By Jacob Casha
Local songwriter Teitia Agius is preparing for the official release of her new, Burdekin-inspired single, 'Burning in the Burdekin', which she hopes will become the town's very own unique anthem.
The song, set to be Agius's second official release on streaming platforms, references some of the region's most iconic features, including the Burdekin River and the long-standing cane burning tradition.
Agius said the upcoming release is the culmination of her long-nurtured passion for writing and her affection for the Burdekin, a place she has sporadically called home for the last 20 years.
"I’ve always had a passion for music and wanted to be a singer when I was little," Agius said.
"I realised music isn’t really made like it used to be—the era of the Eagles, Creedence, AC/DC. I wanted to create an anthem for the Burdekin in that style, something kids could hear at football games or pubs—something that truly represented us."
Agius fused her lyrical flair with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to bring the song to life, noting that male vocals better suited the track’s character.
She admitted she had been sitting on the track for weeks, unsure how locals would receive it. Those fears were soon quelled when she played it for residents at a Giru pub, who immediately embraced the song.
Teitia recalled, "I'd just been deployed with the SES to Giru, and we were staying in the pub, waiting for the wind to die down. After they closed that night, the locals were playing music, and I thought, 'Oh, they're all a little bit intoxicated—maybe if I play it for them, and if it’s bad, no one will remember.'"
"So I sent it to one of the ladies behind the bar to play it over Bluetooth, and they all listened and went, 'Oh, wow, this is great.'"
"My heart sank—it was just such an incredible feeling."
She subsequently posted it in local Facebook community hubs, where locals doubled down on their support for the track with over 400 likes and hundreds of positive comments across multiple posts.
She also took to Facebook to invite local photographers to submit artwork for the track’s cover, and is calling for local artists interested in performing it.
"The idea was to post it as AI vocals initially, but then allow people to licence it and perform in the Burdekin for events—or even take it further if they want," she said.
Agius said essential steps remain before the song can be officially published on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, but with locals already singing along, it has clearly already struck a chord with the town.
Local songwriter Teitia Agius is preparing for the official release of her new, Burdekin-inspired single, 'Burning in the Burdekin', which she hopes will become the town's very own unique anthem. Photo supplied
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