There's Henry with baby on her hip, young daughter by her side and a flaming suitcase at her feet as she stands on the verandah of a burning house.

The image obviously embraces the Newcastle alt-country artist's love of theatrics, but it also illustrates the highs and lows Henry has circumnavigated since she stepped into the world of music at the ripe age of 34.

Two life-changing break-ups are at the heart of White Heat. Firstly there was the collapse of Henry's marriage with fellow musician Brock Henry.

The pair who have three daughters Gia (13), Luca (11) and Eddie (7), split shortly after their only album Cold Love as The Wayward Henrys was released in 2016.

It led to Henry's realisation that she was gay and she moved into a relationship with fellow musician Emily A. Smith and released her debut solo album Apple & Pride in 2018 addressing her marriage breakdown and emotional renewal.

When that relationship ended Henry spiralled. Tracks like the lead single Wine, Weed and Women, Leavin' and Wild Woman's World articulate the pain Henry endured.

"There was a time when writing that album I needed that Weed, Wine and Women song," Henry says.

"Those three things to get me through the night, I actually needed that. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't do anything.

"100 per cent after living that and writing these songs it's almost like therapy and I'm out on the other side and I have a new partner and the kids are doing really well and I'm doing really well."

Henry's love of country heartbreak and drinking songs follows a tradition mapped out by strong women like Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton. While those themes could easily be labelled cliche, Henry delivers them with authenticity and honesty that leaves the listener in little doubt that her experience is real.

"I've definitely done all the living, the heartbreak," she says. "All the things, the drinking. I did everything that's written in there. It's a very truthful album.

"It comes across so honest and the words are so blatantly harsh because that's how it happened.

"Even on my softer songs like Eddie, I wrote that about my daughter and her perspective on how the break-up was and how it affected her. Even the softer songs have that harsh hook line or ending."

The songs aren't just heartbreak and tears. Blue was written about Henry's new partner and blues and roots artist Genevieve Chadwick, who offers her smoky backing vocals.

There's also the cappella song Rockabye, written for her eldest daughter Gia, featuring three-part harmonies with Golden Guitar winners Catherine Britt and Melody Moko.

"It's about my daughter Gia and coming out as a young woman and really knowing herself and everything she does being OK," Henry says.

"Singing that around the mic was such a special moment with those girls."

White Heat was made possible due to Henry raising $15,000 through a crowd-funding campaign that drew donations from 270 people.

Henry spent the funds wisely recording the album's 13 tracks live at Rockinghorse Studio in Byron Bay over a week in February.

Moko's husband Michael Muchow and Britt produced the record. Muchow (guitar) was also part of an all-star backing band assembled by Henry, which also featured Dan Parsons (guitar), Ali Foster (drums), Wolfmother's Ian Peres (bass, keys), Lillie Mae (backing vocals, fiddle) and Hussy Hicks (backing vocals, harp).

It provided a new-found punch to Henry's music, which has improved exponentially since her debut Apple & Pride and found fans in You Am I's Tim Rogers and Shane Nicholson.

The 40-year-old's life experiences have played a crucial role in her improvement as a songwriter.

"There's definitely no way at 21 I could have written these songs," she says. "I didn't even sing or play guitar at the time anyway.

"Even if I had of there's no way these songs would have eventuated the way they have because I didn't have any life experience back then.

"The last two life experiences for me have really shaped both albums and this album has a little bit of everything in it."

Last week a campaign called "Ageing In" was launched on social media calling on radio programmers, promoters, and the wider industry to dismantle the prejudice which places a used-by date on women, in particular, in music.

"I only just started this six years ago and I only picked up a guitar four years ago," Henry says. "I was 36 and I'm now 40 and I'm just releasing this album into the world on a record label [Beverly Hillbilly Records] that's just been started by another really strong woman [Catherine Britt] in the industry.

"I feel 100 per cent I can be inspirational. It doesn't matter how old you are, you can always make brilliant music."

Natalie Henry's White Heat is out now.