Just in time for NAIDOC Week 2024, some of the best Indigenous Australian artists in the game released songs that really kept to this year’s theme of “Keep the fire burning! Blak, Loud and Proud.”
What was also notable about many of the drops was that collaboration was key to the songs.
First Nations collective 3% combined with global superstar Jessica Mauboy on “Won’t Stop”, which came with a music video filmed at Bomaderry Children’s Home, a significant site for the Stolen Generations. But according to Nooky, one third of the trio, “Won’t Stop” was an anthem of positivity.
“It’s about not stopping and continuing on. I wanted to look into the heart and history that we carry as Blakfellas and acknowledge that there is a lot of pain and trauma that is embedded within our people. But we also wanted to show the strength, perseverance, and resilience that lives in the spirit that we all carry,” he said.
There was also Emily Wurramara and Tasman Keith’s stunning duet “Lordy Lordy” – our Record of the Week – which was also accompanied by a striking music video, showcasing the two artists surrounded by Indigenous dancers in the outback as the pair embraced the local land.
J-MILLA collaborated with Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir (CAAWC) for his new single “Boomerang”, calling the choir a “national treasure.”
“I always wanted some sort of cultural interest as an intro to the song. I was inspired by a movie called High Grounds, when I was seeking cultural elements for my music. As I was sourcing it I came across the CAAWC and knew straight away I needed something from them,” the rapper said.
At the end of May, Ziggy Ramo released another powerful statement with “Shame”, the Wiki and Solomon Islander contending with his troubled relationship with Australia in order to represent the constant dehumanisation his people are forced to endure in their home country. The song, which will feature on Ramos new album, Human?, which comes out this Friday, July 12th, was enhanced by the beautifully dovetailing vocals of Sydney singer-songwriter Vonn,
Big collabs are nothing new for Indigenous artists though.
In 2023, club bangers like ECB’s joint effort with Nerve, “Get the Money Up”, was huge, as was J-MILLA and Xavier Rudd‘s commentary on Australian history and culture, “Ball and Chain”.
That year also saw The Kid Laroi finally release his highly anticipated debut album, The First Time, following years of widely covered global success with multiple collaborations with artists such as Juice WRLD, Miley Cyrus, Lil Tecca, and Post Malone.
His debut album was just as collar-heavy, featuring guest spots from Central Lee, Future, d4vd, and many more big names.
More locally, YNG Martyr has dominated the viral hip hop space and grown a huge fanbase, linking up with the likes of Allday, Logan M, BOY $COUT GATSBY, and Riff Raff on the way.
With collaboration being at the heart of so much great Indigenous Australian music, it feels fitting that the 2024 NIMAs (National Indigenous Music Awards), which will take place in Darwin on August 10th, will feature a huge group of artists such as Mauboy, Wurramara, and Dan Sultan uniting for a special collaborative performance to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the awards.
Make sure you catch the ceremony on August 10th when it will be broadcast on National Indigenous Television (NITV), while tickets to the ceremony are also available here.
