Highlights
- Successful Filipino-Aussie music producer who is proud of Filipino roots helps other artists to shine
- Although proud of being Filipino, there was a time where he felt like an outsider because of his skin colour
- Mr Mangohig made it his mission to help budding artists grow
Darwin based music producer James Mangohig also known as Kuya James is an inspiration that with determination and faith, one can reach for his dreams.
“At the age of 18, I remember watching a fellow Filipino DJ in Adelaide and I remember the impact seeing another Filipino on stage rocking a crowd of like 6,000 people. It was a belief for me that I deserve a place in the [music] scene and we deserve a place in the scene.”
Mr Mangohig is an ARIA nominated producer from Darwin who started as a bass player for a band and went on to become a music producer.
He has worked with several artists in Australia’s mainstream media like Daniel Johns of Silverchair and Jessica Mauboy.
In 2018, Mr Mangohig was awarded the Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship and also produced his own stage play in 2019.
He is now an in-house full-time music producer at Skinnyfish music, an indigenous music label in Darwin and he recently released two new songs ‘Sabaw’ featuring Serina Pech and ‘Trust’ featuring Emily Wurramara.
James Mangohig also known as 'Kuya James' Source: James Mangohig
How it feels to be Filipino in Australia’s mainstream media
Born of a Filipino father and Dutch mum, he shares he pretty much grew up in a Filipino household.
“Our house felt like a Filipino household even just the way we ate Filipino food.”
But although he was proud of being Filipino, there was a time where he felt like an outsider in Australia because of his skin colour.
“One of my struggles is trying to translate parts of my culture. It was a lot about trying to find an identity within myself that walked within two worlds.”
He reveals he had to fight through finding his own identity.
“Any person of colour in this country have experienced elements of racism and those feelings like they’re not taken seriously sometimes. People assume things about me before they even heard the music I can make or even heard me talk.”
How he made it
Mr Mangohig shares that having a supportive family and engaging with people who supported him paved the way for his success.
“I’ll say the best way to overcome [your struggles] is to build a community with people who are like-minded where you support one another. Im so lucky that in my career, I met people that supported me as an artist and have been proud that I’m Filipino.”
And while the world of music is not easy to navigate, he believed in his gifts and what he can offer.
“I really stuck to to my guns. There are times where I feel like giving up but I recognised that I have a different story to tell.”
Source: James with fellow artists in Darwin, Northern Territory
On helping multicultural artists to shine
Mr Mangohig believes that Filipinos are talented and in order for new artists to shine, someone must help them rise.
“Our culture is so naturally gifted in performance, entertainment singing and dancing. Hopefully I’m one of those people who can make way for others."
Mr Mangohig adds that he has made it his mission to help budding artists grow.
“Young Filipino artists can reach out to me anytime and I think that’s part of what being kuya James is. I’m collaborating with people, not only artists who have a passion for watching the scene grow.”
Mr Mangohig is also working alongside new artists, singers, rappers, and dancers in Darwin to fulfill his mission of promoting their community through arts.
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