Some sights stay with you long after a holiday ends. For Studio8’s Michelle Morgan, seeing the Statue of Liberty brought a response she couldn’t simply leave behind: each visit moved her to tears.
That feeling became the starting point for “Queen of New York City”, the new single from Australian songwriting duo Luke Johnson and Michelle Morgan. Released on 2 November 2026 through RTC Records, it takes a personal encounter with one of the world’s best-known landmarks and opens it into a song about hope, resilience and women’s freedom.
The feeling behind Lady Liberty
The song grew out of a question the pair wanted to explore together: why did the statue affect Michelle so deeply? Its scale was part of the experience, but the meaning behind it mattered more.
“The Statue of Liberty is awe-inspiring, not just because of its colossal size, but because of what it represents. The ideals of hope and liberty are as important today as they were 140 years ago when the statue was erected.”
Studio8
Co-written by Michelle and Luke and produced by Simon Johnson, “Queen of New York City” moves between introspective verses and bigger, rock-driven choruses. Bluesy passages and vocal harmonies carry the personal side of the story, while the choruses turn outward to celebrate the strength of women and the continuing struggle to be truly free.
That movement gives the song its central thread: one woman’s emotional response becomes a way of looking at a much wider experience. The landmark supplies the image; the people and ideals it represents give the song its heart.
Two songwriters, a shared journey
Luke handles guitar and vocals, with Michelle on keys and vocals. The pair live, write and perform together, drawing on their tree-change, travels through the Australian outback and journeys overseas. Their music brings country, Americana and blues into the same conversation, with storytelling at its centre.
There is plenty happening on home soil, too. Their second Studio8 album, Moonstruck, arrived in July 2026 and reached No. 5 on the ARIA Australian Country Albums Chart. They were also named National Band/Duo of the Year at the 2025 Tasmanian Independent Country Music Awards, and their performance history includes six years at the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
The road to Mississippi Dreaming
“Queen of New York City” is the third of five singles set to appear on Mississippi Dreaming, their forthcoming EP due in January 2027. It follows a busy year of releases and touring regional New South Wales and Victoria.
For an Australian duo whose songs draw on the places they visit, New York offers another story to bring home. This time, it is the feeling of standing before Lady Liberty—and asking what her promise means for women everywhere.
Listen to “Queen of New York City”
Listen on your preferred streaming service or open the single on Spotify.
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Artist information and quotation supplied by Studio8 / Rock This Country PR. Additional background: Studio8’s official website.
