There is a specific kind of honesty that only comes from the wide open spaces of Australia. For Simon Orton, that honesty isn't just a musical style, it’s a life philosophy. Raised on a farm and now spending his days helping others navigate emotional safety and resilience in the workplace, Simon brings a rare, whiskey-smooth authenticity to the country music scene.
His latest single, A Little Light, is a great example of modern storytelling. Inspired by a true story of supporting a partner through the long, complex journey of trauma healing, the track swaps the typical country style for something much more important, the courage to be still.
We sat down with Simon to discuss the responsibility of sharing a friend's story, how the silence of the bush influenced the track, and why in a world that demands instant results, his music is an invitation to slow down and breathe.
You’ve mentioned that A Little Light was inspired by a friend’s true story regarding trauma and healing. How do you balance the responsibility of telling someone else’s vulnerable truth while still making the song feel like it belongs to your own musical journey?
That was probably the most sacred part of writing A Little Light. When someone trusts you with their trauma, you don’t treat it like material, you treat it like something fragile. I never wanted to sensationalise it or dramatise it. The heart of the song isn’t about the trauma itself, it’s about walking beside someone while they heal.
I balanced it by writing from my own emotional lens, what it feels like to love patiently, without pressure, without trying to “fix” someone. That’s very much part of my own story. So, while the events weren’t mine, the feelings were. The song becomes less about one person’s pain and more about the universal experience of choosing compassion.
You were raised on a farm and still travel the wide-open spaces of Australia. How do those physical landscapes influence what we hear in this latest release?
Growing up on a farm teaches your patience. It teaches you silence. It teaches you that not everything happens fast, some things grow slowly. The wide open Australian landscape finds its way into the space in my music. There’s room in the production. There’s air between the lines. A Little Light isn’t crowded sonically. It breathes. That space mirrors the horizon lines I grew up with, longer roads, big skies, quiet reflection. Country music, especially in Australia, carries that sense of distance and honesty. You can’t hide in the bush. You can’t hide under a big sky. And I think that honesty is embedded in the tone of this track.
Your professional life involves helping businesses create emotionally aware workplaces. How does that deep dive into human psychology and safety influence the way you write lyrics about complex feelings?
Massively.
I’ve spent years working with people after critical incidents, helping them process trauma, conflict and stress. You learn very quickly that people don’t need lectures, they need to be heard.
That’s how I approach songwriting. Instead of telling listeners what to feel, I try to create space for them to feel. The lyrics in A Little Light aren’t dramatic or accusatory. They’re observational. They’re steady.
Psychological safety is about being present without judgement. The song mirrors that, it doesn’t rush, it doesn’t demand, it doesn’t force a happy ending. It just stays. Sometimes that’s the bravest thing you can do.
You’ve cited legends like Johnny Cash and Paul Kelly as major influences. How do you feel those storyteller icons helped shape the whiskey-smooth vocal style and poetic grit you’re becoming known for today?
Artists like Johnny Cash and Paul Kelly taught me that you don’t have to over sing a story, you just have to believe it.
Johnny Cash had that grounded baritone that carried weight without theatrics. Paul Kelly has this way of writing lines that feel like conversations overheard in a pub. That honesty shaped me deeply.
The whiskey-smooth tone people talk about isn’t something I try to manufacture. It’s probably just years of life, stress, healing and reflection settling into the voice. Those legends showed me that grit isn’t about volume,it’s about truth.
With the release of A Little Light kicking off the year, what can fans expect from the rest of your 2026? Are there plans for a tour across the Australian heartland or a full-length album in the works?
2026 feels like a building year.
There are definitely more releases coming, songs that explore resilience, love and starting again. I’m working toward a cohesive body of work rather than just standalone singles, so an album is very much on the horizon.
As for touring, I will do that later. I’d love to get out across regional Australia first, the heartland towns where storytelling still matters. Nothing flashy. Just real rooms, real conversations, real songs. That’s where this music belongs.
As an Australian independent artist, what does it mean to you to have your music featured on a platform like Local Sounds, and what message do you hope listeners take away when they hear your songs for the first time?
For an independent artist, platforms like Local Sounds Radio are everything. They give emerging voices oxygen. They back storytelling over algorithms and create genuine connection.
But personally, the greatest joy isn’t just airplay, it’s when social media followers reach out and say they understood the lyric or felt the musical tones. When someone tells me the song made them pause and consider becoming the best version of themselves, that means more than any chart position ever could.
I’ve had people message to say the music touched them and made them reflect on their own personal relationships, their level of patience, their care, the way they show up for someone who’s hurting. That’s incredibly humbling.
If A Little Light does anything, I hope it reminds people that love doesn’t always have to be loud. Sometimes it’s steady. Sometimes it’s patient. And sometimes being a little light in someone’s darkness can quietly change everything.
Listen to A Litle Light by Simon Orton now on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/2RLNEan3uWxORpuxZtd6Qh