Two stalwarts of Brisbane's independent music scene, who are also life partners, Pauline Maudy and Paddy McHugh have come together to record a new song celebrating love's imperfections.
Each with their own respected music careers – Pauline a recipient of Australian Folk Music Artist Of The Year award in 2023 and Queensland Music Awards winner for Best Song (World) three times, while Paddy a recipient of the Alistair Hulett Songs for Social Justice Award – 'You're The One' is the pair's debut collaborative song.
The duo declare the track's creative process began organically, a song born from the seeds of romance, nurtured to life to spotlight that love is an ever-nuanced state of being; from everyday intimacy and loving gestures as well as the arguments (small and not so small), mundane mishaps, eventual reconciliation, and an intrinsic promise of growing older together.
A sweet, tranquil country-folk rhythm flourishes, as Pauline and Paddy harmonise vocally, also trading lines in verses, their joy all encompassing: "You're the one that I've been waiting for / together let’s grow old."
A buoyant trumpet makes itself know too, bursting the sonic seams with a triumphant blast of brassy goodness evoking an image a grinning Cupid.
Add twinkling keys and a rhythm section that spoons like old lovers, 'You're The One' is destined for many a first dance at weddings.
"This is a special milestone for Pauline and I. We are partners in life and songwriters who have had extensive independent careers, and the fact that this song has developed so organically and that we can now share our very first collaboration is fantastic," Paddy says.
Ahead of the song's release tomorrow (14 February – wink-wink lads, this is your flowers-choccies reminder), today scenestr is delighted to premiere the song's music video, which features self‑filmed videos of real-life couples sharing a cheeky snog. Bless.
"Our process for this music video was very unique and hinged on people trusting us enough to submit self-filmed snippets of their personal lives," shares Pauline.
"This makes the video so earnest and genuine that we feel unadulterated joy every time we watch it. We hope it makes others feel the same."
It's a beautiful clip highlighting the power of love over all other emotions, and seems particularly poignant as the world continues to hurtle unabated into a pit of self-created misery.
The song also acts as McHugh's final single release before his upcoming album 'Street Light Interference', which releases next month (20 March; pre-order it).
While Maudy is currently preparing her debut solo album for a 2026 release, following major acclaim with MZAZA over 21 years.
