Since his 2016 debut, Waugh has released three albums of deeply relatable, emotional story songs based on characters and events from around his home town of Maffra in Eastern Victoria. Fans of the singer-songwriter have rusted on to his uniquely Australian narrative style – and they proudly wear the red and black checked shirt as a sign of their connectedness – uniformed members of team Waugh.
“Initially, it was really weird seeing people turn up to shows dressed like me,” says Waugh, who started wearing the flanno as a tribute to his dairy farming father, “but then I realised that I was singing songs in an Australian accent about people and places that they recognised – I was singing about their lives, and that’s why people related so much that they wanted to wear that shirt.”
Inspired by the Waugh-heads, Michael has kept evolving his storytelling style – painting evocative pictures of ordinary Australians, whose lives are celebrated in Waugh’s songs.
