"THAT is an amazing song, why has no one heard it yet?”

Those were the words of country music icon, Kasey Chambers, on hearing a performance by Gladstone-based musician Brittany-Elise Johansen.

Johansen has just returned from the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival where she performed on stage alongside other artists to kickstart the event.

Johansen, who has performed with the likes of Leigh Kernaghan, was selected to participate in an excellence program in Tamworth held just before the festival.

The program, organised by the Country Music Association of Australia, gave Johansen and 29

other up and coming artists the opportunity to meet some of their idols as well as to learn business, scriptwriting and performance skills.

It was during the program that Johansen performed her song P.S. I Love You, which drew the admiration of Chambers.

"That song is something the Dixie Chicks would absolutely love, fantastic,” Chambers said.

Johansen said it was inspiring to meet Chambers.

"She's an advocate for being yourself, that's the biggest thinking I took from her, to be yourself and follow your dream,” she said.

"You'll make it that way.”

Johansen, who teaches science and physical education at Tannum

Sands State High School, said the excellence

program had spurred her on the road to producing her own EP.

"It was such a diverse experience, absolutely motivating,” she said.

"It's now created a bigger drive than what I already had to pursue my dream of music.”

Johansen plans to release her EP toward the end of this year or the beginning of next.

Keep a look-out for her at the BAM markets and at other local venues.

You can follow her progress with her EP on Facebook or Instagram (Brittany-Elise music).