Kim Sebastian Churchill (born 26 September 1990 in Canberra) is an Australian folk, rock, and blues singer, songwriter, and musician. He has released six albums: With Sword and Shield/Kim Churchill in 2010, Detail of Distance in 2012, Into the Steel in 2013, Silence/Win in 2014 and Weight Falls in 2017, and “Dawn Sounds” in 2022. He is signed to Montreal-based Canadian label Indica Records.
Career Kim Churchill was born in Canberra and moved to the town of Merimbula at around age seven. He picked his first guitar when he was 4 years old when his father promised him a guitar if he did well in school. He was trained in classical guitar for ten years. He accompanies his guitar with blues harp (harmonica), stomp box, drums, and percussion instruments. He also plays lapsteel and tambourine.
He started singing and playing in front of crowds very early, writing songs while experimenting various tunes or while busking in various venues. An avid fan of surfing, he incorporated the sport in many of his songs and music videos. Churchill tours extensively and has become a favourite during music festivals including the East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival (Australia's "Bluesfest"), the Woodford Folk Festival, and other Australian venues. He has particular following in Canada where he took part in Canadian Music Week, the Ottawa Folk Festival and the famous Montreal International Jazz Festival. He enjoys good following in the United States where he performed at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas and the International Folk Federation Conference in Memphis, plus a tour in England, other European venues, and in Japan.
He released his debut single "Loving Home" that received regular airplay nationally on Australian Triple J radio and ABC Radio National, as well as local and community stations all over Australia. His debut album was entitled With Sword and Shield and released under the title Kim Churchill internationally.
Churchill's second studio album was released on 15 May 2012 being the album Detail of Distance. It was recorded in Vancouver, Canada and was produced by Tod Simko and released by Indica Records. Owing to his popularity in Canada, the release was supported by a 2012 pan-Canadian national summer tour. In 2013 Churchill supported Billy Bragg on his Tooth and Nail tour.
His fourth album Silence/Win was released on 1 April 2014 through Fontana North. Produced by Warne Livesey, it was recorded primarily in sessions in Ucluelet on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. He also engaged on a pan-Canadian tour to promote the album. The track "Some Days the Rain May Fall" from the album charted on ARIA, the official Australian Singles Chart reaching number 86. Another track from the same album "Window to the Sky" was remixed by the French deep house and electro music producer The Avener and released in France as "You're My Window to the Sky" and charting on SNEP, the French Official Singles Chart.LesCharts.com Kim Churchill discography
In 2023, "Window to the Sky" was certified Platinum by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), while at the same time the 2017 "Second Hand Car" was certified Gold.
Reception As part of a review of a Billy Bragg concert for the Vancouver Weekly, critic Jason Motz said, "Opening on this night was the young, barefooted Aussie, Kim Churchill. Churchill made the most of an acoustic guitar, kick drum, pedals and a harmonica. Creating a sound I can only describe as psychedelic whale music, ocean-side blues or countrified Nick Drake, Churchill delivered an off-the-cuff set punctuated by a cover of Dylan’s "Subterranean Homesick Blues". Kim Churchill. Remember that name. He’s going to impress a whole mess of people on this tour. Next year, he could very well be headlining the Vogue."
Discography Albums Title Details Peak chart positions AUSPeaks in Australia: All except noted: It's Lovely to Have You Here: With Sword and Shield / Kim Churchill Released: 2009 Label: Kim Churchill / Indica Records (INDCD115) Format: Digital download, CD — Detail Of Distance Released: 6 April 2012 Label: Kim Churchill (KC4) / Indica (INDCD128) Format: Digital download, CD — Into the Steel Released: January 2013 Label: Kim Churchill Format: Digital download, CD — Silence/Win Released: 3 February 2017 Label: Kim Churchill / Fontana North (3933) Format: Digital download, CD 32 Weight Falls Released: 18 August 2017 Label: Kim Churchill (KC6), Warner Music Australia Format: Digital download, CD, LP, streaming 6 Dawn Sounds Scheduled: 13 January 2023 Label: Kim Churchill, Warner Music Australia Format: Digital download, streaming — It's Lovely to Have You Here Released: 11 October 2024 Label: Kim Churchill, Warner Music Australia Format: Digital download, streaming 61 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Mixtapes Title Details Somewhere Over the Rainbow Released: 6 May 2021 Label: Kim Churchill Format: Digital download Stronger / Landslide Released: 20 May 2021 Label: Kim Churchill Format: Digital download Colours of the Wind Released: 27 May 2021 Label: Kim Churchill Format: Digital download Bright Side Mixtape Released: 3 June 2021 Label: Kim Churchill Format: Digital download
Live albums Title Details Montreal Attic Recordings Released: 2011 Label: Kim Churchill Format: Digital download FestivaLink Presents: Kim Churchill at Kerrville Wine & Music Festival, TX 9/2/11 Released: 26 October 2011 Label: Format: Digital download Montreal Attic Recordings: Vol.2 Released: 2013 Label: Kim Churchill (KC6) Format: CDR, Digital Download "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
EPs Title EP details Turns to Stone Released: 13 May 2011 Label: Kim Churchill Format: Digital download I Am Released: 3 May 2019 Label: Rufus Nomad Format: Digital download, streaming Forgetting Released: 25 October 2019 Label: Rufus Nomad Format: Digital download, streaming The End Released: 25 October 2020 Label: Kim Churchill Format: Digital download, streaming Feeling Whitney Released: 18 February 2021 Label: Kim Churchill Format: Digital download, streaming Again Released: 19 March 2021 Label: Kim Churchill Format: Digital download, streaming Most of the Time Released: 18 February 2021 Label: Kim Churchill Format: Digital download, streaming
Singles YearTitlePeak positionsCertificationAlbum AUS FRA 2010 "Loving Home" — — With Sword and Shield 2014 "Window to the Sky" 86 — ARIA: Platinum Silence / Win "Some Days the Rain May Fall" — — 2015 "You're My Window to the Sky"(The Avener and Kim Churchill) — 119 The Wanderings of the Avener 2017 "Second Hand Car" — — ARIA: Gold Weight Falls "Breakneck Speed" — — 2018 "Weight Falls" — — 2019 "After the Sun" — — I Am "See You Soon" — — Forgetting "Caught up in the Landslide" — — 2020 "Nothing Nothing" — — The End "Don't Know How to Keep Loving You (triple j Like a Version)" — — "Outta Love" — — The End 2022 "Fighter" — — Dawn Sounds "Please Come Home"(with Steph Stringer) — — "Come Back Free" — — 2023 "Go, Try, Fall" — — "These Dreams" — — rowspan="3" "Way Back Home" — — 2024 "Theatre Lights" (with Filipe Baldomir) — — "Hobbies" — — It's Lovely To Have You Here "Calm to the Sean" — — "Wonder" — — 2025 "Raindrops" (with Shungudzo) — —
Awards and nominations In 2009, Kim Churchill won Australia's National Youth Folk Artist of the Year.
APRA Awards The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters".
! |- | 2015 || "Window to the Sky" || Blues & Roots Work of the Year || || |- | 2019 || "Secondhand Car" || Blues & Roots Work of the Year || ||
Environmental Music Prize The Environmental Music Prize is a quest to find a theme song to inspire action on climate and conservation. It commenced in 2022.
! |- | 2025 | "Reflecting" (with Emily Brimlow) | Environmental Music Prize
National Live Music Awards The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.
| National Live Music Awards of 2016 | Kim Churchill | Live Roots Act of the Year
References
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