Studio8 releases the duet, Waitin’ For You
By Alan Shipston for Country Music News International Magazine
Country songwriting duo, Studio8 finish off a year of solid releases with Waitin’ For You, available now on RTC Records. Michelle Morgan and Luke Johnson take a nostalgic look back on the heartache of longing and the endless search for true love as the duet declares, “I’ve spent a lifetime, waiting for the right time, for that special someone to come walking through that door.” Their traditional sound and easy arrangement plays into the sentimental question of, “Am I wasting my life, living it in half time, I’m on the edge now howling at the moon, waitin’ for you.”
Written by the husband and wife duo, Michelle Morgan and Luke Johnson, producer Simon Johnson, showcases the song’s tender harmonies as a haunting fiddle pulls on the heartstrings. Acoustic guitars hold down the rhythm with the piano while an electric guitar arpeggiates its way through the wistful tune. Waitin’ For You has a tempered emotional depth as Luke Johnson laments that he is “losing his mind” while he pauses his life waiting for the right person to walk into his dream.
Aussie duo Studio8, Luke Johnson and Michelle Morgan, blend heartfelt storytelling with a timeless, contemporary feel. Luke plays guitar and Michelle is on keys and both handle vocal duties. Their 2024 debut album, Into The New, reached number five on the ARIA Australian Country Album Chart and in 2025, they received the National Group/Duo of the Year Award at the Tasmanian Independent Country Music Awards. Having recently returned from a tour of Queensland and northern NSW, Studio8’s engaging live shows and authentic songs continue to win hearts, with more shows on the way, as well as the esteemed Tamworth Country Music Festival in January 2026.
Michelle and Luke grew up in Sydney and made a tree change to the Southern Highlands with their young daughter, Rebecca, and son, Ben, born six months later. They lived on a small acreage and, inspired by the laid-back rural lifestyle, they began writing songs together. In 2001, they moved to Norfolk Island, where Michelle wrote the first draft of her novel, Racing The Moon. After returning to the Southern Highlands in 2005, she continued writing and studied playwriting. Four of Michelle’s plays were performed at short play festivals in Sydney, Newcastle and Armidale between 2009 and 2012.
Michelle began performing with Luke as the duo, Studio8, in January 2022. They have released six new singles in 2025, and will be releasing six new singles and an album in 2026.