Fanny Lumsden Plots 2026 National Tour Following European Breakthrough

Multi-award-winning artist Fanny Lumsden will hit the road in 2026 for a national headline tour, following her triumphant return from Europe and her ongoing arena shows with Paul Kelly and Lucinda Williams. The run will see Lumsden and her band The Prawn Stars traverse the country, performing in all major capitals before wrapping up in Canberra.

The tour kicks off at the Rosemount Hotel in Perth on February 6, before moving through Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, and concluding at UC Hub in Canberra on February 21.

Speaking with Noise11 in 2024, Lumsden said she’s trying to balance the excitement of writing new music with the ongoing momentum of her acclaimed fourth record, Hey Dawn. “I’m trying to put the brakes on because Hey Dawn still has life in it,” she explained. “We’re taking my Story Club shows on the road later this year, which are more intimate storytelling concerts. But yes, I’ve been writing a lot and we’re already making plans for album number five. That’ll be 2025.”

The announcement follows a whirlwind period that saw Lumsden tour Europe and the UK, headline 23 dates, and appear at no fewer than seven festivals, including The Long Road Festival in Leicestershire, where she was named one of Entertainment Focus’s “Top Ten Highlights.” In Scotland, she sold out her Country Halls tour and was chosen for the BBC’s live coverage of Belladrum Festival.

Back home, she’s been sharing arena stages with Paul Kelly and Lucinda Williams, further building her reputation as one of Australia’s hardest working performers.

“We have had the time of our lives opening for Paul Kelly and Lucinda Williams around Australia, and playing so many incredible shows through Europe and the UK that we couldn’t help but keep the joy going,” Lumsden said. “Our show is fun, silly, full of incredible musicianship and harmonies, but it’s also about stories and joy. Plus, we have so many new songs to share.”

Her new single, “Look At Me Now”, reflects on the winding path that has taken her from a sheep farm in western NSW to the Avalon Stage at Glastonbury 2023. The track was recorded on the road in Europe with her band The Prawn Stars and co-produced by Matt Fell, Dan Stanley Freeman and Lumsden herself.

“This is a love letter to my younger self,” she said. “The amount of ‘no’s’ I experienced in this industry is wild and every single one I am grateful for because they made me the person and artist I am today. Not the wins, but the losses, the struggles and the hard moments. That’s what shaped me.”

She added: “Success can be an illusion. Really, you can find success in every step along the way. I’m reflective and grateful that I can still be driving the van, self-managed, doing my own make-up in the rear-view mirror, and yet doing the biggest shows of my career all at the same time.”
Accolades and Community

With nine Golden Guitars, two ARIAs and three AIR Awards, Lumsden’s mantle is crowded, but she insists the trophies are part of everyday life. “They’re all on the mantelpiece at home,” she laughed. “People joke about using them as doorstops, but I’m very proud of them. We’re self-managed and live in regional Australia, so every accolade means a lot.”
Her community has been a constant pillar of support. She recalled returning home after one AIR Award win: “I went to the local pub to pick up my kids from my parents and the whole pub gave me a standing ovation. That’s pretty special.”

Before life in the country, she spent six years in Sydney’s Surry Hills. “I didn’t even know what a DI was when I first started gigging,” she admitted. “But I wouldn’t have met my band or my husband without that time. It really shaped my career.”

Her 2023 album Hey Dawn remains one of her most celebrated works, winning the ARIA Award for Best Country Album, the Golden Guitar for Alt-Country Album of the Year, and the AIR Award for Country Album of the Year. It debuted at #1 on the ARIA Australian Albums Chart and became one of the highest-selling country records of the year.

Despite her forward momentum, she remains intent on giving Hey Dawn more life before album five arrives in 2025.

Fanny Lumsden – 2026 National Tour Dates
Friday February 6 – Rosemount Hotel, Perth, WA
Saturday February 7 – Lion Arts Centre, Adelaide, SA
Friday February 13 – Thornbury Theatre, Melbourne, VIC
Saturday February 14 – The Triffid, Brisbane, QLD
Friday February 20 – Factory Theatre, Sydney, NSW
Saturday February 21 – UC Hub, Canberra, ACT

Pre-sale begins Wednesday September 10, 9am local time, with the general on-sale from Friday September 12, 9am local time via fannylumsden.net.

Watch the 2024 Noise11 Fanny Lumsden interview: