From the raw, salt-stung beauty of South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula rises a voice that refuses to be ignored. Jo Page has always sounded like an artist shaped by wind and wide horizons, by stories told around kitchen tables and the unrelenting pull of open country. Her music carries grit and grace in equal measure, fusing country, rock, and soul with a dark western hue that feels both cinematic and deeply personal. Now, with her luminous new single When We Knew Nothing, she reveals a different shade of her artistry, one that glows with nostalgia and the sweet ache of memory.
For listeners who first encountered her through the smouldering intensity of Fire in His Eyes, the shift might feel surprising. That 2025 release, produced by ARIA Award winner Matt Fell and co-written with Golden Guitar Award winner Kevin Bennett, rode in on flamenco flourishes and outlaw swagger. It was bold, brooding, and unapologetically fierce, a modern western steeped in dust and defiance. It marked the beginning of a new creative chapter as Page set her sights on her forthcoming 2026 EP, sharpening her signature “dark country western” aesthetic into something powerful enough to rattle festival stages and linger long after the last note faded.
Yet if Fire in His Eyes was the storm, When We Knew Nothing is the sunrise that follows. It is warm, open-hearted, and disarmingly joyful. Where the former conjured ghosts of the old west, the latter turns its gaze inward and backward, toward scraped knees, sunburnt cheeks, and the sacred ritual of riding bikes until the streetlights flickered on. Built on sunlit guitars and breezy melodies, the song pulses with an infectious sing-along chorus that feels tailor-made for car radios and summer nights.
The seed of the track came from an unexpected place: a line by Charles Bukowski that reads, “Sadness is caused by intelligence; the more you understand certain things, the more you wish you didn’t understand them.” It is a striking thought, one that lingers in the mind long after it is read. Page seized on the emotional truth within it, not to wallow in melancholy, but to pivot toward something brighter. When We Knew Nothing is her answer to the burden of awareness, a celebration of those early years when not knowing felt like freedom rather than vulnerability.
“When We Knew Nothing captures the innocence of simpler times,” Page reflects. “That feeling of wanting to go back to when life was lighter, more fun, and there was magic in everything. There’s a line in the song, ‘sweet like dumb days’, and honestly, that’s exactly what it tasted like.”
That phrase, “sweet like dumb days,” lands with a knowing smile. It acknowledges the paradox at the heart of the song. We understand more now. We carry responsibilities, scars, and hard-won wisdom. But there is something intoxicating about remembering a time before the weight of the world settled on our shoulders. Page does not romanticize ignorance as a permanent state; instead, she frames it as a fleeting gift, one that shaped us and still whispers to us in quiet moments.
Musically, the track mirrors that emotional duality. The arrangement is buoyant and inviting, yet there is a subtle thread of longing woven through the melody. The guitars shimmer with a sun-drenched glow, while the rhythm section keeps everything moving forward with easy confidence. Page’s vocal performance is the true anchor. Her voice, known for its power and smoky intensity, softens here into something more playful and open. She does not abandon her grit; she simply lets it breathe. The result is a performance that feels lived-in and honest, as though she is inviting listeners into a shared memory rather than performing at them.
The official visualiser extends this sense of warmth and familiarity. Bathed in time-washed imagery, it pairs perfectly with the song’s nostalgic heartbeat. The visuals evoke 90s childhoods and carefree summers, capturing the glow of late afternoon light and the unfiltered joy of believing that anything was possible. There is comfort in its aesthetic, a deliberate softness that reinforces the song’s themes of escapism and wonder in a world that often feels heavy.
Page’s ability to balance light and shadow is no accident. Over more than 15 years in the Australian music scene, she has honed a storytelling instinct that can pivot from fierce to fragile in a heartbeat. From her hometown of Port Lincoln to festival stages across the country, she has shared the spotlight with artists such as Daryl Braithwaite, Birds of Tokyo, Eskimo Joe, and Shannon Noll. Each performance has deepened her connection to audiences who recognise authenticity when they hear it.
Her acceptance into the CMAA Academy of Country Music in Tamworth proved a formative milestone, and Aussie music legend Dobe Newton famously dubbed her “a force of nature.” It is a description that continues to resonate. On stage, Page commands attention with raw, powerful vocals and an emotional honesty that refuses to be diluted. Off stage, she channels that same conviction into advocacy work, championing mental health awareness and open conversations around healing and hope. Her efforts earned her recognition as 2021 Active Citizen of the Year, a testament to the integrity that underpins both her music and her public life.
That humanitarian spirit threads subtly through When We Knew Nothing. Beneath the bright hooks and joyful chorus lies an invitation to reconnect, not just with our past selves, but with each other. In revisiting shared memories of simpler times, Page taps into something communal. She reminds us that while adulthood may complicate and fracture, the emotional blueprint of who we once were still binds us together.
Importantly, the track does not signal a departure from her darker inclinations but rather an expansion. If Fire in His Eyes introduced audiences to her cinematic edge, When We Knew Nothing showcases her versatility. It proves that Page is not confined to a single emotional register. She can channel outlaw intensity one moment and radiant nostalgia the next, without sacrificing authenticity. This dynamic range sets the stage for her 2026 EP, which promises to weave her dark country western roots with fresh, unexpected textures.
There is a quiet bravery in releasing a song so unabashedly joyful at a time when cynicism often feels fashionable. Page leans into optimism without apology. She dares to celebrate the lightness of youth and the uncomplicated thrill of being alive before the world demanded explanations. In doing so, she offers listeners a brief, restorative escape.
Ultimately, When We Knew Nothing is more than a nostalgic reverie. It is a reminder that even as knowledge grows and responsibilities mount, the essence of who we were still flickers within us. Jo Page understands that the most powerful stories often emerge from that tension between who we have become and who we once were. With this radiant new single, she invites us to roll down the windows, turn up the volume, and remember the taste of those sweet, reckless days when we knew nothing and felt like we knew everything.
OFFICIAL LINKS: FACEBOOK – SPOTIFY – INSTAGRAM – YOUTUBE
