Charlee Watt She Rocks: Love, Lyrics & Legacies @ The Gov, Adelaide 5/07/2025
When Charlee Watt walks onto a stage, she owns it.
The twenty-year-old from Port Lincoln took to The Gov stage this weekend for the Tarntanya/ Adelaide leg of her show, She Rocks: Love, Lyrics & Legacies. She lit the room with powerful vocals, bold storytelling and an electrifying surge of girl-powered energy.
From the first beat of Deborah Conway’s It’s Only the Beginning, it was clear this was more than a tribute show. It was a love letter. A rally cry. A reminder that women have always been there, shaping the soundtrack of our lives.
Already known for her genre-bending, rich, expressive voice, Watt has found a sweet spot between rock concert and cabaret confession. She doesn’t impersonate. She channels. One minute, she was floating through Phone Me (Tia Gostelow), You Make Me Happy (Clare Bowditch), and Empty (Rebecca’s Empire) with delicate precision. The next, spitting fire in a uniquely reimaged punk rendition of Not Pretty Enough (Casey Chambers).
Despite an admission of vocal difficulties due to illness, Watt’s vocals were impressive. She powered through Torn (Natalie Imbruglia) and I Am Woman (Helen Reddy) to close out Act One as a proud, defiant chorus echoed throughout the venue.
When Will You Fall For Me (Vika & Linda) opened Act Two. There was reverence in her covers of Missy Higgins’ Scar and Wendy Matthews’ aching The Day You Went Away. Then the tempo increased and the dance floor filled for Can’t Wait to See You (Eurogliders), The Love We Make (Girl Overboard), and You’re Gonna Get Hurt (Jenny Morris).
Act Two concluded with the one-two punch of nostalgia and now. A growling, punk-stained Hertz (Amyl and the Sniffers) followed by the sultry snarl of Pleasure and Pain (The Divinyls) were show highlights.
Watt was having a blast on stage. So much so, Act Three was limited to four songs due to time constraints. One Word (Baby Animals) and the pure pop pleasure of Pash (Kate Ceberano) continued to fuel the fire. While the “two best songs” closed out the show: Security (Amyl and the Sniffers) and the loud, raw and triumphant Boys in Town (The Divinyls).
What elevated She Rocks was the band. Hailing from regional South Australia, most aged between fifteen and seventeen. Yet, every one of them absolutely held their own. Whether tickling the ivories in The Day You Went Away or shredding the strings on Not Pretty Enough, they played with heart and swagger, showcasing unbridled talent.
Watt has crafted something unique with She Rocks. A show that simultaneously looks back and forward, honouring legendary female musicians while lifting up the artists of the future.
If you’re after a night of big songs, big feelings and even bigger talent, this is it. Charlee Watt doesn’t just remind us that She Rocks, she proves it.
Live Review By Anita Kertes