King Stingray have have officially parted ways with founding vocalist Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu.
The news dropped via Instagram on Wednesday night (March 19th), just as they gear up for their ‘For the Dreams’ Australian tour, which kicks off tomorrow, March 21st.
Yunupiŋu, the nephew of Yothu Yindi legend Dr M. Yunupiŋu, formed King Stingray in 2020 with guitarist Roy Kellaway, the son of Stuart Kellaway, another founding member of Yothu Yindi.
The pair grew up together in the Yirrkala community in Yolŋu country, continuing the legacy of their musical ancestors.
Alongside Yunupiŋu and Kellaway, the band’s original lineup included Dimathaya Burarrwanga (guitar/didgeridoo) and Campbell Messer (bass), with drummer Lewis Stiles joining in 2021.
Taking over as frontman is Ngalakan Wanambi, who has been touring with King Stingray over the past few months, including on their recent US run. Now, he’s officially stepping in as the band’s new lead vocalist.
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“To keep the fire burning, we’re stoked to introduce the deadly Ngalakan Wanambi stepping up on vocals,” the band shared.
“He absolutely smashed it with us on our recent US tour, and as always, our main man Dima Burarrwanga will be bringing the energy like he always does. This For The Dreams tour is gonna be something really special—same King Stingray spirit, same unstoppable Yolŋu rock, and a whole lotta love.”
Kellaway told Rolling Stone AU/NZ last year the band was all about family, legacy, and culture. “Bands like Yothu Yindiand Diamond Dogs really paved the way, for us” Kellaway acknowledges. “We look up to them, we respect them, and we know that music brings people together, and the power that it can have. We’ve always known this was bigger than ourselves. It’s about making people proud and keeping the legacy alive.”
The ‘For the Dreams’ tour kicks off Thursday night in Eora/Sydney, before heading to Meanjin/Brisbane, Tarndanya/Adelaide, Naarm/Melbourne, and Boorloo/Perth.
