Deborah Conway and Willy Zygier are songwriters, recording artists and performers whose partnership spans more than three decades. Their work moves between rock, acoustic music and the stage, with songs about family, faith, love and the world around them.
Deborah Conway
Deborah first came to national attention as the singer of Do-Re-Mi, whose 1985 single Man Overboard became an Australian classic. Her solo debut, String of Pearls (1991), included It’s Only the Beginning and Release Me. She won the ARIA Award for Best Female Artist in 1992.
Alongside her recording career, Deborah has worked in theatre, film and festival programming. She created the Broad concert series and served as artistic director of the Queensland Music Festival. Her memoir, Book of Life, was published in 2023.
Willy Zygier
Willy is a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer. His early recordings with Tootieville led into a career spanning albums, film and television scores, theatre and collaborations with other Australian artists.
He joined Deborah’s touring band for String of Pearls and became her songwriting and recording partner. His work with acoustic and electric instruments has helped shape the sound of their recordings, from Bitch Epic and Ultrasound to their albums released together.
A continuing collaboration
Their shared catalogue includes Summertown, Half Man Half Woman, Stories of Ghosts, Everybody’s Begging, The Words of Men and Right Wing Propaganda (2025). Their stage work includes After the Flood, a musical reimagining Noah’s Ark through a contemporary Melbourne Jewish family.
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