It’s the first taste of new music since her acclaimed debut album, The Good Kind, released earlier this year. Country songstress, Courtney Keil, is drawing on the queen of hearts in her catchy new single, ‘Nothin’ Like a Sure Bet’.
“Tonight my losing streak is through / I could win it all on you,” sing’s Courtney in her unmistakable honeyed vocal. The single is rampant with clever risk taking references, delivered with a heft of swagger – a classic country feel-good song with a dash of attitude and the confidence of only accepting the best.
The idea came to Courtney unexpectedly. “The concept first dropped when I was in that half-awake, half-asleep state – it’s not usually how song ideas come to me, so I quickly put some thoughts down around what it’s like to gamble on love” she recalls. The singer-songwriter then penned the track alongside producer Rod McCormack and Music City hit-maker, Sally Barris.
Brilliantly produced by multi-instrumentalist Rod McCormack at The Music Cellar – who intertwined banjo, dobro, mandolin and acoustic guitar as the core instruments of the track – which gave the song an authentic country twang, bold and full of sass.
For the track’s accompanying video, Courtney once again enlisted the expertise of 5x Golden Guitar winner Duncan Toombs of The Filmery. The clip is a perfect example of light and shade, highlighting the singer’s confidence and sass, while still showing her carefree side.
“We were fortunate to film on location at the Hawkesbury Brewing Co on the Central Coast. I fell in love with the venue the first time I stepped inside for a weekend gig and am so grateful that they allowed me to film in their space. Duncan and I had a fun day, experimenting with their giant LED screen, used different aspects of the brewery and added some quirky scenes using playing cards – as you can see, I am no card trick expert!”
The singer has been turning heads since her 2020 debut single ‘I Just Wanna Hold You’ reached #15 on national Country radio and was named as a Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition Top 40 finalist. It began the road to her highly anticipated album, which debuted as the #1 Australian Album on the iTunes Country Australian Album chart. Proving that more than lady luck is on her side, she also took home ‘Best Female Vocal’ at the 2023 Australian Country Music People’s Choice Awards in Tamworth.
Since opening for artists including The Whitlams Black Stump Band, Gina Jeffreys, Tania Kernaghan, Karise Eden and Andrew Swift on stages around the country, Courtney has honed a magnetic live show. She’s recently joined forces with fellow artist Bonnie Kellet for ‘The Fierce & Fearless Tour’ – two of Australia’s sharpest young guns sharing stories and sass. The next stop on the tour bus is none other than the 2024 Tamworth Country Music Festival.
‘Nothin’ Like A Sure Bet’ is certain to be a crowd pleaser for Courtney with its effortless hooks and playful production harp back to what has garnered her so much praise thus far. Off the back of her recent debut album this spirited track adds further depth to the artist and songwriter Courtney Keil.