Preview above: Baker Boy tells Insight what it was like when he visited his home. Deadly Future, Tuesday, July 9th at 8:30pm On SBS and SBS On Demand.
Watching Danzal perform at major music festivals across the country or accept the Young Australian of the Year award, you might assume confidence comes easily to the 22-year-old.
But leaving his remote community of Yurrwi, in north-east Arnhem Land, to pursue a high school education in Townsville was daunting.
“I was a little bit scared. I was worried, I felt homesick for the first week,” he says.
An academic high-achiever, Danzal graduated school at 16 years old and went on to study performing arts in Brisbane, where homesickness overcame him again.
“For the first few days, I didn't go to the actual school,” he says, “I stayed home because I was freaked out.”
“I kept like lying in bed crying and calling my family and saying, ‘I don't want to stay here.’”
Whenever Danzal experienced a setback, he would reach out to family and community for support – something he continues to do today.
“Even though I'm in Melbourne I still call family and they will say, ‘No, it's good what you're doing. We support you 100 per cent. Don't stop because all the kids are like looking up to you.’”
“It's challenging and stuff but you know, you've got to keep pushing and you've got to break down barriers to get to where you want to get to,” he says.
The unique combination of deeply rooted culture and 1980s hip-hop shaped Danzal’s childhood, and from there, his music.
Danzal grew up in Yurrwi, a remote community in north-east Arnhem Land, where 95 per cent of the 1,200 residents are First Nations Australians.
“It's small so everyone knows where everyone lives…It's beautiful, tropical, it's a bit quiet, and then [there are] big festivals,” says Danzal.
He often refers to his dad and uncle as the “original” Baker Boys, who were notorious performers back home.
“I'd seen like a lot of footage of dad and uncle kind of like dancing,” he explains.
“[And] growing up, learning traditional stuff…We call it bungul - it's a traditional dance…So it feels natural to be on stage where a lot of people are watching.”
Danzal describes himself as “loud and proud” as a young boy, but felt his confidence slip around Year 10.
“When someone asked me to come dance, I was like, ‘No, I'm too cool, I'm going to kick it back over here. I'm just going to chill, too shame[ful]...I don't want to do that.’”
Then an inspirational talk from the North Queensland Cowboys league club reminded Danzal to take pride in his culture and believe in himself.
“[They said] if you want to become what you want to become, you just keep moving forward and just keep working hard,” shares Danzal, “Have no shame, just be confident, be comfortable in your own skin.”
And it’s that same message Danzal hopes to pass on to the next generation.
“I get to like speak to all my little nieces and nephews and my little cousins…[and] explain to them, don't be shame. Be proud of yourself,” he says.
“I want to make [young kids in remote areas] feel like they can take that next step out of the community and chase their dreams and goals.”
