Michael David Thomas

Brisbane-based folk crooner Michael David Thomas has been described as a cross between wordsmiths Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, with an earnest, honest vocal style reminiscent of classic folk songwriters like James Taylor and Paul Simon. He belongs to a rare class of songwriters whose songs can simultaneously reach the head and the heart, make you laugh and cry, and evoke bygone musical eras while providing a fresh, new, unique perspective. 

After quitting his job as a lawyer in 2008 to pursue a career in music, Michael embarked on what has become a diverse and multi-faceted artistic journey. He promptly formed Americana Indie folk trio Breaking Hart Benton in 2009, which spurred both national and international tours in Australia and the USA as well as a stint in Nashville recording with Mark Moffatt.  

In 2014, Michael signed with Airlock Records (helmed by Ian Haug of Powderfinger fame) to produce a solo project, in which Michael collaborated with several prominent musicians including Daniel Champagne to record his songs. Michael released his self-titled EP in 2015 that featured the much-loved single There Must Be Something Else, the music video for which was debuted on The Music. However, Michael’s main claim to fame is that he met and wrote songs with the legendary Leonard Cohen. 

2022 has seen a resurgence for Michael’s creative output as he ambitiously releases a new single every month for the latter half of the year. He’s on a self-professed grand quest to create a folk revival by bringing the unique beauty and simplicity of 1960s folk and acoustic music into our modern age and illustrating how everything old can be made new again.  

Michael invites you to take this trip down memory lane with him as he crafts a classic folk sound for the 21st century. 

“There is a literary quality to the lyrics that make you realise this isn’t just a casual experiment in songwriting, but an all encompassing work of art” – Rave Magazine