fit as an artist working in rock and country festivals.

“We’ll also play one of our new tracks, which I’m super excited about. This festival has so many different genres of music, and I’m super honoured to represent the country-rock component. I grew up being completely obsessed with Aussie pub rock from the Divinyls to Baby Animals, thinking that was what I wanted to do with my life.

“Then by the time I was old enough, that whole scene had finished. It was devastating. So I’m really honoured that they’ve picked me as the artist that can bring that edge to the show.”