Courtney Barnett

Courtney Melba Barnett was born on 3 November 1987 in Sydney, New South Wales, and is an Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist. Growing up in Sydney’s Northern Beaches and later Hobart, she attended St Michael’s Collegiate School and the Tasmanian School of Art, while working as a pizza delivery driver and playing in local bands such as Rapid Transit and The Olivettes. Her breakthrough came with the self‑released EP I’ve Got a Friend Called Emily Ferris in 2012, followed by the compilation The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas in 2013, which brought international attention and a partnership with Marathon Artists and House Anxiety. Courtney Barnett’s debut studio album Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit was issued in 2015 to critical acclaim, earning her four ARIA awards that year and a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 2016. She followed with Lotta Sea Lice in 2017, a collaboration with Kurt Vile, and her solo albums Tell Me How You Really Feel in 2018 and Things Take Time, Take Time in 2021. In March 2026, she released Creature of Habit, her fifth studio record, while her 2026 single "Site Unseen" featured Waxahatchee. Courtney Barnett’s career is marked by consistent chart presence, touring across Australia, Europe and the United States, and continued recognition within the rock and indie scenes.