Entertainment · Books & Arts · 1 day ago
Katie Noonan turns Trent Dalton’s early writings into an album about love
Australian singer Katie Noonan was facing the end of her 26-year marriage when she reconnected with author Trent Dalton.
They had first met in Brisbane in 2001, when Dalton interviewed Noonan, then a rising singer.
Noonan later asked him for words to use in a project with the Australian Vocal Ensemble, a quartet that performs works by Australian writers.
Dalton gave her 153 pages of thoughts, lyrics and dreams he had written as a young man falling in love with his future wife, Fiona Franzmann.
Noonan and the ensemble used the writings to create an album about love, including its joys and heartbreak.
Recorded in Noonan’s Sunshine Coast home, it features her singing and piano with a string quartet, and gave her a creative outlet during a difficult period.
Katie Noonan has turned early writings by author Trent Dalton into an album about love.
The writings include 153 pages of thoughts, lyrics and dreams Dalton wrote while falling for his wife, Fiona Franzmann.
The album, Alone but all one, features Noonan’s vocals and piano with a string quartet.
Noonan said making the album gave her a creative outlet as she dealt with the end of her 26-year partnership.
The album was recorded live in Noonan’s lounge room.
- Who
- Singer Katie Noonan and author Trent Dalton created the album.
- What
- Noonan used Dalton’s early writings to make an album about love, its wonder and heartache.
- When
- Not stated
- Where
- The album was recorded in Noonan’s lounge room on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
- Why
- Noonan wanted to use Dalton’s writing as a muse for her Australian Vocal Ensemble project and found music helped her through a difficult period.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
There have been days that were catastrophically hard and dark and lonely and depressed and all those things
She really let me know she was going through one of the toughest times in her life
Do you have any words?
Noonan and Dalton first met when he interviewed her as a fledgling journalist.
Noonan told Dalton her marriage was in serious trouble.
Noonan had moved out of the family home and was living alone on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
Noonan asked Dalton for writing to use for an Australian Vocal Ensemble project.
- Album
- Alone but all one
- Source material
- 153 pages of Dalton’s thoughts, lyrics and dreams
- Album recording location
- Noonan’s lounge room
- Album performers
- Noonan’s vocals and piano, accompanied by a string quartet
- Partnership
- Noonan’s 26-year partnership was all but over








