The Newcastle pop-folk musician, who releases music under the name Miller Roberts, underwent a transformation of sorts. Following the release of her debut EP Square One in July 2020, she endured a break up, changed jobs and watched her musical plans stall when they were meant to be coming to fruition.

"I was processing a lot of personal stuff and with music, I'd planned to launch my project and be doing gigs, and then everything flipped on its head," Robertson said.

"I was trying to process everything that happened in the months leading up to writing that song [Bad Habit]. There was a lot of change and upheaval and uncertainty with my work as well."

It was in that atmosphere that she wrote Bad Habit. The atmospheric indie-folk song is arguably the most personal the 26-year-old has written.

"I probably tend to process events with a melancholy view," she said. "So that's probably the bad habit for me."

Despite the pandemic, Miller Roberts has continued to expand. The single Voice In My Head is tracking close to 100,000 Spotify streams as her audience grows in the UK and Germany, backed by positive articles in several European-based music blogs.

And before the Delta variant shut down major live gigs in Newcastle, Robertson had supported Whitlams frontman Tim Freedman and Boo Seeka.

Voice In My Head, Bad Habit and Let It Go are expected to feature on Robertson's second six-track EP due for release in November or December. Another single, All Over Again, is planned for release in September.

Once again, Robertson collaborated with Central Coast producer Jackson Barclay (Vera Blue, Winterbourne) on the EP.

"On Square One I had a lot of my friends come in and play and give me feedback and ideas, but this time I really wanted to keep it a lot more simple," she said. "Other than Jackson, nobody's heard the songs until I've released them, so I've kept it quite close quarters.

"That's affected it stylistically as well. It's more lonely, reflective and more private and that's affected the sound."

THE live music industry in the NSW has been in limbo for a month, but it hasn't prevented Melbourne metalcore band Void Of Vision from optimistically announcing a national tour for September. The four-piece are scheduled to perform at the Cambridge Hotel on September 23.

THERE was plenty of excitement in 2019 when Melbourne indie-rockers Children Collide announced their reformation and release of comeback single Aurora after seven years.

The pandemic might have stalled the grungy three-piece's momentum, but finally Children Collide will release their fourth album Time Itself on August 27. The latest single and video Man Of The People hit the digital world this week.

What's more, Children Collide are hitting the road, which will finally bring the band back to the Hunter for a show at the Newcastle Hotel on December 4.

IT'S been three months since Kurri Kurri's Tori Forsyth released her terrific second album Provlepseis and she's no closer to performing the alt-rock tracks to an audience.

Forsyth, who has been based on the Sunshine Coast since last year, was planning to announce a tour this week but due to the ongoing lockdowns in Greater Sydney and Brisbane, she's again been forced to pull the plug.

"This Wednesday I was going to announce dates...with lockdown so harsh in Sydney and extended in Queensland it not only feels insensitive but doesn't make any sense to do so," Forsyth wrote on social media.

"Not touring a record feels like it never had a chance to shine but like every single musician doing their best in their field, it's become a monotonous task. If there's a chance to play this year it'll be a pop-up show announced closer to the date of the show."

NEWCASTLE alt-country artist Natalie Henry immortalised her 40^th birthday celebration in the Byron Bay hinterland by using footage from the weekend for the video of her latest single More Than A Woman.

The video features Henry and a group of her closest friends all dressed in white and partying in a rental property, taking inspiration from US pop star Billie Eilish's clip for Lost Cause.

The honky tonk slow-burner follows Henry's Dolly Parton-esque Weed, Wine and Women.

YOU Am I's Tim Rogers has officially joined The Hard-Ons as the Sydney punk legends' new lead singer. Back in March ex-vocalist Keish de Silva left the band after he was accused of sexual misconduct.

Rogers appears on The Hard-Ons' forthcoming album I'm Sorry Sir, That Riff's Been Taken, out on October 6.