Dylan Tori is back with his new song 'Wish You Were Here', available 31 October - a deeply personal single that blends soulful Americana, country and blues rock textures to tell the story of remembering those we love and the ache of their absence.

Produced and recorded by Mark Beling, the song was written in the wake of family bereavement. 'Wish You Were Here' began as a love song and transformed into Dylan’s most emotionally candid composition to date. The lyrics, delivered with a warm, resonant vocal, centre on memory as both comfort and wound - snapshots of everyday life that linger, and the quiet longing for one more conversation, one more embrace.

Musically, the single marries acoustic instrumentation and soulful arrangements with an alt-rock sensibility. Fingerpicked guitar, subtle pedal steel and restrained percussion create an intimate sonic landscape that allows the song’s lyricism to breathe. The result is a track that sits at the intersection of country, bluegrass and alt-rock - familiar and timeless, yet contemporary in production.

Dylan dedicates 'Wish You Were Here' to his father, Clifton Pretorius, who passed away in May 2025. The track was his father’s favourite on Dylan’s forthcoming album, and Dylan has chosen it as a tribute to his memory.

"'Wish You Were Here' was born from memory, love and loss," Dylan says. "All of my emotions - losing my grandmother and friends I had lost along the way - poured into this song. It has become, to date, my most emotional and personal piece of writing. I dedicate this to my father, Clifton Pretorius. I love you, Dad. I wish you were here."

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