Bachelor Girl

One of the most iconic releases in Australian pop history, Bachelor Girl’s 1998 ARIA Award-winning debut studio album Waiting For The Day is set to receive the ultimate glow up in 2026, with the enduring duo today announcing their upcoming redux release, Waiting For The Day: Artist Sessions, officially set to be unleashed on Friday August 7. Showcasing an array of acclaimed household Australian names (15 tracks, 15 illustrious artists) teaming up with Bachelor Girl on their forthcoming new outing, today the pair also unveil a sublime reimagined version of their anthemic track Permission To Shine, featuring fellow Aussie luminary Guy Sebastian.

An undisputed Australian classic, Permission To Shine was originally released as a promotional single for Waiting For The Day and swiftly found its place as a fan-favourite, with its empowering lyricism and sonic warmth beaming from start to finish. Decades after its release, Bachelor Girl’s reimagined version of Permission To Shine finds new life with the additional sparkle of Guy Sebastian on vocal duties; a creamy and affirming update coated with gospel, soul and hints of R&B. A seamless expansion of Tania Doko and James Roche’s rousing original, the longevity of this particular Bachelor Girl hit also firmly shines a light on the foresight of the late A&R American legend Clive Davis. The release comes paired with a groove driven remix delivering an infectious contemporary sound.

“When Tania & James gave me a call about joining them on Permission To Shine, I couldn’t say no! What a song! Bachelor Girl’s songs were part of the soundtrack to so many of our childhoods, and Permission to Shine is one of those Aussie classics that everyone knows and loves,” shares Guy Sebastian. “It was a real privilege to record this vocal with Tania and revisit a song that’s stood the test of time. And let’s be honest - Tania’s voice is just insane. Getting to sing alongside a voice like that was pretty special. The message behind this song feels more relevant now than ever, and hopefully we’ve honoured what people love about the original while giving it a fresh new chapter.”

“Permission To Shine feels fresh again because of Guy’s marvellous input, adding his soulful believability and male perspective. He’s a phenomenal communicator,” says James Roche of the new reworked version of Permission To Shine.

“Permission was an important release for us back in 2000,” adds Tania Doko, “our fifth single to cement our ‘Waiting for the Day’ album, and would be the surprise gift that kept on giving for years to come. We owe much to the late A&R legend Clive Davis in NYC, signing us to Arista in the U.S, and for being the ‘golden ears’ he was. He handed us a cassette tape with the demo of Permission to Shine (written by Bridget Benenate) for us to put our own spin on. What incredible foresight from Clive to know instinctively that this little ‘no frills’ acoustic demo would be so right for us, and then, to predict that the song itself would make such a profound difference to so many. Over 26 years, if we had a dollar for every person who has shared that this 4 minute ‘lil pop song had saved them…well it’s a humbling privilege as an artist.”

Tapping Guy Sebastian to collab on such an important track in the Bachelor Girl back catalogue was also a no-brainer, as Tania elaborates, “Apart from his ridiculously good acrobatic vocal skills, Guy sings feelings, not just notes. He’s a ‘double threat’ in that sense - skills and heart - for days. So, the question really was: “Why wouldn’t we ask him?!” It needed to be an artist who would embody this lyric that speaks to the human condition, leaving us with the reassurance and hope we’re looking for. Guy’s vocal is innately that ‘feel good balm to the soul’.

“We were also stable mates at BMG back in the early 00s when he won Oz Idol, and James produced the title track of Guy’s 2006 album ‘Closer to the Sun’. We’ve watched from the wings his extraordinary career trajectory, and have great respect for the vocalist/artist/writer/producer he has become. Beautiful family, too..!”

Joining earlier reworked singles, including Blown Away with Tommy Emmanuel and Ella Hooper, Blind with Darren Hayes, and Treat Me Good with Jessica Mauboy, the release of Permission To Shine today also accompanies the long-awaited announcement of the official release date for Bachelor Girl’s forthcoming redux album, Waiting For The Day: Artist Sessions - Friday August 7. Reworking the entirety of their breakout debut album Waiting For The Day, each reimagined version in 2026 simultaneously honours and powerfully expands the entire original 15 tracks into stunning new heights. Opening with insatiable hooks and buoyant, breathless charm on Blind featuring Darren Hayes, Waiting For The Day: Artist Sessions weaves in jaunty modern sheen (My World featuring Sheppard), heart-wrenching acoustic bliss and soaring vocals (Gotta Let You Go featuring Jack Jones), slinky bass lines and moody elevation (Mad About You featuring NERVO), to glistening pop (Treat Me Good featuring Jessica Mauboy). While each song on Waiting For The Day: Artist Sessions feels familiar in its own right, each track unfurls like a powerhouse chameleon, also spanning the magnetic might of Suzi DeMarchi on a propulsive new version of Don’t Hold Back, beloved songstress Delta Goodrem on the stripped-back yet equally charming Buses And Trains, WILSN on the sunny yet sultry Someway Somehow, and Courtney Act on the dance floor-ready Lucky Me. And just when you thought this redux version couldn’t get any more jam packed with star power, Tommy Emmanuel and Ella Hooper join forces on the acoustic stunner Blown Away, Jon Stevens rocks the amped up This Must Be Love, Michael Paynter flies on the dynamic powder keg Don’t Believe You, and Kaylee Bell adds stunning serenity to You Are Afraid. And spinning the original title track into a mesmerising outro, complete with shimmering strings and an emphatic vocal outing from Tania Doko herself, Waiting For The Day: Artist Sessions ends on a spine-tingling note; equal parts familiar but future-facing, and an unforgettable homage to the original.

“It feels like we threw a party and everyone showed up!” shares James, of Waiting For The Day: Artist Sessions. Tania admits, “It’s been a truckload of work to co-ordinate 15 artists, but mammoth projects do take a little ‘crazy’, a lot of time and meticulous attention to detail. Extremely thankful to our team, the artists, their teams, our families, band, umpires…linesmen(!)… everyone involved supporting us to turn the virtual impossible into a new, real life celebration of our first ’song babies’.”

“Jess Mauboy and Delta Goodrem were our first two special guest recordings we recorded in Sydney,” Tania continues, “and the PIPES on these two women to experience in the actual studio…they just blew our hair back.”

“They both were the sparks that became a roaring flame for this album,” James reveals.

“And to record Suzi DeMarchi in studio was another pinch me moment,” adds Tania. “Don’t Hold Back is a heavy, brooding song and I might’ve broken a rib from laughter as she’d close her eyes to get in the moment, only to screw up lyrics and utter profanities I cannot repeat here… Her unmistakable and mesmerising tone is exactly the style of rock vocal only Suze can bring to the table. “Courtney Act face-timing me LIVE from Brighton, UK as the vocals were being recorded. Embodying 'Lucky Me’ with personality in droves like no one else could. She SOLD me and I totally bought THAT car with ‘I got a great car it’s a red convertible, made by Mattel’. Get ready for the visuals!”

Tania Doko and James Roche of Bachelor Girl have proven their enduring, beloved status in Aussie music culture. Their debut Buses and Trains earned James the APRA Song of the Year in 1999 and remains one of the most played Australian compositions on Australian radio since its release. The iconic hit also made waves in Asia, Scandinavia, Europe and the US, including a signing by legendary A&R Clive Davis, Arista records. Their critically acclaimed ARIA-winning 1998 album Waiting for the Day spawned another four releases still on rotation today, including Treat Me Good, Lucky Me, Blown Away and Permission to Shine, with the album also ultimately setting the tone for Bachelor Girl’s legacy of deep, sophisticated and premium pop. From self-producing their debut album in James’ lounge room through to ticking off five ARIA Award nominations, and a win for Producer of the Year at the 1999 ARIA Awards, winning the PPCA Award for Most Broadcast Australian Artist in 1999, and Tania also acknowledged by Triple M’s top 300 ‘Greatest Singers of All Time’ for her performance on Buses & Trains, Bachelor Girl also continue to captivate audiences, recently touring alongside legendary acts including Simple Minds, Icehouse and The Corrs.

Alongside the upcoming release of Waiting For The Day: Artist Sessions, Bachelor Girl are set to stun fans live in action in 2026 with their Waiting For The Day Redux tour, kicking off in their home state playing at a SOLD OUT Golden Vine Hotel in Bendigo on Friday July 31, before moving through Yackandandah, Melbourne (SOLD OUT), Brisbane, Adelaide, Frankston (SOLD OUT) and finishing off in Sydney at The Factory Theatre on October 18. Tickets are on sale now from www.bachelorgirl.com.

As for what fans can expect of these upcoming Bachelor Girl shows? “A deliciously feel-good celebration of the songs fans embraced, with modern, surprising twists,” Tania beams. “Backstories and unforgettable

moments during the making of the 'Artist Sessions’. Cream of the crop fellow musicians in our lineup, an organic and electronic reimagining, and maybe even some special surprises guests, in the flesh.”

Permission To Shine featuring Guy Sebastian is out today.

Waiting For The Day: Artist Sessions is due out on August 7.

BACHELOR GIRL - WAITING FOR THE DAY REDUX TOUR DATES

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