Hope & Heartbreak:
Tom Nethersole shares Queer Coming-of-Age Story with 'the bus'
Tom Nethersole Unveils New Single ‘the bus'
Tom Nethersole returns with his most gut-wrenching release yet - the bus, a haunting reflection on young queer love, betrayal, and the bittersweet ache of what could have been.
“It’s about growing up queer in a small town, about being confided in - then denied.
Drawing on acoustic folk-pop influences and inspired by the likes of Lizzy McAlpine, Kevin Atwater, and Tiny Habits, the bus weaves delicate production with brutally honest lyricism. It’s a snapshot of two teens on the verge of something real, only to be pulled apart by shame, expectation, and the quiet heartbreak of staying behind.
"There’s this loneliness in realising someone can love you and still choose a version of life that erases you.”
Saved by the bell
Saved a seat for us
kissed a boy in blue
who i could trust
saved by the bell
saved a seat for us
he found a girl.
it's just my luck
“This song is a collage of real moments,”
says Nethersole
the bus explores the emotional fallout of unspoken love, rejection, and the silence that follows. It’s confessional, sharp, and unflinching - balancing grief with clarity in every verse.
Having already begun turning heads with Ardmona Rd - featured in Rolling Stone’s “Best Australian Music of the Week” and Spotify’s New Music Friday AU & NZ - Nethersole is carving a space for queer narratives that are raw, complicated, and beautifully told.
Whether you’ve lived this story
or are hearing it for the first time, the bus demands to be felt.
Tom has already established himself as a must-watch talent, performing at Midsumma’s Pride Street Party, Rockhampton River Festival, Always Live, and opening for Drax Project. He’s been featured on Rolling Stone’s “Best Australian Music of the Week”, as well as JOY FM, FBi Radio, Rhythm Club FM, and SYN.
With over 250k streams and a growing fanbase in Australia and the US, Tom Nethersole is cementing himself as a powerful new voice in Australian pop
