The album is out tomorrow and, with so many friends and fans in the Country Music Capital, the artist said he wanted to celebrate in Tamworth.

“I’ve been waiting so long to get up there during the year, because it’s a beautiful place and I have a lot of friends up there,” Collins said.

“I think everyone who goes there for January loves Tamworth. The band that played on this record are doing the launch, and we’ll do all the songs, give or take one or two. We might get about 17-18 songs in a show. The Family Hotel is a perfect venue, too, because it has the right intimacy for this record.” 

Hard Light is the album that shows the artist looking back on his life and addressing the hard times in a new light.

“I went out on a limb with this album – every artist does, at some stage,” Collins said.

“They take a look back at songs that really mattered to them.

“This album is about taking hardships and looking at the  light that is in them and the experience you gain.

“You have to own the hardships and take a bit of pride in them.”

Collins wrote 12 of the 14 tracks, with the two other tracks being songs that mean a lot to him – one, surprisingly, is Katy Perry’s Firework.

He also produced the album, making it his most personal release yet.

“It’s all about putting those experiences out there and wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences,” he said.

“This is definitely my most personal album. This was an album where I took myself away and wrote with amazing writers in Australia and overseas.

“When I knew I had the story I wanted to tell, I made the album. It’s the first time I was in a position where my label said ‘Come back when the album is finished’ and there was no timeline. You’re hearing me, that’s my story and that’s my sound – it is this record, Hard Light.” 

He said he was still nervous about singing the songs live, but that the Family Hotel would be the perfect place for it.

One of the topics Collins deals with on the album is loss and depression.

He recently became an ambassador for RUOK? 

“I’ve wanted to get involved with, in the mental health things for a while now, but nothing ever really fit me as much as this one,” he said.

“This one is all about the people around those who are suffering.

“As someone who has been close to that before, sometimes you don’t know how to ask.

“It’s not so much asking the direct question, but about giving someone a vehicle and enough of a right mood that they feel they can talk to you.

“Sometimes people just need to talk and relate to someone.”  

The singer-songwriter said he wanted to use his voice as a touring country artist to draw attention to RUOK? and how to speak to friends and loved ones, and how to look for little signs they may not be okay.

“I want to be dedicated and pop into places as I tour and do my bit,” he said.

“Hopefully someone else doesn’t have to go through the loss that we did in my family.” 

Collins said he could only do such a personal album at this time of his life because he was at peace with his past and his history.

*Tickets are now on sale for the Family Hotel launch on Wednesday, May 11.