General News
3 September, 2025
Song encourages strength
LOCAL artist Victoria Crosby will release her “most personal song” to date on Friday ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day next week.
The song, Bush Kids Don’t Do Well in the City, is about her own personal experience with bullying during high school after moving from the bush to a city school and the mental health battles she faced afterwards.
She hopes her song can inspire young kids and the rest of the community who are struggling to find strength and “speak up even if your voice shakes”.
She wanted to release it ahead of the Suicide Prevention Day next Wednesday to raise awareness about mental health issues and let people know that they’re never alone.
“This one is really close to my heart. I wanted to put into words what so many kids go through; that sense of not fitting in, being torn down, and trying to find your strength again,” Ms Crosby said.
“If this song starts even one conversation, or lets someone know they’re not alone, then it’s done its job.”
The lyrics of the song ring true for those who have experienced similar hardships and also for those who were brought up “tough” in the country.
“They almost lost me more than once, but country hearts are stubborn, tough. Each time I’d break, I’d find my song, in curlew cries and cocky squawks at dawn. This one’s for the bush kids who fell, who carried secrets they’d never tell. I wish I could’ve held their hands and told them they were worth the stand”.
(Chorus): “Cause bush kids don’t do well in the city, but our hearts are full, and our grit is gritty. We’re not made for flashing lights, we bloom in fire and starry nights. We don’t forget the names we heard, but we rewrite them with every word. They almost broke me, but I came back, and I won’t let the bastards win like that”.
Additionally, Ms Crosby now serves as an ambassador for Corrine’s One More Light Foundation; a not-for-profit organisation created in memory of 13-year-old Corrine Lee Cheu from Atherton who tragically took her own life in 2023 after relentless bullying.
The foundation works to raise awareness and spread hope in schools, shops, and communities across Queensland.
The single will be available on all streaming platforms from this Friday. It is part of her debut album, North of the Range, due for release in November 2025.
If you or anyone you know is experiencing distress, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, visit Headspace at www.headspace.org.au, or Beyond Blue at www.beyondblue.org.au
