Courtney Keil—

Courtney Keil, Melbourne-based artist born on a South Australian working deer farm, has released her single I Just Wanna Hold You.

“The process was quite a journey,” says Courtney, whose trip to Nashville was cancelled because of Covid-19. Along with her team, she harnessed modern technology to keep the project moving forward. “I’m grateful to have written it with some dear friends from Nashville and the Central Coast via Zoom in the early stages of lockdown,” she says. While the session musicians in Nashville jumped in the studio as Rod McCormack, the producer, virtually coordinated the project, Courtney watched on via video and once it was safe for her to travel to Rod’s studio, the Music Cellar, she added her vocals and the project was finally, thankfully, completed.

“The theme and inspiration behind I Just Wanna Hold You fits in quite well with these strange times,” says Courtney, who wrote it “for any situation in our life where we feel apart from loved ones. The song is a reminder that no matter the distance, love connects you no matter where you are.”

The sound created by Courtney and Rod is a throwback to the great country women of the 90s with hints of Lady A and Kacey Musgraves. Some of Nashville’s finest musicians were also enlisted including Shannon Forrest, Brent Mason, Dan Dugmore, Dave Pomeroy and Tim Lauer, who have won too many awards between them to count.