For Gordon Park singer-songwriter Ethan Dahl, the release of Stay For The Sunrise marks more than a second single. It is another step in a transition that has taken the 15-year-old from performing characters and songs written by others to putting his own stories into the spotlight.
The Brisbane northside musician releases the independently funded track on Friday, 14 August, following his debut single Wrong Girl in June. Both were produced by Australian producer Stuart Stuart, whose credits include Sheppard and The Veronicas.
Behind those releases is an unusual investment. Ethan has used savings earned through years of professional stage and screen work to fully fund his independent music releases — money he could otherwise have kept towards his first car.
“I’ve been saving the money I earned from musicals and acting for several years,” Ethan said.
“I knew I could keep it for a car, but investing in my music is more important to me right now. It’s a big investment, especially at my age, but earning the money through performing and then putting it into songs of my own makes releasing my own music mean even more.”
A New Story After Years on Stage
Ethan began musical theatre classes at six and started working professionally at 11, building experience across musical theatre, television and film before beginning to release music under his own name.
In 2022, he played Benji in Matt Ward Entertainment’s professional production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert at The Star Gold Coast. The following year, aged 12, he became one of three young Queensland performers selected to share the title role in the professional Gold Coast production of Billy Elliot the Musical.
The role demanded a new skill set. Ethan had no previous ballet training and began lessons only six months before the audition after learning the opportunity was approaching.
He committed himself to the challenge, developed the skills required and successfully earned the role.
His screen experience has included numerous background roles as well as speaking roles in a television episode and a film. Those professional jobs not only built his performance experience but also allowed him to begin saving for his future.
The direction of that future has since changed.
Turning Performance Earnings Into Original Music
Rather than keeping those savings for a car, Ethan has redirected the money into writing, recording and independently releasing songs of his own.
The shift is a natural extension of the storytelling skills he developed on stage, but it has also given him something his earlier roles could not: ownership of the words and stories he performs.
“Musical theatre and acting taught me how to tell a story and connect with an audience,” Ethan said.
“Writing my own songs lets me do that in a different way because now the story and the words are coming from me.”
Much of Ethan’s early professional work involved performing established characters and material. His developing career as a singer-songwriter now places his own words and ideas at the centre.
‘Stay For The Sunrise’ Holds Onto the Moment
Ethan’s second single continues that move into original songwriting with an energetic contemporary indie-pop sound.
At its heart, Stay For The Sunrise is about escaping the pressures of everyday life for a night and wanting that feeling of freedom to continue.
“‘Stay For The Sunrise’ is about that feeling where you decide to have a night off from the day-to-day pressure and be free,” Ethan said.
“You know the night has to end eventually, but you want to stay there and make that feeling last for as long as you can. I think that’s something people of any age can relate to.”
The track follows Wrong Girl, Ethan’s independently funded debut single released in June 2026. Both were produced by Stuart Stuart and chart Ethan’s development from young professional stage performer into an independent singer-songwriter.
Live Stages Shape His Next Move
Ethan’s move into original music has developed alongside regular live performances across Brisbane and South East Queensland.
In October 2025, he opened for Australian singer-songwriter Pete Murray at Eatons Hill Hotel. He was also a finalist in the 2025 Ekka Country Music Showdown, finished runner-up in the 2025 Noosa STARS alive! competition and returned as a finalist in 2026.
He has also performed at community events including Redcliffe’s KiteFest, the Pine Rivers Show and the Mother’s Day Classic, as well as regular open mic nights around Brisbane.
Another step came with Ethan’s selection for the 2026 Vermilion High program, an initiative of QUT’s student-run record label, Vermilion Records.
The program works with selected high-school artists, giving them opportunities to develop, record and release original music with support from QUT student mentors and creative collaborators.
Northside Crowds Next in Line
For all the movement between theatre, recording and live music, Ethan’s next performances bring the story back close to home.
He will perform at WindsorFest in Windsor on Saturday, 29 August, followed by the Nundah Festival on Sunday, 13 September.
On Sunday, 11 October, Ethan is also scheduled to perform at the Move Over Mama Luxe Lunch at The Star Gold Coast, returning to the venue where he previously appeared in Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Billy Elliot the Musical.
At 15, Ethan’s professional performance history already stretches across theatre, screen and live music. What has changed is who is writing the material.
The money earned performing other people’s stories is now helping him put his own into the world.
Stay For The Sunrise will be available on major streaming platforms from Friday, 14 August.
Published 13-Aug-2026
