Victorian singer/songwriter Chloe Violette has today released her stunning debut album, Colourfast. A collection of ten songs exploring identity, heartache, hope and our deep ties to people and place, the record feels both intimate and expansive. Written and recorded across seasons — beginning in March 2023 — Colourfast grew slowly and organically, shaped by patience rather than pressure.
Working alongside producer and close friend Josh Walton, Chloe allowed the process to breathe. Instead of racing toward a finish line, she embraced breaks, detours and the natural arc of creativity. The result is a body of work that feels grounded and cohesive, rooted in Gippsland landscapes and suburban memories alike.
Colourfast is an album that moves between bushland and suburbia, winter and daylight savings, heartbreak and hope — a debut that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. Below, Chloe takes us through Colourfast, track by track.
If you are in Melbourne or nearby, then do put it in your diary to head to The Grace Darling this Saturday (20th February) to see Chloe with band. Support live music! Tickets HERE.
Chloe Violette – Colourfast – Track by Track
Album Overview
It feels so surreal, my debut album is out in the world! ‘Colourfast’ is a collection of 10 songs that explore identity, heartache, hopefulness and the unique connections to places and people. I am deeply proud of this body of work and the connections I’ve made along the way. Collaborators have become close friends. Before starting this album, my main goal was simple: to enjoy the process. Like many of us, I have a habit of putting enormous pressure on myself – deadlines, expectations, ideas of where I should be. We started recording in March 2023, and instead of racing toward an arbitrary finish line, we let the process breathe. We took breaks when things didn’t feel right. Somehow, by not forcing it, the album found its own shape. My deepest gratitude goes out to all the people who made this project so special. There are lots of them. To Josh Walton, producer and dear friend, thanks for your patience, trust and the many laughs we’ve had along the way. We’ve made something special! Now it’s time for people to take time, relax and listen.
“Beginnings” opens the album. It starts with field recordings I took including the incredible call of a Superb Lyrebird (my favourite bird) and the sound of the flowing river near my home in Gippsland. It felt like a special way of introducing the soundscape of the place that was so influential to the narrative behind the album. The song itself is about the feelings that accompany unexpectedly falling in love. It’s bouncy, playful but at the same time, gentle. Naturally, it felt like the right place to begin.
Track 2 is “Stranger”, the second single of the album – it’s an anthem about reclaiming space, standing up and speaking out. It’s written straight from lived experience which many of us can relate to. When a stranger, often on public transport, somehow manages to ignore all the signals you’re putting out there that you do not want to engage with them. They proceed to tap you on the shoulder, comment on your appearance, ask personal questions and make you feel unsafe, uncomfortable and unable to speak your mind in order to avoid confrontation. This song is 2:45 seconds of me unleashing all that inner rage. Recording it was really empowering, especially screaming those backing vocals alongside a group of powerhouse women in the studio.
“Colourfast“, the title track of the album. It follows the journey from metropolitan Melbourne to Gippsland. Starts with a monotonous monochromatic scene at the train station, then gradually, the grass gets greener and you notice a change in demeanour as you get closer to the wide open spaces of the countryside.
The album cover art is in response to this song and is literally my washing machine stuffed with the vivid blue hydrangeas from my garden. I love how they kind of look like soap suds. The blue colour of those flowers is so rich. The song explores how the seasons of life can tumble and turn like a spin cycle, somehow through highs, lows and in between times – we manage to pull through without the colours fading.
“Skin” is a breakup song, but it’s written with a sense of hope. It’s about growing up and learning your worth through loss. There’s a really specific image in the second verse that I feel hits hard. “I dropped all your stuff off on your front porch, when I saw your dog I felt my stomach drop”. That moment when you realise you’re not just grieving a relationship, but a whole shared life and all the intricacies of being a part of someone’s family and then all of a sudden losing that. I love the way the production builds on the recording and it’s so fun to play this one live with the band!
I wrote “Brave Face” during the darkest time of the year. When the nights are bloody long and the windchill is intense. Somehow, we manage to weather the winter until the street lights flicker on a little later… Then comes the sigh of relief that is daylight savings. The pre-chorus of Brave Face is about taking a good hard look at yourself in front of the mirror. It’s the ultimate pep talk you give to yourself before you step out in front of a crowd, a classroom, a date, an important conversation with a loved one… this song is about backing yourself and showing up for the people who matter most.
“Still” is about listening, patience, presence and stopping to appreciate the little things. Noticing the shapes that the clouds make, watching the gumleaves sparkle after the rain. We recorded the song in this incredible old school hall in Macks Creek, Gippsland. At the end, there’s a little outro, featuring a creaky, 100-year-old piano that was covered in dust in the corner of the hall. We played the melody for This House, which acts as its contemplative intro and a shift in place from the birds of the bush back to suburbia.
“This House” is a love song for a run-down rental where I fell in love. It’s got hectic, yellow wallpaper, no heating, cracks in the ceilings and a whole lot of warm, gentle, suburban memories attached to it It was the leading single on the album. . On the day before we moved out, I got the band together and we played the song in the empty house. It was a special way to say thanks and goodbye to this space.
When life gives you lemons, make a gin and tonic? “Gin” acts as a little reset or interlude for the listener. After a lot of deep, introspective songs, this one is simple, light and human. It’s about enjoying little moments with a drink in hand, on the patio or by the fireplace with loved ones.
“Road to Recovery” is an older song – I wrote it when I was 19 during a dark and challenging time. It almost didn’t make the album, but people kept remembering it and asking about it. Revisiting it felt right. It is a song about healing and learning how to manage mental illness.
“When You’re Well” closes the album. It’s quiet, reflective, and feels like a deep breath at the end of a long journey. It’s about accepting that life will always have challenges, but trusting that you’re heading in the right direction. It feels so cathartic to sing.
Thank you so much for listening.
Colourfast from Chloe Violette is out now – stream wherever you listen.
You can keep in touch with Chloe Violette via Facebook, Instagram and Spotify
header image credit: Emily Dynes
