Brisbane-born, Sydney-based songwriter Jem Cassar-Daley has spent years carefully shaping her sound, building up an enviable collection of awards—including QMA Song of the Year accolades and NIMA recognition—while performing alongside icons like Jessica Mauboy and King Stingray. Now, the proud Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung artist is stepping into her biggest chapter yet with the announcement of her debut album, 'tattoos used to come off in the pool', due out Friday, August 28th.
The record explores themes of adulthood, self-discovery, and the lingering residue of past relationships. Reflecting on the personal transformation behind the project, Jem shares: “A song can be like a tattoo. It can represent a time in your life that should be looked on with fond eyes, even though it may be from a period you don’t resonate with anymore. That’s what growth’s about. I feel totally connected to this album. That was really important leading into a debut album, knowing that this is going to be a body of work that is me. If I reflect in 15, 20 years’ time, I'll just know that that was from this time of my life. And I had total control over it.”
Accompanying the announcement is her fresh single ‘All I’m Thinking About’, which builds on earlier teasers ‘Cliches’, ‘Speak Now’, and ‘Cool Girl’. It turns a universal, quiet anxiety into an undeniable pop moment. “This song was inspired by finding out about your partner’s ex and wanting to know more about them. Wondering how and why they broke up, going for a little stalk of their insta and developing a bit of an obsession. I wrote this song with Shannen James and Michael De Lorenzis (Msquared) and we had so much fun in the session! I’ve always wanted to write a song with a monotonous and driving chorus melody so it was awesome to make that dream come true.”
At its core, the album rests on honest narrative craft. “Behind all of the production and at the end of the day, each song is just a story in different outfits. Whether there’s an 808 or it's totally stripped back, it all starts on either piano or guitar. The common thread through it all is stories I’ve connected to and then brought to life.”
Following an appearance at BIGSOUND 2026, Jem hits the road this September for a national tour starting at Perth's FOUR5NINE on September 17, stopping in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney before wrapping up at Brisbane's The Brightside on September 26.
Make sure to stream ‘All I’m Thinking About’ today, pre-order the debut record, and keep up with Jem Cassar-Daley across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for tour updates.
