Awash with raw rumination and an expansive cinematic aesthetic, today Naarm-based singer-songwriter Domini Forster unveils a brand new single Magnolia; a lush, melancholic folk dream that also accompanies the announcement of Forster’s sophomore studio album, The Lonely, officially set for release on Friday June 20.
Opening in a dreamlike state before swelling with instrumentals and Forster’s luminous vocals, Magnolia features elegant percussion and a soaring chorus that opens up like a darkly shimmering folk kaleidoscope, reflecting the endlessly fluctuating nature of life. The track nods to English multi-instrumentalist Marika Hackman alongside Forster’s signature style. “Early Marika Hackman circa ‘We Slept At Last’ was an influence for Magnolia,” shares Forster. “I love combining warm, woody acoustic instruments with ethereal synthesised elements and textural sounds. Marika does this beautifully, and that album was definitely on high rotation for a while.”
“Magnolia is about trying to make sense of the constancy of change,” Forster continues, “and the endless cycle of ups and downs that make up life. My sister had a Magnolia tree outside her house, and every spring it was completely laden with these huge luscious flowers. Then all of a sudden I’d visit and they’d be on the ground – just a thick carpet of rotting petals. The tree would spend months completely bare after that, and then it would bud again. It felt like such a strong reflection of the seasonality of life, and the inevitability of change. And I found a strange sort of comfort in it – confirmation that loss was inevitable but so was renewal.”
Joining forces with Lachlan Carrick (Gotye, Lior, Emma Donovan) on producing, recording, mixing and mastering, along with co-producer and multi-instrumentalist Josh Barber (Gretta Ray, Gotye) for both her latest single Magnolia and its broader album, Domini Forster spent days with both Carrick and Barber in Barber’s converted 1860s chapel studio in Victoria’s Goldfields region, transforming a creative retreat into what would ultimately become The Lonely.
The album has already turned heads, with the second single Hard Love earning a place on the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition shortlist and playlisting by Australian taste-maker and music video institution RAGE, and ABC’s David Astle describing Hard Love as “a mesmerising, ethereal piece of music”.
Opening in sublime fashion with its title track, The Lonely coats its listener with a warm and assured knowing, reflecting the full spectrum of life – the shadows and the light – in a cohesive pastiche that is equal parts intricate and lush. The album’s beginning is achingly resonant and relatable, tracing the patterns of modern life that see us living so close, yet lonelier than ever. Fluctuating between glistening acoustic grooves (Unconditional Love), brooding, open-vein folk (Hard Love and Magnolia), shimmering simplicity (Hunger), stripped-back storytelling (The Last Real Moment), smoky melodies delivered alongside hypnotic arrangements (Unravelling), and songs that place you between the clouds and the heavens via melancholic piano and sweeping strings (Gravity), The Lonely ultimately comes to its stunning conclusion with Breathing Out; a wistful yet cathartic folk gem that burrows the weight of the world into a sonic place of serenity and acceptance. And while constantly exploring, observing and unravelling notions of connection and disconnection, The Lonely ultimately serves as a powerful collection of songs that remind us all that we are not alone, expertly channelled through Forster’s personal lens.
“The through-line of the album is connection and disconnection – loneliness in all its many shades and patterns, and the centrality of belonging to human happiness,” explains Forster. “When I first floated the name of the album to a few people, one friend told me it was too much of a downer, but that only made me more convinced of it. Loneliness feels like such an urgent social challenge right now. I spent several years working in a community music organisation, mentoring songwriters living with mental health challenges, and it really reinforced the link between loneliness and unwellness. I was supporting people to share their stories of struggle with the human condition, and the more I heard, the more it struck me that loneliness was so often at the core of them. It was often a big part of why people became unwell in the first place, and then their isolation was exacerbated by their declining mental health. It creates this self-perpetuating cycle that’s really hard to break out of.”
“That work also reinforced the cathartic power of songwriting for me,” Forster adds. “Vulnerability in art can be like mutual therapy of a kind, creating this connection where both the storyteller and the audience feel more seen and understood. Less uniquely broken, and less alone in their struggle. I’m hoping this album does that for people in the same way that some of my favourite albums have for me.”
Born in Nimbin in New South Wales and growing up in the idyllic setting of Byron Bay, Domini Forster first picked up the violin in third grade and never looked back, soon adding guitar to her collection and beginning to write songs. An engaging and multi-faceted creative, Forster’s distinctive vocals can flit from whisper-close to bell-like and commanding effortlessly, drawing comparisons over the years to the likes of Laura Marling and Joni Mitchell. From her early career beginnings as a finalist in triple j Unearthed High, Forster released her debut EP Little Dreamer in 2013, following on in 2017 with her debut full-length album, Raven, with the latter earning her the coveted Darebin Songwriter’s Award. An avid lover of making art in all mediums, including an embroidery phase that morphed into a lino-cut obsession (the results of which can be witnessed via some DIY merch at her upcoming shows later this year), Forster also turned heads in 2021 collaborating with ARIA Award-winning artist Lior, releasing their critically-acclaimed duo EP Animal In Hiding. The collaboration saw Forster and Lior present a huge tour across the country in 2022 and 2023, including performances at MONA, Port Fairy Folk Festival and Woodford Folk Festival.
“I originally met Lior at a songwriting competition – I was a finalist and he was a special guest performer,” shares Forster, “and after seeing me play, he asked me to support him for a run of shows. A good day, as far as they go! It was immediately clear that my music resonated with his audiences – an incredibly affirming experience for me as a young artist – and those shows led to a heap more touring together over the next few years, well over a hundred shows across the country. I started singing with him early on, and we both noticed there was something special in the blend of our voices – a natural musical synergy. After successfully co-writing and recording a track together for his 2018 album Between You & Me, we decided to embark on a larger duo project together.”
“We began writing our EP Animal In Hiding before the pandemic,” Forster adds, “but we finished and recorded it during Melbourne’s long covid era – in stolen moments between lockdowns. The title track, originally written about the isolation of winter, became the prophetic seed of the project. When the world opened up again, we toured the EP nationally, playing folk festivals and beautiful theatres across Australia. It was a total career highlight to present this collection of intricate folk songs to people in such special venues, and alongside such an accomplished collaborator – not to mention a dear friend.”
Now poised on the release of her second studio album in 2025, Forster will also perform her new album on stages throughout June to September; including Tasmania, a special hometown show in Melbourne at the iconic Northcote Social Club, before heading to Canberra, and then diving into a short string of shows in NSW, including two with Emily Lubitz.
“I’m playing a full band hometown show in Melbourne on 10 July, so I’m really excited to have the chance to play the album in its full cinematic glory” enthuses Forster. “At my core though, I’m a songwriter, so the songs were all originally written solo for guitar and voice. I’m taking them on the road that way, doing a run of intimate solo shows, with a few guest musicians along the way.”
“This one is huge for me,” Forster adds of her upcoming new full-length. “My last album as a solo artist – Raven – was released in 2017, so I was basically a different human. All my cells have probably regenerated a few times since then!”
“After that release, I took some time to focus on working in community music and mental health, and then began the duo collaboration with Lior. Since we finished touring our EP in 2023, this album has been my focus. It feels fantastic to put out new music that reflects who I am now as an independent artist.”
Magnolia is out now.
The Lonely is due out Friday June 20.
DOMINI FORSTER – 2025 TOUR DATES:
SAT 14 JUN | Dreamfarm House Concert, HUON VALLEY/JUDBURY TAS | ALL AGES
Tickets available from trybooking.com
SUN 15 JUN | Hobert House Concert Collective HHCC X TREETOP, HOBART | ALL AGES
Tickets available from humanitix.com
THURS 10 JUL | NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+
Tickets available from northcotesocialclub.com
SAT 19 JUL | SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE, CANBERRA ACT | UNDER 18s MUST BE SUPERVISED
Tickets available from smithsalternative.com
THURS 28 AUG | THE CITADEL, MURWILLUMBAH NSW | SUPPORTING EMILY LUBITZ | ALL AGES
Tickets available from humanitix.com
FRI 29 AUG | BRUNSWICK PICTURE HOUSE, BRUNSWICK HEADS NSW | SUPPORTING EMILY LUBITZ | ALL AGES
Tickets available from brunswickpicturehouse.com
SAT 6 SEP | SECRET HOUSE CONCERT, BYRON BAY NSW | ALL AGES
Tickets available from humanitix.com