Melbourne singer-songwriter Jael has released her debut EP Mama Says on July 31, 2026, via Capitol Records. The five-track project pairs R&B balladry with personal songwriting and understated production, keeping the focus on Jael’s voice. Across the record, she writes about romantic attachment, unresolved loss, letting someone back in, and advice handed down within a family.

The opening track, “Prisoner of Love,” sets out the tension between devotion and pain through a classic R&B ballad. “DUI,” written with producer and songwriter Eg White, examines the cycle of returning to someone despite knowing the relationship should end. White, whose credits include Adele, Sam Smith, and Florence + The Machine, also co-wrote “Hallowed Ground.” Drawn from a personal experience, the song addresses grief that has not been resolved and the effort required to keep living with an absence.

“Don’t Make Me Like You Again” turns to the conflict between guarding against further hurt and allowing someone back into your life. The closing title track shifts toward guidance shared across generations about choosing a partner, bringing the project back to family. Jael wrote “Mama Says” with Kurisu and said she felt attached to the song from the moment they completed it. “The first time I played it to my mum she burst into tears,” she said. Jael called the EP “the start of my life adventure” and thanked the relatives and creative team who supported her through a year that included moving to the other side of the world.

Jael represented Australia with “Champion” at the 2018 Junior Eurovision Song Contest, finishing third overall. In 2025, she returned to Carols in the Domain after earlier performances at Centre Court during the Australian Open and the Opening Ceremony of the Australian Grand Prix. Jael released “Prisoner of Love” on February 27, 2026, following stripped-back online previews of a song she first wrote in 2022. This was followed by “DUI” on May 8, 2026, when Capitol Records announced Mama Says.

Listen to Jael’s Mama Says here.