James Johnston Headlines Sweden's High Chaparral Country Festival
Australian country music sensation, three-time Golden Guitar winner (including the top selling ARIA Charts Australian Country Album in 2025) and ARIA Award nominee James Johnston hit another major career milestone by performing for an audience of 6000 country music fans in Sweden.
James brought his signature energy to Sweden over the weekend, headlining the country's premier country music event: the High Chaparral Country Festival. The annual three-day spectacular takes over a Western-style theme park in Kulltorp, transforming its authentic streets into a major international hub for country music's biggest stars. James hit the stage and delivered a set packed with fan favourites alongside tracks from his latest album WHERE YOU'LL FIND ME. As part of his set, James embraced the local culture by leading the crowd in the chant "Bira, Bira, Bira," with bira being Swedish slang for beer. Watch HERE.
While in the country, James visited Warner Music Sweden in Stockholm, and made several surprise visits to fans, including a young fan who was unable to attend the festival due to age restrictions, treating them to special live performances in their backyards.
2026 is shaping up to be another massive year for James already, performing at CMC Rocks and releasing his latest country anthem 'SMOKE I'VE KNOWN' featuring one of the hottest country risers in the US, Chase Matthew. James will continue to take the show on the road with a run of festival dates across Australia and internationally, including appearances at Boots N' Beats in Camden, Tara Festival Of Culture And Camel Races in Tara and UK's Country Calling Festival this August. James is also taking his headline show live across the UK, with stops in Glasgow, Birmingham, and Manchester. After the tour sold out in under 10 minutes, venue upgrades were quickly announced to meet the massive demand.
With his sophomore album, WHERE YOU'LL FIND ME, Johnston stepped into his international era, blending modern country hooks with a raw emotional core to create songs that lift people up and connect everyday moments to something bigger. Reuniting with long-time producer and friend Jared Adlam (AdamBrand, Lee Kernaghan) and collaborating with mentor and country superstar Morgan Evans, Johnston delivers a record that reflects both personal growth and global ambition. From festival stages to viral social media moments, he's proving that Australian country music knows no borders - and he's only just getting started.
James' history-making 20-track debut album, RAISED LIKE THAT, was nominated for Best Country Album at the 2024 ARIA Awards. RAISED LIKE THAT staged a sell-out five-city Australian regional tour and became the most in-demand streamed Australian country music album. With six #1 airplay hits, maintaining the #1 spot for 35 weeks on the ARIA Australian Country Albums Chart, over 163 million global streams, three Golden Guitar Awards, and certified ARIA platinum, James is easily Australia's most exciting country music artist. He's already won Best New Talent and Best Vocal Collaboration with his friend Kaylee Bell at the 2023 Tamworth Country Music Festival, as well as being nominated for a QMA Award, an APRA Music Award, and was a 2023 Rolling Stone Australia Award nominee.
Quickly becoming one of the most sought-after acts in Australian country music, James has taken his "electrifying voice and array of feel-good country songs" (Newsport) to some of Australia's biggest and most beloved stages. With performances at CMC Rocks, Strummingbird, Gympie Music Muster, Savannah in the Round, the Tamworth Country Music Festival, and of course Meatstock in Toowoomba, James has certainly ticked a few things off his bucket list.
James Johnston is undoubtedly the hottest name in the Australian country music scene right now. With more shows planned for 2026, he is set to continue growing his fanbase and reputation in the months ahead.
UPCOMING 2026 TOUR DATES:
James brought his signature energy to Sweden over the weekend, headlining the country's premier country music event: the High Chaparral Country Festival. The annual three-day spectacular takes over a Western-style theme park in Kulltorp, transforming its authentic streets into a major international hub for country music's biggest stars. James hit the stage and delivered a set packed with fan favourites alongside tracks from his latest album WHERE YOU'LL FIND ME. As part of his set, James embraced the local culture by leading the crowd in the chant "Bira, Bira, Bira," with bira being Swedish slang for beer. Watch HERE.
While in the country, James visited Warner Music Sweden in Stockholm, and made several surprise visits to fans, including a young fan who was unable to attend the festival due to age restrictions, treating them to special live performances in their backyards.
2026 is shaping up to be another massive year for James already, performing at CMC Rocks and releasing his latest country anthem 'SMOKE I'VE KNOWN' featuring one of the hottest country risers in the US, Chase Matthew. James will continue to take the show on the road with a run of festival dates across Australia and internationally, including appearances at Boots N' Beats in Camden, Tara Festival Of Culture And Camel Races in Tara and UK's Country Calling Festival this August. James is also taking his headline show live across the UK, with stops in Glasgow, Birmingham, and Manchester. After the tour sold out in under 10 minutes, venue upgrades were quickly announced to meet the massive demand.
With his sophomore album, WHERE YOU'LL FIND ME, Johnston stepped into his international era, blending modern country hooks with a raw emotional core to create songs that lift people up and connect everyday moments to something bigger. Reuniting with long-time producer and friend Jared Adlam (AdamBrand, Lee Kernaghan) and collaborating with mentor and country superstar Morgan Evans, Johnston delivers a record that reflects both personal growth and global ambition. From festival stages to viral social media moments, he's proving that Australian country music knows no borders - and he's only just getting started.
James' history-making 20-track debut album, RAISED LIKE THAT, was nominated for Best Country Album at the 2024 ARIA Awards. RAISED LIKE THAT staged a sell-out five-city Australian regional tour and became the most in-demand streamed Australian country music album. With six #1 airplay hits, maintaining the #1 spot for 35 weeks on the ARIA Australian Country Albums Chart, over 163 million global streams, three Golden Guitar Awards, and certified ARIA platinum, James is easily Australia's most exciting country music artist. He's already won Best New Talent and Best Vocal Collaboration with his friend Kaylee Bell at the 2023 Tamworth Country Music Festival, as well as being nominated for a QMA Award, an APRA Music Award, and was a 2023 Rolling Stone Australia Award nominee.
Quickly becoming one of the most sought-after acts in Australian country music, James has taken his "electrifying voice and array of feel-good country songs" (Newsport) to some of Australia's biggest and most beloved stages. With performances at CMC Rocks, Strummingbird, Gympie Music Muster, Savannah in the Round, the Tamworth Country Music Festival, and of course Meatstock in Toowoomba, James has certainly ticked a few things off his bucket list.
James Johnston is undoubtedly the hottest name in the Australian country music scene right now. With more shows planned for 2026, he is set to continue growing his fanbase and reputation in the months ahead.
UPCOMING 2026 TOUR DATES:
JUNE 12: COUNTRY FEST QLD, TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA
JUNE 13: BOOTS N' BEATS, CAMDEN, AUSTRALIA
AUGUST 1: TARA FESTIVAL OF CULTURE AND CAMEL RACES, TARA, AUSTRALIA
AUGUST 11: JAMES JOHNSTON LIVE IN THE UK, GLASGOW, UK | SOLD OUT
AUGUST 12: JAMES JOHNSTON LIVE IN THE UK, BIRMINGHAM, UK | SOLD OUT
AUGUST 13: JAMES JOHNSTON LIVE IN THE UK, BIRMINGHAM, UK | SOLD OUT
AUGUST 14: JAMES JOHNSTON LIVE IN THE UK, MANCHESTER, UK | SOLD OUT
AUGUST 16: COUNTRY CALLING FESTIVAL UK, WRITTLE, UK
AUGUST 29: GYMPIE MUSIC MUSTER, AMAMOOR, AUSTRALIA
OCTOBER 2-4: THE BEND CLASSIC, TAILEM BEND, AUSTRALIA
JUNE 13: BOOTS N' BEATS, CAMDEN, AUSTRALIA
AUGUST 1: TARA FESTIVAL OF CULTURE AND CAMEL RACES, TARA, AUSTRALIA
AUGUST 11: JAMES JOHNSTON LIVE IN THE UK, GLASGOW, UK | SOLD OUT
AUGUST 12: JAMES JOHNSTON LIVE IN THE UK, BIRMINGHAM, UK | SOLD OUT
AUGUST 13: JAMES JOHNSTON LIVE IN THE UK, BIRMINGHAM, UK | SOLD OUT
AUGUST 14: JAMES JOHNSTON LIVE IN THE UK, MANCHESTER, UK | SOLD OUT
AUGUST 16: COUNTRY CALLING FESTIVAL UK, WRITTLE, UK
AUGUST 29: GYMPIE MUSIC MUSTER, AMAMOOR, AUSTRALIA
OCTOBER 2-4: THE BEND CLASSIC, TAILEM BEND, AUSTRALIA
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