Chloe Marks & The Mayhem—

Brisbane country outfit Chloe Marks & The Mayhem returns with a honky-tonkin’ single, Don’t Make Me Choose, a freewheeling slice of classic country and Americana that explores the impossible choice between chasing a dream and holding onto the people you love.

Lifted from the band’s highly anticipated debut album Bright Lights Late Nights, the track was inspired by a first-hand experience. “Don’t Make Me Choose is an incredibly personal song to me and the whole band,” admits Chloe. “It was one of the very first songs I ever wrote for Mayhem,” which she says was inspired by watching one of her bandmate’s relationship fall apart after the partner gave an ultimatum, music or the relationship.

Through the lens of twanging guitars and an energetic bar-room beat, the song tussles with the sacrifices that often accompany a life devoted to music. While it’s deeply personal for the band, the heartache is universal.

“It’s a situation that’s sadly relatable, not just for musicians, but for anyone whose passion leads them down an unconventional path,” says Chloe. “Chasing music takes an incredible amount of commitment, sacrifice, and resilience, but it’s also one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. Through this song, I wanted to honestly capture both the drive that keeps us pursuing this dream and the desperation of wanting someone you love to understand why it matters so much. It’s a feeling every member of this band has experienced in one way or another.”

Produced by Michael Muchow and recorded between RagTag Studios and Hunting Ground Studios, the track was intentionally captured with the raw chemistry that has become a hallmark of Chloe Marks & The Mayhem’s live performances.

“We brought the song to life in true Mayhem fashion by recording it live. The foundation was tracked together in the same room, just as we perform it on stage. Every musical moment was intentional, almost as if we were answering the song’s message through the music itself.”