Julia Jacklin Releases New Single 'The Hardest Thing'

Julia Jacklin really can do no wrong.

The New South Wales singer-songwriter, now based in Melbourne, has been on point of late, recording a moving rendition of the traditional ballad 'Scarborough Fair' for the Netflix series My Brilliant Career and tearing down the house at the triple j studios with a moody cover of Sugar Ray's 'Every Morning' for Like A Version.

This week, Jacklin has shared the single 'The Hardest Thing', the third track taken from her upcoming fourth studio album, The Gem.

It's a gentle guitar ballad, with Jacklin singing: "The hardest thing to do / Is believe it when you say, 'I love you' / The hardest thing to do / Is stick around trying to convince you."

'The Hardest Thing' is accompanied by a music video shot in one take that scans across Melbourne before settling on Jacklin performing solo on top of a skyscraper.

Shot by Danny Cohen, it's a mesmerising clip that's not for those who are afraid of heights.

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Julia Jacklin's forthcoming album The Gem follows 2022's critically acclaimed Pre Pleasure and features 10 tracks from the whimsical artist.

Released via her new label 4AD, The Gem is named after the famous Collingwood pub where Jacklin recorded the songs that make up her new album.

Produced by Jacklin and Robert Muinos (Camp Cope, Didirri, Little May) at Rat Shack studios, which sits above the famous pub, The Gem features Jacklin alongside a band consisting of guitarist Jacob Diamond, bassist Mimi Gilbert and drummer Jess Elwood.

"I want to love and be loved, but I also want to be free. The tension between those two things has been the central question of my life," Jacklin says when speaking about the record.

"The Gem felt like a metaphor for the whole process, because a lot of it did feel like digging. I felt like I was doing it almost in the dark, just trusting I was going to find something."

‘The Hardest Thing’ by Julia Jacklin is out now. Listen here. The Gem is out Friday 25 September via 4AD. Pre-order here.

Julia Jacklin – The Gem

1. 1Brand New
2. 2God Sometimes
3. 3If I Had the Hand of God
4. 4The Hardest Thing
5. 5Angel Vision
6. 6Real Life
7. 7Get Away From Me (I Think I’ll Love You Soon)
8. 8You Turned on the Tap
9. 9Walk on Me
10. 10I Wish [ft. The Maes]