Phillip Island music artist Mark Howard brings a raw authenticity, shaped by performances across 45 countries. His distinctive sound blends folk, rock, and country elements, creating music that feels both familiar and surprising. Howard’s performances transform venues into intimate storytelling spaces. Drawing inspiration from artists like Michael Hutchence and Neil Young, he’s developed a voice that’s unmistakably his own – direct, honest, and rooted in real experience. His songs explore movement, memory, and human connection without pretense. There’s something refreshingly straightforward about Howard’s approach – just a talented musician sharing compelling stories from the road less traveled.
“Heaven Doesn’t Need You Like I Do” showcases Mark Howard’s ability to create deeply affecting music that feels both personal and universal. The production is beautifully restrained – those atmospheric synths and gentle riffs create a dreamlike foundation that never overshadows his expressive vocals. The cinematic quality makes it feel like a scene unfolding in slow motion, giving weight to every musical moment.
What makes the song particularly powerful is how Howard translates such profound emotional experiences into music. Drawing from both observed stories of parents fighting to maintain connections with their children and his own experiences with loss, he’s created something that speaks to universal themes of love, longing, and letting go. The way he explores the gap between romantic expectations and reality – that “broken paradigm” he mentions – hits especially hard because it’s delivered with such honest vulnerability.
Checkout the latest news: Northlane : Band Secrets, Gig Stories & Prospective Collab with Paramore, Limp Bizkit
The song’s strength lies in how it balances its heavy emotional themes with such delicate musicianship. It’s a masterclass in using space and restraint to amplify feeling rather than overwhelming it with production. Howard has managed to create something that feels both deeply personal and widely relatable, speaking to anyone who’s ever felt the ache of love slipping away.
You may also like listening to: David English Takes You On a Spellbinding Introspection with His Latest Folk Rock Treat ‘Soul’
We had an opportunity to talk to Mark about his new single and beyond. Keep reading to learn more.
Q. Hey, Mark Howard. Welcome to Sinusoidal Music, and also congrats on the release of your new single “Heaven Doesn’t Need You Like I Do.” This track feels like a whispered confession to someone long gone. Did the lyrics arrive in a flood of emotion, or did you piece them together over time?
The song came to me not long after my brother moved in with me following a separation. He wasn’t able to see his children for quite some time and it was tearing him apart. I tried to write from his perspective and imagine what it feels like to miss the moments you thought you’d always be there for. We both lost our little sister when we were young. An impossible grief to put into words. The lyric “Heaven Doesn’t Need You Like I Do” came bursting out early on, and it stuck. I can’t fully understand what it’s like to be in his position, but I do know what it is to miss someone so much it physically aches. That’s where the song comes from.
Q. You’ve said this song was inspired by people close to you trying to hold on to their children. How did their stories influence the emotional aura of the track?
At first, the song had a much more rhythmic, almost driving feel when I played it live with the band. But when I took it into the studio, it didn’t sit right. I realised it needed space and have it feel like a real conversation people can relate to. I imagined a father having a gentle, imaginary conversation with his daughter, away from the noise and confusion of a breakup. That shift in tone shaped the entire arrangement. The emotion was already there, it just needed the right atmosphere to breathe.
There’s a haunting stillness in the song, almost like grief itself is breathing. Was that intentional in how you composed the arrangement?
That stillness was definitely intentional, though it came together gradually. Music has that power, it lets time stand still, even just for a moment. Grief is like that too. It freezes everything. The intention wasn’t to get lost in sadness, but to acknowledge it and create a space where healing might begin or at least be possible.
Q. How was the collaboration experience with Brooke Taylor? What drew you to her voice, and how did her presence shift the emotional tone of the song?
I first played a gig with Brooke on Phillip Island and we later crossed paths at a festival in Melbourne. She has this generous, calming presence. She’s the kind of person who makes everyone around her feel at ease. But then she sings, and there’s this beautifully tortured tone in her voice, like joy and sorrow wrapped up together. Her vocals really helped ground the track. She gave it a real honesty and a raw emotional texture that deepened the meaning of the song in a way only she could.
Q. What do you hope listeners feel when they hear “Heaven Doesn’t Need You Like I Do” for the first time?
More than anything, I want the song to offer a sense of hope. Songs about loss or sadness can make you feel less alone in the world. So many of us have gone through the depths of heartache, someone else has felt it too and found a way to put it into music. That kind of connection can be a quiet lifeline.
Q. What’s next for Mark Howard?
It’s shaping up to be a big few months. My second full-length album Deep Dark Blue is out on August 27. I’ll be launching it with shows across Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales, then heading to Japan for a run of tour dates. After that, I’ll be spending the summer back home on Phillip Island.
Follow Mark Howard on Instagram for more updates.
Enjoy listening to “Heaven Doesn’t Need You Like I Do” by Mark Howard here.
