Some songs capture a feeling you can’t quite explain, especially when you’re young, figuring out love, dealing with heartbreak, and trying to make sense of a world that never seems to slow down. Australian singer-songwriter Tegan Clark brings all those wonderfully messy emotions into focus on her debut album, Sick or in Love?, released on October 16.
The exciting thing about this release is just how long it has been in the making. These songs have been developing alongside Tegan for more than seven years, growing and changing as she has. After spending the beginning of this year recording the project with Matty Made It, she is finally ready to share a collection that has been a significant part of her own journey. Some tracks have passed through several different versions along the way, making the album feel like a musical snapshot of an artist who has been discovering herself one song at a time.
At its heart, Sick or in Love? is about the highs, lows, and occasional emotional chaos of growing up. First loves, broken hearts, jealousy, and the anxiety of trying to keep up with an ever-changing world all find a place here. These are experiences that can feel enormous when you’re living through them, and Tegan approaches them with the kind of honesty that makes personal songwriting feel surprisingly universal. Whether you’re looking back on your teenage years or still trying to figure everything out, there’s plenty here to connect with.
Musically, Tegan isn’t interested in staying neatly inside one box. Her sound draws from pop, alternative, indie, and soul, bringing together bright melodies, expressive songwriting, and unexpected creative touches. There’s a lively, colourful quality to her musical identity, but she also knows how to reach for the heartstrings. Complex melodies and imaginative details give the songs room to surprise, while her lyrics keep the emotional centre firmly in place.
Fans of Olivia Dean, Fleetwood Mac, Ashe, WILLOW, and Remi Wolf may find plenty to enjoy in Tegan’s eclectic approach. Her wider influences also include Billy Joel and Matt Corby, reflecting a curiosity that stretches beyond a single genre or sound. Rather than simply following a familiar formula, she treats songwriting as an opportunity to experiment, explore different directions, and see where an idea might lead.
That sense of curiosity feels especially fitting for a 23-year-old artist whose relationship with music began long before this debut. Tegan started writing songs in her early teens and gradually discovered how much she loved the creative process, particularly the uncertainty of not knowing exactly what a song might become. After completing a Bachelor of Contemporary Music at Southern Cross University, she has brought her musical knowledge into her own work while continuing to lean into the emotions and experiences that make her writing feel personal.
Beyond the recordings, Tegan is also interested in what music can bring people together to share. Her songs draw on individual experiences, but the feelings behind them are familiar to so many of us. That combination of vulnerability, memorable melodies, and a vibrant pop sensibility gives Sick or in Love? its appeal. It isn’t just about looking inward; it’s about creating those moments when someone hears a lyric and thinks, “Wait, I’ve felt that too.”
The album’s release will be celebrated with a performance alongside Tegan’s band at Mo’s Dessert Clubhouse in Burleigh on Sunday, October 18, followed by appearances at venues across Southeast Queensland from October onward. Given her energetic musical personality and the emotional range of the material, the live shows offer another opportunity to experience the songs in a shared setting. Fans can keep an eye on her social media for upcoming dates.
With Sick or in Love?, Tegan Clark is opening the door to a world shaped by growing pains, changing perspectives, and the thrill of discovering who you are. Seven years of songwriting have led to this moment, and the result promises a colourful mix of heartfelt storytelling and adventurous pop. For anyone who has ever wondered whether they’re falling in love or simply losing their mind a little, Tegan might just have the soundtrack.
Tegan Clark makes the emotional rollercoaster of growing up sound wonderfully alive on Sick or in Love?
