Returning with brand new music in 2026, Newcastle indie pop duo THE TRYOUTS deliver a reminder of their charisma and staying power with fresh cut, ‘CHEWING GUM’. 

As an indicator of a brand new chapter for the group, ‘CHEWING GUM’ takes a bold direction and wraps all the elements of THE TRYOUTS’ appeal – insatiable melodies, lyrics and production – up in a fresh, new perspective. For this new track, THE TRYOUTS recorded at Sydney’s Golden Retriever Studios, expanding on an original demo created with Eric Slick (Dr. Dog) and Kyle Ryan (Kacey Musgraves) in Nashville back in 2025.

The chemistry between THE TRYOUTS themselves – songwriters and partners Chelsea Reed and David Macmichael – remains ever-prominent on this song, as they bend and weave effortlessly with one another through the music. As Reed explains, ‘CHEWING GUM’ saw a few different versions before ultimately arriving at its final form we hear today.

“We had made a few home demos and it was the front-runner song for us when we took a writing trip to the USA in mid-2025. We ended up working on a much more polished demo with Eric Slick (Dr Dog) and Kyle Ryan (Kacey Musgraves) in Nashville. They really helped us to bring the arrangement together and tidy up some of the lyrics. We wrote some more of the lyrics together at the pub in Sydney the night before recording with Dave Jenkins Jr (Vera Blue, Daniel Johns). It feels a lot more anthemic than a lot of our older songs but is still imbued with signature self-deprecating humour and nihilism.” CHELSEA REED, THE TRYOUTS

Macmichael adds, “‘Chewing Gum’ started with a riff that evokes the bass line from Smokey Robinson’s ‘Tears of a Clown’ and is basically loose observations from a life spent scrambling onto the wagon, and then swan diving off again. Not meant to be an anti drinking PSA, just a neutral response to what I’ve generally experienced in my relationship with alcohol over the years.”

‘CHEWING GUM’ is the first new release from THE TRYOUTS since they came through with the single ‘Good Year’ in 2025. To date, the group has created music that has matched their fun and energetic personalities onstage. Coupling humour with melancholy; vibrancy with a self-aware wit, THE TRYOUTS have been quick to capture the attention of crowds and industry alike since their first steps into the spotlight circa 2017.

The release of their first EP, Nothing Bad Is Ever Going To Happen, was well received by community and national Australian radio stations, propelling the duo further into the spotlight.

As a touring unit, THE TRYOUTS have supported the likes of Superchunk (USA) and Smudge, while also becoming close friends and tourmates with Ben Lee; to date they have joined him on 20+ shows across Australia. Their blistering live shows have taken them on multiple laps of the country as headliners and with new music in the pipeline, the duo is set to level up once more.