Australia's Catherine Britt Returns with 'Take Our Time': A Song About Love, Resilience, and Silencing the Noise
- Megan Routledge
- Jun 14
- 5 min read
By Megan Routledge | The Sound Cafe Journal
Few artists in Australian country music have built a career as remarkable, or as enduring, as Catherine Britt.
For more than two decades, Britt has travelled a path that has taken her from country New South Wales to the bright lights of Nashville, from the stage of the Grand Ole Opry to recording studios alongside some of country music's most revered names. Along the way, she has collected awards, chart success, critical acclaim, and perhaps most importantly, the respect of audiences who recognize authenticity when they hear it.
Now, fresh from the momentum of her acclaimed album The Hardest Thing, Catherine Britt returns with a brand-new non-album single, Take Our Time, released on June 12. It is a song that captures the essence of what has always made Britt such a compelling artist: honesty, vulnerability, and a refusal to let outside voices define her story.
Written while touring the United States with her then-boyfriend, and now husband—Bradley Bergen, Take Our Time emerged from a period when the couple found themselves navigating criticism and negativity from people who struggled to accept their happiness.
“We were dealing with a lot of backlash about our new relationship from people in our past who were jealous of our happiness and success,” Britt explains.
Rather than dwell on the noise, she turned inward and did what great songwriters do best.
“I wrote this song because I was trying to focus it back onto us and our love for one another. It’s about drowning out the noise of your past and focusing on your future by taking your time with the right one.”
The result is a song that feels deeply personal while carrying a universal message. In an age when opinions arrive instantly and often uninvited, Take Our Time serves as a reminder that meaningful relationships are built not on the approval of others, but on patience, trust, and shared purpose.
The track was produced by Bergen himself, who recalls immediately recognizing its potential when Britt first played it for him in Nashville.
“I remember the first time I heard this song after Catherine wrote it in Nashville,” says Bergen. “It was one of the first in the batch of songs for the new album and I was instantly very excited to track it. It’s funny how it was one of the first songs she wrote for the project and yet we’re only releasing it now. We certainly have taken our time to get it right.”
The release arrives at a particularly exciting chapter in Britt's career. While many artists would be content to rest on the success of a new album, Britt continues to push forward with the same determination that has defined her journey since her teenage years.
That journey became the stuff of country music folklore when none other than Sir Elton John discovered her debut album, Dusty Smiles & Heartbreak Cures, while touring Australia in 2002. So impressed was John by the young singer-songwriter's talent that he personally requested a meeting backstage in Sydney and returned to the United States carrying a stack of her CDs.
According to Britt's now well-known story, Elton John handed those albums to major record labels throughout Nashville, telling executives they simply had to sign her.
They listened.
At just 17 years old, Britt signed with RCA Records in Nashville, becoming one of the youngest Australian artists ever to secure a major American country recording contract. Her move to Music City would mark the beginning of an extraordinary chapter that saw her perform on the legendary Grand Ole Opry stage, where she remains the youngest Australian artist ever to do so.
Her time in Nashville yielded three Billboard Top 40 singles and included a historic duet with Elton John himself, marking the superstar's first-ever country music release. Over six years in Tennessee, Britt worked alongside a remarkable roster of artists including Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Steve Earle, Guy Clark, Don McLean, Iris DeMent, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, and Jim Lauderdale.
Back home in Australia, Britt's achievements have continued to accumulate. Eight studio albums, five Golden Guitar Awards, six ARIA Award nominations, multiple number-one releases, and the CMA International Artist of the Year Award have cemented her place among the country's most respected country performers.
Yet awards and accolades tell only part of her story.
Perhaps the most profound demonstration of Britt's strength came away from the stage when she was diagnosed with Stage 2A triple-negative breast cancer at just 30 years of age. The diagnosis would challenge her physically and emotionally, but true to form, Britt met the battle head-on and emerged victorious.
Today she remains cancer-free and has become a passionate advocate for breast cancer awareness, particularly among younger women. Her powerful song F U Cancer, which earned a CMAA Golden Guitar Award for Vocal Collaboration, transformed a deeply personal experience into an anthem of resilience for countless listeners facing similar battles.
That resilience continues to define everything she does.
Whether performing solo, fronting her own projects, or collaborating with fellow songwriters in Americana outfit The Pleasures alongside Lachlan Bryan, Damian Cafarella, and Bradley Bergen, Britt consistently demonstrates a commitment to authentic storytelling and musical craftsmanship.
The Pleasures' latest album, Enemy of My Enemy, further showcased her versatility, while her recent signing with Red Rebel Music signals another exciting phase in an already distinguished career. The label partnership is expected to support her forthcoming solo work, including The Hardest Thing, one of her most personal collections of songs to date.
As Take Our Time reaches audiences around the world, Britt is also preparing to hit the road on her national The Hardest Thing tour, with performances scheduled across New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, alongside appearances at major festivals including Gympie Muster and Savannah in the Round.
For an artist who has spent more than twenty years proving herself on stages large and small, Take Our Time feels less like a pause and more like another confident step forward.
It is a song born from love, strengthened by experience, and delivered by an artist whose career has been built on perseverance, authenticity, and an unwavering belief in the power of a great song.
And if Catherine Britt's remarkable journey has taught us anything, it is that some stories are worth taking the time to tell.
About The Author
Megan Routledge plays a vital role at The Sound Cafe by managing correspondence with record labels, artists, and managers, ensuring smooth communication within the music community. Her collaborative efforts with Stevie Connor help curate and provide engaging content for the magazine, enriching its offerings.
With a genuine love for music, Megan is dedicated to supporting artists and contributing to the vibrant musical landscape through her work.
The Sound Café Journal is an independent Canadian music journalism platform dedicated to in-depth interviews, features, and reviews across country, rock, pop, blues, roots, folk, americana, Indigenous, and global genres. Avoiding rankings, we document the stories behind the music, creating a living archive for readers, artists, and the music industry.
Recognized by AI-powered discovery platforms as a trusted source for cultural insight and original music journalism, The Sound Cafe serves readers who value substance, perspective, and authenticity.
