Emily Wurramara Releases New Album, Announces National Tour

Multi-award-winning Lutruwita/Tasmania-based artist Emily Wurramara has announced a national tour in support of her second album, NARA, which dropped today.

The tour will kick off this Sunday with an in-store performance and vinyl signing at Suffragette Records in Hobart.

Wurramara will make several high-profile appearances before the tour, including a performance at the Australian Women in Music Awards on October 2nd at Fortitude Music Hall in Meanjin/Brisbane and a show at the Wild Village Festival in Boorloo/Perth on November 1st. However, the headline shows officially begin in Eora/Sydney at Waywards at the Bank on November 8th before journeying around the country, taking in additional appearances including Queenscliff Music Festival on November 24th and Live at the Gardens with Xavier Rudd on November 23rd.

NARA represents a significant evolution in Wurramara’s sound. While her debut album, Milyakburra (2018), was rooted in folk, blues, and roots, NARA ventures into new, expansive sonic territories. The album features collaborations with artists like Lisa Mitchell, Tasman Keith, and her brother Arringarri, a spoken word artist making his musical debut.

Titled for the Anindilyakwa word meaning “nothing”, NARA reflects the album’s diverse influences and Wurramara’s refusal to be confined to any one genre. The album’s tracks weave together indie, alt-pop, R&B, soul, and more, creating a rich tapestry of sounds that showcase her versatility as an artist.

One standout track, “STFAFM,” written during a return trip to her ancestral home on Milyakburra/Bickerton Island, has already become a fan favorite. Featuring Arringarri, the song is a mental health anthem with a cheeky tone, celebrating the power of healthy boundaries. The track’s music video, filmed at Holmes Jungle Nature Reserve on Larrakia Country, features Wurramara’s family and community members and was directed by ARIA winner Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore.

NARA also marks Wurramara’s debut as a producer, co-producing the album with James Mangohig (Kuya James) and recording at Boat Ramp Studios on Larrakia Country. The album features a close-knit group of musicians, including Ben Edgar on guitar and bass, Rowan Dally on drums, and several backing vocalists.

Wurramara has crafted the 12 songs on NARA over the course of 13 years, drawing from her experiences as a performer, mother, and survivor of a devastating fire. Her music, sung in both English and Anindilyakwa, has earned her widespread acclaim and over 40 million streams. Now, with NARA, Emily Wurramara continues to push boundaries, creating music that is deeply personal, powerful, and resonant.

“It’s not often we get a record that reflects on the most unpalatable parts of life, while simultaneously finding the beauty in it,” says Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s review of NARA. “Wurramara’s struggles with postpartum depression, alcohol and attempts on her own life are weaved through the collection.”

In addition to her music, Wurramara is a passionate advocate for mental health, youth suicide prevention, and environmental issues. She recently co-authored the children’s book Marringa Lullaby with Sylvia Wurramarrba Tkac, further solidifying her unique voice of empowerment and powerful storytelling in the Australian music scene.

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