Whenever Milly Washbrook gets asked to talk about herself, she admits it makes her cringe. Talking about oneself doesn’t always come naturally. Yet, looking back, Milly realises how important it is to reflect on where we’ve been and what we’ve done. Like many, Milly’s story is a bit of a rollercoaster. She grew up on a farm in Mendooran, NSW — one of nine kids in a big, busy family. Her parents ran the local school bus, so mornings started early, days were filled with school, farm work, and nights always ended with her parents’ familiar words: “Toilet, teeth, bed.” Some of Milly’s fondest memories are of doing farm jobs alone, or with her sister, up in the top paddock where they could sing their hearts out without being heard. She sang at school assemblies and occasionally performed at local gigs, borrowing the venue’s PA system whenever she could.
After finishing school in 2014, Milly moved to Armidale to study Agriculture Teaching — a dream she’d held for years. Money was tight, so before heading to university she saved every cent working at the White Rose Café in Dunedoo as a waitress, cook, cleaner and all-rounder. On her way home through Tamworth, she decided to busk for a bit of extra travel money, earning $57 — a moment she still remembers with pride. In 2017, Milly met Bill Chambers at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, where he heard her busking and invited her to perform at his show at The Pub. Later, she visited his recording studio where he listened to her original songs and the two of them began writing together. Demo tracks were made, and an album began to take shape. But life had other plans. Milly soon found herself stepping away from music, pausing her university studies, and taking time to reset.
She moved back home, completed an apprenticeship, and became a qualified chef. A few years later, with renewed strength and support from the people around her — including the man she would marry — she decided to give her musical dreams one more shot… just a mere ten years later. Today, Milly is preparing to graduate from university with a degree in Educational Studies. She works as a Learning Support Officer, is happily married, and has just released her debut album Chasing Flames, her debut album. “It’s been a whirlwind journey — a reminder that it’s never too late to give things a crack!” – Milly Washbrook