"Sublime, superb… truly a unique album in a world where so many are cookie cutters” (ABC Songsmiths 2024)
"A powerful, lived-in album full of nuanced songwriting” (Apple Music 2024)
"Ward expertly explores the parallels between the natural world and love” (The West Australian 2024)
"A phenomenal piece of writing” (Americana UK 2024)
"Sublime" (Countrytown Nov 2021)
"The genuine article" (Brisbane Courier Mail Nov 2021)
"World class" (Rhythyms Magazine, 2019)
"Everything that is good about Australian Country Music" (Tamworth Country Music Capital News 2019)
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ABOUT MATT
Matt Ward is a songwriter and recording artist whose story has been crafted through life experiences and an ongoing thirst for exploring the adventure and truth behind the road, the heart and country. Deeply inspired by the Australian landscape, he continues to reflect its people, places and spirit through his music.
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An ARIA #1-charting Australian country artist, Ward is known for his heartfelt songwriting, energetic live performances and deep connection to place. Based in regional South Australia and shaped by years working as a land manager throughout the country’s most remote corners, he brings a grounded authenticity to everything he does — from his lyrics to the stage.
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He has released three full-length albums: Heartland (2019) and If I Was In Dallas Tonight (2021) both topped the ARIA Australian Country Album Chart, while The Long Way Home (2024) reached #2 and received widespread acclaim. ABC Songsmiths called it “sublime, superb… truly a unique album in a world where so many are cookie cutters.”
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Ward’s music spans themes of love, loss, distance and belonging — rooted in a sound that blends Australian country, alt-country and Americana. Working closely with award-winning producer Matt Fell, he’s crafted a distinct style that resonates across radio and stage alike.
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A compelling live act, Ward has performed at major festivals including Groundwater Country Music Festival (2021, 2024), Australian Music Week and Americanafest in Nashville. In 2025, he will make his debut at the iconic Gympie Music Muster. With growing momentum, national airplay and a reputation for authenticity, Matt Ward is a rising force in Australian country music.
MATT'S JOURNEY
Ward’s story as a recording artist and songwriter has been crafted through life experiences and an ongoing thirst for exploring the adventure and truth behind the road, the heart and country. Matt remains deeply inspired by the Australian landscape, and continues to reflect its people, places and spirit through his music.
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He first started connecting with communities and capturing stories while working in his family’s 120-year-old shoe store in the historic community of Norwood. After earning a qualification in environmental science, Ward spent more than two decades working across remote South Australia with Indigenous and regional communities in wildlife management, threatened species recovery and sustainable agriculture.
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Drawing upon these experiences — along with extensive stints in North America immersing himself in the roots of country music — Ward has woven his values, lived experience and sense of place into a sound that feels unmistakably his own.
His first release, a 2016 self-titled EP, was picked up by Stanley Records, and the single ‘Neil Young’ was featured on Take Me To Town, a compilation celebrating Australian alternative country and Americana music.
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In 2019, Ward began working with award-winning producer Matt Fell, releasing his debut album Heartland, a concept album inspired by Australian landholders during the Millennium drought. The album reached #1 on the ARIA Australian Country Album Chart and was described by Rhythms Magazine as “world class.” The single ‘Better Man’ was used to raise awareness for mental health, raising funds for the Black Dog Institute.
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His second album, If I Was In Dallas Tonight (2021), captured the highs and lows of Ward’s travels between Adelaide and Austin. Recorded at Yellow Dog Studios in Texas, the album featured collaborations with prominent Texan musicians and reached #1 on the ARIA Country Chart. It was described as “sublime” by Countrytown and cemented Ward as “the genuine article” (Brisbane Courier Mail). That same year, he was again a finalist in the South Australian Music Awards.
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In 2023, Ward turned his focus closer to home, launching his own label, Heartland Music Australia, and self-producing several live recordings. His EP The Way That I Was Meant To Be delivered raw, live energy and included the duet ‘Two To Tango’ featuring Taasha Coates (The Audreys). He also collaborated with Norwood Football Club to release ‘Red and Blue’, a tribute to community and grass-roots footy.
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In 2024, Ward released his third full-length album, The Long Way Home — a career-best moment that reached #2 on the ARIA Country Chart and garnered widespread acclaim. Inspired by life on the Fleurieu Peninsula, the record weaves stories of love, land and belonging, with tracks like ‘Petrichor’ and ‘Come Home Safe’ showcasing his ability to connect emotion and environment. ABC Songsmiths described it as “sublime, superb, truly a unique album,” while Americana UK praised it as “a phenomenal piece of writing.”
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Ward has performed at Groundwater Country Music Festival (2021, 2024), Americanafest in Nashville (2019), and Australian Music Week (2017, 2019), and is set to make his debut at the iconic Gympie Music Muster in 2025. His creative drive, authenticity and storytelling continue to define him as one of Australia’s most distinctive country voices. From the South Australian deserts to the stages of Nashville, Matt Ward’s journey keeps moving — steady, strong, and always rooted in something real.