Amber Lawrence

Amber Louise Lawrence (born 19 April 1978) is an Australian country music singer-songwriter-guitarist. Five of her studio albums have reached the ARIA Albums Chart top 50, 3, Superheroes (2014), Happy Ever After (2016), Our Backyard (2017) and Spark (2019, No. 13). At the Country Music Awards of Australia Lawrence has won six Golden Guitar trophies. She has toured with the likes of Lee Kernaghan, The McClymonts, and in 2013, she was in the Sinai, entertaining Australian and coalition forces. Her song "Man Across The Street" is about a returned veteran; it resulted in her 2013 Golden Guitar nomination for "Best Female Artist of the Year". Her father, Brian Lawrence, was a surf lifesaver at South Maroubra club until he had a stroke at age 40. When a toddler, Lawrence wandered onto the busy road in front of her home and was saved from serious injury by a neighbour. She attended Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College, Sydney where she completed the Higher School Certificate in 1995, including a place in the Order of Merit List. She excelled at athletics and tried out for the state team. On Christmas Day 2017, Lawrence and Newman were engaged at Coogee Beach, and in August 2018 the couple had a child. On 2 May 2019 they married in Port Douglas, Queensland.

After a chance encounter at an airport in 2017, a unique opportunity presented itself when Lawrence was invited to perform in New York for an event commemorating the 75th Anniversary Battle of the Coral Sea with the American Association. The audience was made up of surviving war veterans, then-Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, then-President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump among others. Lawrence performed the poignant "100 Year Handshake" which she wrote especially for the event with her now-husband Martin Newman.

In 2019, Lawrence was invited to perform as part of Vision Australia's Carols by Candlelight, broadcast live annually on Christmas Eve from the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne, Australia.

On 13 December 2025 Lawrence joined a range of high-profile performers at the 81st annual St John Ambulance Carols by Candlelight, a free open-air spectacular held at Elder Park in central Adelaide, South Australia. About 15,000 people attended. The event was televised live across Australia by the Seven Network and is available for replay on 7+.

Lawrence is also a mentor to young artists in the Australian Music industry and has provided free entertainment and mentoring in over 300 schools Australia wide, as part of her 'Be Your Own Superhero' program.

Lawrence is the face of iHeartRadio Australia Country, hosting the show each week, a guest presenter on Channel 9's 'Getaway' and was the co-host of the CMC Music Awards in 2017 – live on Foxtel, and the 2019 Golden Guitar Awards. Lawrence was also extremely honored to receive an Australia Day Bronze Achievement Award for her contribution to War Veterans and their families, via her work with RSL DefenceCare.

From February 2022 to 23 April 2022, Lawrence hosted ABC Radio's Saturday Night Country national show, temporarily replacing regular host Beccy Cole.

Music career 2003–2006: Career beginnings and I've Got the Blues In January 2003, Lawrence started busking in Tamworth ahead of its annual country music festival although she has said that "I had no idea what Tamworth was about." The singer-songwriter was one of nine grand finalists for the Star Maker Quest at the 2005 Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA), but lost to Samantha McClymont.

In January 2006, Lawrence independently released her debut four-track extended play, I've Got the Blues.

2007–2011: The Mile and When It All Comes Down Lawrence's debut studio album, The Mile, was released in July 2007 and was again produced by McCormack. The title track relates to Sam McRae, a "16-year-old jockey" who "died in a racing accident". The album reached No. 13 on the ARIA Country Albums chart.

At the 2008 CMAA, she was nominated for "Female Artist of the Year" and "New Talent", At the AIR Awards of 2009, The Mile was nominated for Independent Country Album of the Year.

Her second studio album, When It All Comes Down, was released in August 2009. It reached No. 17 on the ARIA Country Albums chart and No. 16 on the related Hitseekers Albums chart. Two of its tracks, "Always Kiss Me Goodnight" and "The Good Men" were in honour of her father, Brian, who had died in the previous year.

In 2010 she won "Female Vocalist of the Year" at the Victorian National Country Music Awards (sponsored by the Whittlesea Country Music Festival), and was nominated for "Best Independent Country Album" at the Independent Country Music Awards (sponsored by the Mildura Country Music Festival). At the 2010 CMAA, When It All Comes Down was nominated for three categories.

2012–2015: 3 and Superheroes The simply named 3, her third studio album, was released in January 2012 via Core Music/Sony Music Entertainment, which peaked in the ARIA Albums top 50 and reached No. 4 on the Country Albums chart. Its second single, "The Man Across the Street", relates to the experiences of her neighbour, Bill and other Vietnam Veterans. In both 2012 and 2013, Lawrence was again nominated for CMAA's "Female Artist of the Year". In 2014, Lawrence was nominated for "Female Artist of the Year" at the Australian Club Entertainment Awards.

In September 2014, Lawrence released her fourth studio album, Superheroes. It also reached the ARIA top 50, while debuting at No. 3 on the Country Albums chart. The CD's artwork includes a photo of her parents in their surfing era at Maroubra Beach, where they met. the Australian Bush Laureate Award for Contemporary Song Lyric of the Year and was nominated for Heritage Song of the Year, both for "The Lifesaver". The song details her family's response to Brian's stroke in 1996. She was also named CMC Music Video Channel's Female Oz Artist of the Year.

2016–2018: The Kid's Gone Country, Happy Ever After and Our Backyard In April 2016, Lawrence released her fifth studio album, The Kid's Gone Country, her first children's albums. This was followed in September 2016 with her sixth, Happy Ever After, which reached the ARIA top 50 and Country Albums No. 6. Sunburnt Country Musics Sophie Hamley noticed that "[it's] full of well-crafted country pop that will delight ... she writes and sings from an authentic place, and she is unabashed about showing sentiment and emotion. You get the sense that in conversation she wouldn't be one for small talk – she would want to get right to the heart of a matter."

Her collaboration with fellow Australian country artist Travis Collins, the seven-track Our Backyard EP, was released in August 2017. It peaked at No. 40 on the ARIA Albums chart and No. 2 on the Country Albums chart. The title track was co-written by Lawrence, Collins and Matt Scullion. The EP was produced by Matt Fell.

2019–present: Spark and Living for the Highlights In June 2019, Lawrence's released her eighth studio album, Spark, which peaked at No. 13 on the ARIA Albums chart and No. 1 on the Country Albums chart. It was produced by Stuart Stuart.

In 2020, Lawrence appeared as a featured artist on Jayne Denham's single "Porch Party", alongside Jasmine Rae.

In July 2022, Lawrence released her tenth studio album, Living for the Highlights, which peaked at number 5 on the ARIA Charts. Living for the Highlights received an ARIA nomination for Best Country Album in 2022 .

Her eighth studio album Suburban Cowgirl was released on 29 May 2026, alongside a debut children's book of the same name.

Discography Studio albums + List of studio albums, with peak chart positions Title Album details Peak chartpositions The Mile Released: 7 July 2007 Label: Amber Lawrence, ABC Music, MRA Formats: CD, Digital download — When It All Comes Down Released: 24 August 2009 Label: Amber Lawrence, ABC, MGM Formats: CD, Digital download — 3 Released: 20 January 2012 Label: Amber Lawrence, ABC, Core Music/Sony Music Entertainment Australia Formats: CD, Digital download 41 Superheroes Released: 15 September 2014 Label: Amber Lawrence, ABC, Social Family Records (SFR)/EMI Records Formats: CD, Digital download 43 The Kid's Gone Country Released: 9 May 2016 Label: Social Family Records (SFR) Formats: CD, Digital download 88 Happy Ever After Released: 26 September 2016 Label: Amber Lawrence, ABC, Social Family Records (SFR)/Universal Music Australia Formats: CD, Digital download, streaming 44 Aussie Aussie Christmas (Re-released in 2023 as A Very Aussie Aussie Christmas) Released: 13 November 2017 Label: ABC, Universal Music Australia Formats: CD, Digital download, streaming — Spark Released: 10 June 2019 Label: Amber Lawrence, ABC, Universal Music Australia Formats: CD, Digital download, streaming 13 The Kid's Gone Country II: Fun for All the Family Released: November 2020 Label: UMA, ABC Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 71 Living for the Highlights Released: 22 July 2022 Label: UMA, ABC Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 5 Suburban Cowgirl Released: 29 May 2026 Label: ABC Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 18

Live albums + List of live albums, with selected details Title Album details Peak chartpositions Hometown Girl Released: 5 October 2015 Label: Amber Lawrence, ABC, Social Family Records (SFR)/EMI Formats: CD, Digital download 7

Extended plays + List of EPs, with selected details and chart positions Title EP details Peak chartpositions 2010 When It All Comes Down 2015 Superheroes 2021 Kids Gone Country - Fun for All the Family Best Independent Children's Album or EP 2024 A Very Aussie Aussie Christmas Best Independent Children's Album or EP

ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards is an annual ceremony presented by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia. They commenced in 1987.

Country Music Awards of Australia The Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA) (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They have been held annually since 1973.

(wins only) 2015 Amber Lawrence Female Artist of the Year

Vocal Collaboration of the Year APRA AMCOS Song of the Year Single of the Year 2021 "True Blue" Vocal Collaboration of the Year 2023 Amber Lawrence Female Vocalist of the Year