Today, Coco Elise — the solo project of Perth songwriter and producer Josh Ellis — announces his debut album, The longest bridge in the world, out October 30, alongside its fourth single, ‘Sadie’. Hot off packed-out shows in Paris and London, Coco Elise will take to a run of headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne in mid-October in support of the album release. LISTEN HERE + PRE- SAVE HERE.

Born from a friend’s suggestion that The longest bridge in the world needed one more song, ‘Sadie’ quickly became a personal favourite of Ellis’s. It’s a song swallowed by acceptance — the deep breath after a long cry. Conversational horns, played by friends Harry, Jacob and Charlotte, waft through the chorus in resolution and awe: a lingering sound from previous singles that takes on a simpler, more weary role here.

Ellis wrote the song from the gentler side of breakup grief: “Getting rid of personal gain in a relationship is hard. But Sadie is happy, and I want her to win, whether that’s with me or without me. Maybe she comes back, maybe she doesn’t, but either way, I’m happy for her.” That resolution rings true in the lyric “I will catch up, I’ll catch up,” dressed in Ellis’s characteristically charming production — nylon guitar, stacked and muted vocals, and a guitar riff so simple it lingers.

Complimenting a line of music videos from previous singles, ‘Sadie’ continues the visual world of the project — directed by Stevie Morley-Wong and starring Coco Elise’s live band’s drummer, Isaiah. “It was only fitting that I filmed him a few weeks after he had broken his leg,” Ellis says.

Following the album’s earlier singles ‘Porcelain Tiles‘, ‘Avoid Your Stare‘ and ‘Rest My Tyres‘, ‘Sadie’ brings the narrative of The longest bridge in the world further into focus. The record unfolds as the countless post-breakup conversations had with friends — occasionally ruminating in the despair of lost time, but arriving, eventually, at the retrospectively funny realisation that others have loved and lost like this before, and survived it too. That thematic weight is cushioned by a soft-rock hush undercut with a lively pop-folk stride, built from full-bodied synths, far-off horns and muted, dream-state vocals. It’s an album for stepping into spring, born of a transformative period in Ellis’s life, where making the record became a small, sweetening act of acceptance and decision-making.

Reflecting on the album as a whole, Ellis describes a year defined by change and its aftermath: “This album is made up of my favourite ten songs I’ve made over the last year. They all follow the same theme — I was, and still am, going through change. Most of it is about decisions I’ve made, and worrying whether they’re the right ones — and if they’re wrong, whether that means I end up washed up and alone. It was all written in my old house, right before I moved out, and finished off in Calvin’s studio. I think the songs make sense together — there’s a bit of everything, some upbeat, some sad. Sound-wise, I got the band to play horns as much as I could, to get that swell running through the songs, and leaned on acoustic guitars to keep it organic. Overall, the album is a synopsis of my last year. Hopefully people can relate to it.”

In its short life, Coco Elise has won fans across press and industry alike — triple j, Beat Magazine, Rolling Stone Australia, VICE Australia, EARMILK and The Line of Best Fit among them. He’s earned recognition as a feature artist on triple j Unearthed, which praised him for making layers upon layers of magical tunes to bliss out to. Editorial playlisting has followed too, with consistent placement across Spotify AU/NZ and Apple Music. His song ‘Colour The Stencil‘ won Song of the Year at the Western Australian Music Awards. A national tour in 2025 saw Coco Elise share stages with artists including Maribou State (UK), Donny Benet, Sycco, Playlunch, Sex on Toast and Jazz Emu (UK). Along the way, he’s built a reputation for arresting live performances and carved out space for the endearing, playful charm that makes the project impossible to ignore.