Max McNown will return to Australia and New Zealand in February 2027 for his biggest headline tour in the region, with his third studio album, Leave On A Light, due September 25.
by Paul Cashmere
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Max McNown has announced a nine-date Australia and New Zealand headline tour for February 2027, coinciding with the release of his third studio album, Leave On A Light, on September 25 through Fugitive Recordings.
The tour follows McNown’s previous sold-out Australian shows and comes as the 25-year-old continues to build an international audience through streaming, radio and touring. He has accumulated more than 900 million worldwide streams, while his two breakthrough singles, “A Lot More Free” and “Better Me For You (Brown Eyes)”, have established him as a crossover artist operating between country, pop and adult contemporary audiences.
McNown’s Australian profile was particularly strong in 2025. “Better Me For You (Brown Eyes)” spent 40 weeks in the Australian charts and was named the most-played song on Australian country radio for the year. The song has since passed 500 million worldwide streams and earned RIAA Double Platinum certification in the United States.
Leave On A Light extends that momentum with a 17-track collection recorded at Nashville’s Blackbird Studio with producer and longtime collaborator Jamie Kenney. The album broadens McNown’s musical palette while retaining the lyric-focused songwriting that has been central to his catalogue.
McNown expanded his songwriting and recording circle for the project, working with songwriter Julian Bunetta, whose credits include Gracie Abrams and Kelsea Ballerini, as well as guitarist Charlie Worsham, who has worked with Luke Combs and Lainey Wilson.
The album’s central subject is personal rather than commercial. McNown has described many of the songs as love songs written for his wife and family, reflecting the people who provide stability away from his rapidly developing music career.
“In a way, most of the songs on this album are love songs,” McNown says. “They’re a tribute to my wife and my family, the people who care about who I am outside of music and give me a place of peace and unconditional love to come home to.”
The album’s recent singles include “First Born Daughter”, “Comets” and “Take Me Back”, the latter recorded with Norwegian DJ and producer Kygo. “Done For” also featured on Spotify’s Hot Country playlist following its release earlier in 2026.
McNown’s songwriting philosophy is similarly centred on allowing listeners to find their own meaning in his material. Speaking to Billboard Country, he recalled advice from songwriter Mags Duval that songs should function as mirrors rather than instructing listeners how to feel. He said he hopes Leave On A Light encourages listeners to reflect on their own lives and appreciate what they have.
McNown’s rapid rise began after he taught himself guitar following his move to Southern California in 2022 and started busking and developing an online audience. His 2023 debut single, “Freezing In November”, was followed by the A Lot More Free EP and then his 2024 debut album, Wandering.
“A Lot More Free” became his first major international breakthrough, surpassing 400 million worldwide streams and earning RIAA Platinum certification. It also reached the Billboard Hot 100 and helped place McNown at the top of Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart.
The follow-up, “Better Me For You (Brown Eyes)”, moved him further into the mainstream. The song reached No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it spent 36 weeks, and reached No. 6 on the US Country Airplay chart.
McNown has since performed at Stagecoach and Lollapalooza, sold out two consecutive nights at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and toured internationally, including dates with country artist Parker McCollum.
The February 2027 itinerary will take McNown through Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne and Cairns before continuing to Auckland and Christchurch. Tickets go on general sale September 18, with artist, Mastercard and Live Nation presales preceding the public release.
Tour Dates
2 February, Perth, Ice Cream Factory
4 February, Adelaide, Hindley Street Music Hall
6 February, Brisbane, Fortitude Music Hall
10 February, Sydney, Hordern Pavilion
13 February, Newcastle, Howlin’ Rock N Rodeo
18 February, Melbourne, Festival Hall
20 February, Cairns, Fred Moule Pavilion
New Zealand
22 February, Auckland, The Civic
24 February, Christchurch, Christchurch Town Hall
Ticket Details
Tickets go on sale Friday 18 September at 12pm local time.
Artist Presale: Wednesday 16 September, 11am to Friday 18 September, 11am.
Live Nation Presale: Thursday 17 September, 11am to Friday 18 September, 11am.
All times are local.
https://www.livenation.com.au/max-mcnown-tickets-adp1572568
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