Her mother is a folk musician from Chicago, her father an instrument maker specialising in guitars, and the whole family frequently tour together: Rowena Wise could hardly have grown up more musically inclined. So, it should come as no surprise that the young singer–songwriter from Western Australia soaked up all the music that came her way from an early age: above all, the female folk icons of the 60s and 70s – from Joan Baez to Janis Joplin, from Patti Smith to Bobby Gentry. The music of this unconventional artist – who has already been awarded the title ‘lyrical assassin’ by the Triple J community – is characterised by sharp-witted lyricism and a profound sensitivity for reduced harmonies, compositional understatement, and the nuances of outstanding songwriting. Her debut album, ‘Senseless Acts Of Beauty’ (2024), sums up the sound language of her style right from the title and lies somewhere between dreamy vocals and drifting guitars. The album also offers something that has become rare these days: a zest for life.