Paige Barnard Delivers Heart-Wrenching Indie Folk Anthem ‘What Else’ Ahead of Debut Album

Rising indie folk artist Paige Barnard has returned with a powerful new single, ‘What Else’. The emotionally rich track offers a raw and vulnerable look at love caught in a cycle, delivering soaring vocals, country-tinged instrumentation, and haunting lyrical depth—all hallmarks of Barnard’s compelling songwriting.

The track blends tender piano, subtle pedal steel, and slow-burning drums to create a cinematic soundscape, while Barnard’s commanding voice rises and falls with striking emotional clarity. Lyrically, ‘What Else’ explores the exhaustion of repeated conflict in a relationship, and the longing to rewrite the story despite the pain. It’s a gut-punch of a ballad that places Barnard among Australia’s most emotionally articulate songwriters.

“Having the same disagreements play on repeat, feeling guilty for how I react but still trapped in the cycle, like nothing will ever change. This song was me screaming out in desperation to find a way to change the narrative. But at the end of the day, it’s unconditional love, so we always find a way to forgive each other.” – Page Bernard. 

Accompanying the single is a stunning music video, shot on Arakwal land in the Bundjalung Nation. Capturing windswept beaches, coastal cliffs, and cascading waterfalls, the video visually mirrors the emotional tension and yearning woven throughout the track.

‘What Else’ is the second preview of Barnard’s upcoming debut album ‘Find Your Way Back’, arriving June 4. To celebrate the release, Barnard will perform a headline show at Catfish, Fitzroy on May 31.

Rising indie folk artist Paige Barnard has returned with a powerful new single, ‘What Else’. The emotionally rich track offers a raw and vulnerable look at love caught in a cycle, delivering soaring vocals, country-tinged instrumentation, and haunting lyrical depth.