Imogen Clark Essentials

Sydney’s Imogen Clark has covered a lot of ground since breaking out as a teenage singer-songwriter. Her early material leaned into her strong folk and country influences, while her 2021 EP Bastards pivoted to classic rock pop with a resounding heartland oomph. Clark even tapped The Heartbreakers’ Benmont Tench to play keys on the latter. The through line for it all is her unmistakable passion, whether it’s for her immediate family (2023’s “My Mother’s Daughter”) or her current flame (2021’s “When Can I Touch You Again”). And her singing is every bit as powerful as her lyrics, swinging back around at just the right moment to deliver that knowing knockout. Case in point: Clark’s live duet with fellow Aussie songwriter Timothy James Bowen on 2021’s “First Class Man,” a ballad that applies both shuddering strings and dramatic story beats to create a sensation of romantic loss that’s painfully universal.