ABOVE VIDEO: Thelma Plum has learnt she's more powerful than the trolls
Thelma Plum
Thelma has consistently released stunning folk/pop music since 2012, so it’s hard to believe that she’s only just dropping her debut full length album ‘Better In Blak’ in 2019. As she shared with The Feed’s Laura Murphy Oates, she’s had her fair share of hate over her Indigenous heritage but has taken her anger and channelled it into an album that is a fierce statement about her identity.
Kardajala Kirridarra
This group of four women from the Marlinja communities of the Northern Territory blew audiences away with their 2017 debut self-titled release - sung in English and their traditional language of Mudburra. Their song ‘Warmala (Young Girls Song)’ and its accompanying music video is one of the most beautiful things to come out of Australian music in quite some time.
Mojo Juju
Filipino and Wiradjuru artist Mojo Juju made massive waves last year with her evocative music film clip for single ‘Native Tongue’. The following album of the same name had a huge impact on the Aus music scene with the singer combining her unique RnB style with impactful lyricism. It was such a hit that it garnered Mojo three ARIA nominations for Breakthrough Artist, Best Urban Release and Best Video.
Birdz
NT native rapper Birdz is unabashedly vocal about the struggles and successes of First Nation people in Australia. This caught the eye of fellow Indigenous rapper Briggs who signed Birdz to his Bad Apples label. In 2019 he released a fiery EP through Bad Apples called ‘Place Of Dreams’. The first single ‘Black Child’ - a triumph of hip-hop and RnB - features Mojo Juju on vocals and highlights Indigenous artists Kaiit, Alice Skye and more in it’s music video.
Baker Boy
Danzel Baker, aka Baker Boy, has been dominating the Aus music scene with his personal brand of infectiously happy hip-hop. His music, rapped in both English and his native tongue of Yolŋu Matha, have become so insanely popular that it’s landed him a prime spot on the 2018 Splendour In The Grass line-up as well as a support slot on 50 Cent’s 2018 Australian tour.
Tia Gostelow
This North Queensland artist is barely out of her teens and has already achieved more than most artists do in their entire career. Tia took out Triple J’s Unearthed High Indigenous Initiative in 2016 and since then has been going from strength to strength, culminating in her breakout 2018 debut album ‘Thick Skin’.
