[4] She grew up with her father, Rick Washington, a part-time DJ for "weddings, parties and balls"; her mother, Karen Amos, and an older sibling.

[6][7][8] Washington developed a stutter just before primary school and explained that "The way that I speak is idiosyncratic because it's based on 20 years of 'loopholing', of avoiding words that trip me up.

[7] In January that year Washington had relocated to Melbourne and worked in a bagel shop[8] and recalled that "It was not a good or glamorous time.

'"[14] Washington's music style moved from jazz when she backed a blues and roots musician, Old Man River, as keyboardist and harmony vocalist from 2006, including touring internationally in support of his debut album, Good Morning (March 2007).

[20] In that month she backed Sia on guitar at the Palace Theatre and a few days later performed a duet with Keith Urban during his Rod Laver Arena concert in Melbourne.

[12][23] Three of its singles, "Rich Kids" (May 2010, also title track of an EP), "Sunday Best" (August) and "The Hardest Part" (October), were described by Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, "Although not chart hits, [they] were insistent and infectious, and when combined with her flamboyant, quirky stage presentation, heralded a major performer".

[12] Emma Green of Beat Magazine found it, "marks a change of pace from upbeat pop-oriented tracks to slow and enchanting melodies that could be pulled from the soundtrack to her deepest, darkest dreams… If the singer's insomnia did inspire this album then she should stay on the caffeine, because whatever she's doing is definitely working".

From 'Skeleton Key' onwards, her songs are hauntingly beautiful, with an atmosphere that you didn't quite get from I Believe You, Liar… Accompanied with her lyrics about difficult personal experiences, it creates this raw emotion which is quite powerful".

[29] In January of the following year, she presented the album at the Sydney Opera House; Tanya Ali of The AU Review observed, "Seeing [her] perform these songs made you understand how emotionally draining they could be to sing.

[30] Washington was a mentor for the inaugural season of Australia's version of TV talent show, The Voice, for members of Keith Urban's team.

During January 2013 Washington and fellow musician, Tim Rogers (of You Am I), had the lead roles in a musical-thriller film, The Boy Castaways.

[34] Following commitments of early 2013 Washington travelled to London from June of that year to work with Samuel Dixon, an Adelaide-born English-based musician and producer, to record her second album, There There (September 2014).

Washington wanted to incorporate a "late-60s, early-70s, gold lame Shirley Bassey sound with trumpets and James Bond-y melodies" for her album.

[39] Washington delivered a talk at the TEDxSydney event in May of that year: she explained how her stuttering hampers communication during conversation or speeches, but disappears when she sings.

[12] Australian Rolling Stone's reviewer, Darren Levin, rated it at four out-of five stars and explained, "'Do you want it back?'

Each song, says Washington, is connected to a real-life event – from the frank confession of infidelity on the raw ballad 'Begin Again' to 'Get Happy', where she falls in love over Eighties New Wave textures… On [this album], she's both fearless and direct".

[31] The singer-musician performed free "pop-up" shows in state capitals, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, in support of There There during the week of release.

[49] In 2018, Washington started supplying the voice of Calypso, the title character's primary school teacher, on the ABC Kids TV cartoon series Bluey.

Pilerats' Hayden Davis observed, "[it] is a delicate, yet tall-standing return from [the singer] who, in all the years since her last work, has clearly not lost her stride… the single unites [her] catchy vocal pulse with a restrained production that glistens with its chiming melodies, something that she glides over the top of with ease".

[52] Another single, "Dirty Churches", was produced by Dave Hammer (Lime Cordiale, Thundamentals) and was promoted by three intimate gigs.

[53] Washington launched an online song featuring Climate change advocate Greta Thunberg late 2019, according to Junkee, she created a "Passionate and angry work of art".

[56] NME announced in June the video clip for "Dark Parts" and her third studio album Batflowers was due on 28 August.

[59] The album's third single, "Kiss Me Like We're Gonna Die", appeared in July, which she performed on ABC TV talk show, Q&A.

[60] Washington released a fourth single, "Achilles Heart", written with producer Rabitt (Andy Grammer, Charlotte Lawrence), also in July.

[61] Also in 2020 Washington appeared in CrossBread,[62] a Christian Rock/Rap mockumentary, which she co-wrote for ABC Listen radio[63] with Declan Fay and Chris Ryan (from King Kong: The Musical).

Kate McLennan (from Get Krack!n), comedian Aaron Chen, and John Waters (Play School and Rake) also have roles in this six-part show/podcast uploaded in June 2020.

Joseph Earp of Junkee observed, "It is a breathless album, like the entirety of Washington's career condensed into one multi-coloured burst; a magnum opus, torn from somewhere very precious and important".

[69] Russh launched the Live at The Tivoli series[70] which was recorded at Washington's shows in September 2020[71] where The Australian noted of her voice: "That jaw dropping instrument in her throat was enough to send everyone off on a high".