Country music, one of the biggest and most popular music genres in the world, has successfully found an unlikely home in the heart of Broadbeach on Queensland's Gold Coast.
Having started in 2013, the Groundwater Country Music Festival has turned the country stereotype of dust, paddocks and Utes on its head, with the festival's concept of country meets coast going from strength to strength in its 8th year.
Recently winning the 'Festivals and Events' category at the 2019 Queensland Tourism Awards, Groundwater's stellar line-up includes Kasey Chambers, Shannon Noll, Gina Jeffreys, Sunny Cowgirls, McAlister Kemp, Tania Kernaghan, Brad Butcher and many more.
For much-loved award-winning country music star Gina Jeffreys, this will be her first time performing at Groundwater.
"I'm so excited to get there and play. The Gold Coast is one of my favourite places on the planet. We holiday here every year," says Jeffreys. "I can't wait to soak in the holiday feel and play songs we've never played before from my new album Beautiful Tangle and of course some of the old favourites from the '90s."
"We want to rock out a little more for this show and I'm so excited to do that with my fabulous band, including our newest member, our 17-year-old son Jacky!" she adds.
According to digital music streaming service Spotify, Australia is the third-largest country music territory after the US and Canada, and the world's fastest-growing country market. A fact not lost on Groundwater, which saw more than 73,000 people attend the three-day free event last year, boosting the Queensland economy by an estimated $8.46m.
"Groundwater is definitely attracting a new genre of fan; people who want to combine their love of country music with the most beautiful holiday destination in Australia," says Jeffreys. "Country music is reaching new people all the time; it's attractive to audiences no matter where they come from."
"Hopefully everyone will come with a more relaxed attitude that you can't help but soak up when you're on the Gold Coast. That equates to a wonderful audience I'm sure!"
One of Australia's fastest-growing music festivals, nearly 50 acts will perform across 15 stages throughout Broadbeach. A free, non-ticketed event there will be more than 110 live music performances providing 130 hours of entertainment across the three days (July 24-26).
"I've always followed the event online. I think it's the fresh, new big festival all the stars and all the fans want to be at," says Jeffreys, a five-time Golden Guitar award winner. "I'm hoping to catch up with some old faces and new faces and play some new music in a new way."
In August 2019, Jeffreys released her eighth studio album titled Beautiful Tangle. The first single "Cash" was released in June 2019. It is Jeffrey's first new album in nine years.
"Australian country music is crossing genres like never before so it's attracting a whole new audience. With the worldwide success of people like Keith Urban, our music is at a whole new level of popularity," she adds. "I think Australia has never been more united after the recent tragedy of bushfires across our beautiful land. There is a whole new pride and love of our country and country music really defines that. It's connected us all like never before. Music heals."
*The Groundwater Music Festival runs from July 24-26, 2020
*This feature has been produced in collaboration with City of Gold Coast
Australian Associated Press
