ARTIST: KATE MILLER-HEIDKE
ALBUM: THE KISS AND THE ABYSS
RELEASE DATE: FRIDAY AUGUST 14TH 2026
LABEL: EMI MUSIC AUSTRALIA
REVIEWER: HAYLEY TREADWELL – REAL WOMAN REAL REVIEW
I have been very grateful to tip my hat back into album reviews this year. I’ve reviewed a few of my favourite artists, but this one is special.
One of my favourite Australian icons, a world-renowned artist, coach on The Voice, and true blue, down to earth Queenslander, Kate Miller-Heidke.
I’ve sat with this album for a few days now, and as a fan of her entire career, I have to say I truly think this is her best work.The Kiss & The Abyss is eleven songs of beauty, darkness, humour, theatrical storytelling and raw emotion. And somehow, through all of that, it remains unmistakably Kate.
‘Hidden Things’ is such a beautiful song to open the album with. It starts with the most amazing musical notes and immediately captivated me. A beautiful return to her folk roots and showcasing Kate’s amazing lyrical abilities and beginning the story of her most amazing album to date. It’s joyful and whimsical but also has an element of darkness.
‘Butterflies’,This song gives me goosebumps. It opens kind of like Paint It Black “I see a red door and I want it painted black” and I found myself wondering whether this was perhaps a retelling of that kind of story in simpler terms. Maybe if you look for the connection, you can see it.
To me, it’s about changing through life, fear and love, and learning to accept the butterfly (the changes) at all stages of creation and being, even when you’re looking back. It’s beautiful.
From the moment ‘Isabella Don’t’ starts, this song feels so theatrical. Like a scene being told on a stage in an opera. And yet I also find myself dancing to it. The theme feels dark, but the music is fun. And that note that Kate holds! Wow. What an epic moment.
We take a little turn on the album with ‘Love Sweet Love’, such a hauntingly beautiful song.
It feels like a love story sitting right in the middle of a battle of self worth. A story where safety is found in the simplest moments, and the hardest moments, of love. There is something incredibly vulnerable about this song.
One of my favourite songs on the album is ‘Little Ants’. I believe it’s about how we would survive an apocalypse, and knowing it was written during COVID makes so much sense. The lyrics are a great reflection of how we were all feeling and the crazy shit we were thinking; Ethan shits you, but he can do jujitsu. Could be useful in our clan! And is there anything new on Netflix?
These lyrics felt so relatable for a time where the world felt a little bit crazy.
‘Holiday’ is brilliant. And I have to say, the film clip really sold it for me, as did the ode to Madonna.
Kate’s ultrarealism, her clever lyrics and that crazy catchy chorus had me hooked. As soon as I heard this single, I knew this album was going to be something special.How many times have you heard someone say their holiday is long overdue, I think you’ll find me happily singing along to this great Aussie tune quite often.
And songs like this remind me of what an amazingly quirky storyteller Kate has always been. She has this incredible ability to take the most ordinary, ridiculous and sometimes deeply uncomfortable parts of life and turn them into something meaningful.
Just when you think she is this refined operatic goddess, she comes out with: “Come on Dickheads, we’re going to the beach.” So maybe the best description for this album is A beautiful Bogan Opera. I can see the stage show now.
Anyway, back to my review.
‘A Certain Panic’ is one of my favourites for sure. Again, it’s just so real.“She was professionally hot.” “Her dress was too tight.” “Her scared and beautiful eyes”. The lyrics in this song are so gripping, I can’t turn away. I want to know the story. I want to know how it ends.
It’s a sad story told with a mix of pop and folk and it’s completely Kate.
The next song is ‘Canterbury Stone’, another theatrical sounding song telling a deep story. The backing vocals are stunning. And Kate’s vocal range on this song is exquisite.
‘The Muscle’ feels like riding into battle, but with this beautiful folklore joy woven through it. It’s powerful and perfectly leads us into the equally folky yet incredibly haunting ‘Elephant’. The description of a villain. The depth of the fight. The darkness. The tension. It feels like the crescendo in the incredible journey of this album. The vocals on this song, I don’t even have words. Kate, you are a master of your craft. The power you put into this song makes me cry every single time.
It’s stunning. Outstanding.
And then we come to ‘Overflow’ and it is the perfect ending, almost a Happily Even After, it’s so pretty, so hopeful. The darkness has lifted. The curtains are open and the light is finally coming in. The ending feels very Pink Floyd-like to me, and it’s such an epic conclusion to what is, without a doubt, my favourite Kate Miller-Heidke album.
There are also several beautiful nods to old albums and old songs woven throughout The Kiss & The Abyss, giving it that little bit extra for those of us who have been fans since the beginning of this magnificent woman’s career.
It’s here that the mastery in the production really comes alive for me. I feel like I find a new link or connection with each listen.
And the partnership between Kate and Keir has shown time and time again to be something pretty special. Their love for storytelling and sharing music is evident throughout this album, and their ability to create something that can be theatrical, deeply personal, funny, dark and completely Australian all at once is remarkable.
Kate can sing about cold potato scallops in Queensland, going on holiday, people she meets at the Logies, fear, love, self worth, darkness and survival, and somehow it all belongs together.
The Kiss & The Abyss is so real. So deep and truly beautiful.
And Kate, from one Queenslander to another… Bloody brilliant.
Until the next Album Review (or gig)
Hayley
