Rachael Fahim: The Stars Align For Her Debut

Photography by Sara Regan

Rachael Fahim is not sure why 2026 is the time for her debut body of work Who You Are to be out in the world, but the stars have aligned and she is ready to make a whole bunch of new friends. 

Having been dedicated to her craft for over a decade in the country scene, Rachael Fahim has steadily built an impressive career.  She was named the winner of the Toyota Star Maker competition at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2017, has scored six number one Australian Country Radio singles, performed to thousands across the country, and most recently received the APRA Music Award for Most Performed Country Work for her single Who You Are.

Themes surrounding empowerment over heartbreak, self-fulfilment and independence are laid out across 10 tracks that aren't afraid to shine as country songs or even dip into the world of pop. Who You Are is a collection of songs coming straight from the heart, mind and soul of Rachael's life. The album marks another milestone in her journey as an artist. 

After years of curation, creation, and the release of a collection of singles… the idea of releasing her debut album brought both excitement and an underlying sense of not quite being ready. Rachael said the songs had ”been a work in progress for so long” adding that she’s “really excited for it to finally come out and be able to share it with everyone.” However, part of her still felt reluctant to let them go, describing them as her “little babies”.

Rachael strived to “be as raw and honest as possible” across the record, noting her personality as an oversharer and ability to spark friendships anywhere she goes.  Framed as an introduction to new friends, the album speaks honestly, something Rachael said was of high importance. “I've just laid it all out there in the hopes that when someone listens to my music, they can relate and make whatever they're going through just a little bit easier,” she said. 

Although Rachael has been releasing music since 2015, the album came together during a period where she was able to work on her own terms. “I wanted to release an album for a really long time and I guess you only get the chance to release a debut album once, obviously I wanted to get it right.” She added that her team and life experiences were “unknowingly, things that had to be set in place,” and while she can't fully explain it “2026 just feels right.”

“Things have been building in my career and I've done some really amazing shows and just watched the country genre grow and become more mainstream, which is amazing.”

This year marked her “resign-a-versary” as she called it, explaining the occasion marked a year since quitting her full-time job to pursue music. She admitted it was getting to a point where she was working so much inside and outside of her nine to five, that she was running herself into the ground.

“Being able to invest as much time as possible into my music felt like a no-brainer and I'm having the best time.” Taking that leap of faith was scary at first, but the support systems around her gave her the strength to keep going. A letter from her sister became a turning point, giving her the final push into un chartered waters, reminding her “that life begins outside your comfort zone and if we don't change, we don't grow.” 

The track Good Luck was the first written for the album back in 2021, but the inspiration and experiences to form the track into existence dated back a little while longer. “I would go as far as to say that the emotional roller coaster that I was on actually began in 2018, when I started having the experiences that led me to write the first song in 2021.” 

She describes her songs as “free therapy,” explaining that it allows her to lay everything out and reflect. Each track “a little time capsule of a moment,” allowing her to see how far she’s come.

Across the album, Rachael leans into quick wit and sass in her songwriting as well. From Too Damn Hot’s exclamation, “Girl, don’t waste your time, you’re too damn hot to cry,” to the cutting “You’re such a waste of makeup” in Waste of Makeup, and confidence seen in the lyrics “Of course you’re going to miss me like crazy” in You Suck. These moments reflect what she describes as a love of “being a bit cheeky” in her songwriting, using humour as a way to reclaim power from past experiences.

The title track Who You Are reflects on self-realisation, with lyrics like “you blurred the lines around what I desire” and “graffiti your name on the walls of my broken heart, so that I don’t forget who you are.” Rachael said she was aware the subject of the song might hear it, adding she wanted to show she was “taking [her] power back” rather than “writing sad songs.”  “I use wit and sass to take my power back in songwriting to make it more positive and  really hope that a lot of my songs empower people.” 

While there is a combination of traditional country elements across the record, sonically the album draws from its cacophony of guitars layered throughout each song, cutting through tradition with her instinct to blend multiple genres. Throughout the creation of the album there was no preconceived plan to align with any specific genre, allowing for elements of pop to be interwoven. This was a natural and authentic progression in Rachael's creative and production process, helped by collaborators who were open to experimentation.

Whether writing on home soil, Nashville or LA, the authenticity of her song writing was always at her core. “If I was striving for a sound that wasn't me, you'd be able to tell,” she said. “The melody just poured out and as an artist, that naturally happens when you're in a session and there's no sign on my forehead that says, I'm a pop country artist. That just comes out naturally, without too much thought about it.”

“It wouldn't feel real, or as authentic,” she said. “I really hope that there's no question for anybody when they listen to my songs about authenticity.” “I write my best, when I'm comfortable in the room,” adding that strong relationships with  co-writers and the producers is key. Over time the tracks evolved. Initially more rock driven, the final versions now strike balance creating space for the listener. “I think that the way that they sound now is how they're meant to sound and I love them.” By pulling back on heavier layers, the mix of banjo, electric and acoustic guitar allows the songs to shine.

Already finding home on the stage having performed over 800 shows, Rachael recently made her arena tour debut supporting US country singer Jordan Davis, marking the biggest shows of her career so far. 

She's now preparing to take Who You Are across the country throughout May, looking forward to crafting and performing the songs for a live setting. “It's a little bit more work in the post album release shows but this is what I love to do,” she said. She added her  track Deep End, may include a moment designed for crowd interaction, creating space for singalongs.

The album's opening track Never Coming Back declares that ‘everything that happened, was meant to happen the whole time’, a sentiment that mirrors Rachel's journey as an artist. Every step, challenge and decision has led to a debut album that captures exactly who she was, and who she has become.

Make sure you listen to Rachael’s debut album Who You Are and grab a ticket to a show near you!