J-MILLA RETURNS WITH NEW SINGLE ‘ON MY SOUL’
BREAKTHROUGH HIP HOP FIREBRAND SET TO APPEAR AT BIGSOUND 2023 AND FIELD DAY 2024
Easily one of Australian hip hop’s most dynamic new names, J-MILLA has harnessed the momentum generated off the back of a busy two years and has poured it into his strongest material to date with the release of new track, ‘On My Soul’.
Released in the lead up to his anticipated appearance at BIGSOUND this year, ‘On My Soul’ is a moment of elevation and evolution from the young musician and lyricist.
Its release also adds another layer of accomplishment to what an incredible year for J-MILLA has been; one that has included industry acclaim and a historic performance on Wadeye during Reconciliation Week 2023, the first of its kind to be live streamed via TikTok.
A huge achievement by J-MILLA, the dedicated TikTok live stream event, produced in conjunction with iHeart Radio, was the first digitally live streamed concert out of a remote Indigenous community, attracting over 689k users engaging with the event throughout its duration.
Recording ‘On My Soul’ in Adelaide, J-MILLA linked up with composer and musician Nick Wales (Sarah Blasko, NGAIIRE, Sydney Dance Company) to deliver the string arrangement we hear on the track, performed by Wales and talented violinist Veronique Serret (Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Bangarra, AIR Award winner for best independent classical album). With final mixing and mastering completed by Prospeks, ‘On My Soul’ demonstrates J-MILLA’s continued shows of versatility as an artist and wordsmith.
Following on from the single ‘NICEST’ earlier in 2023, ‘On My Soul’ feels like a confident step forward for the artist, originally hailing from Darwin. A proper taste of things still to come.
“I’m really pleased with it, it shows my deeper side, my lyrical side – adds depth to my range, so while I still love the club bangas, I always will have room in my set for the more dramatic moments and this is one of them.”
“It tells a snippet of the story of my life, from where I started to where I am now and how my values have changed and evolved. It speaks of the importance of being authentic and having integrity because everything you do imprints your soul and you wear that stuff, that energy, so I want my energy to shine with good vibes.”
J-MILLA
Single Artwork: Poppy Radbone
Since his breakout with the powerful track ‘Unlock The System’, J-MILLA’s profile has risen considerably on the radars of tastemakers and fans around the country.
A consistent string of strong tracks in the years that followed showed J-MILLA’s prowess. These included the absolute vibe in ‘FRESH’ and ‘60K+’ in 2020, and in 2022 ‘Ball and Chain’, a collaboration with Xavier Rudd that earned J-MILLA a National Indigenous Music Award nomination.
As a live performer, J-MILLA’s chops have sharpened courtesy of a series of well-received performances on lucrative stages including the Adelaide Festival, Darwin Festival and Groovin The Moo. He also shone on stages shared with the likes of Ziggy Ramo and JK-47, as well as attracting the attention of BIGSOUND, landing on their BIGSOUND50 list in 2020. Now set to return to BIGSOUND in 2023, J-MILLA is ready to showcase his new show and creative vision moving forward.
“I was handpicked for the Bigsound50 back in 2020 so to finally arrive and showcase is mad. It’s now 2023 and during the three years since I’ve been working my show out on remote Aboriginal communities around the country and am pumped to perform for the industry and show them what I’m about.
I can’t wait to connect with the people on-the-ground at BIGSOUND and bring our energies to a new level.”
J-MILLA
TOUR DATES
Wednesday 6th September BIGSOUND Brightside Outdoors Brisbane, QLD
Thursday 7th September BIGSOUND Wonderland Brisbane, QLD
Saturday 4th November Yidiyi Day Wadeye, NT
Saturday 18th November Giiyong Festival Eden, NSW
Saturday 11th November CLANCESTRY, Mob Music Stage QPAC – Brisbane
Mon January 1st FIELD DAY Sydney, NSW
PRAISE FOR J-MILLA
“the piano melody and gentle vocals might soften the production, but J-MILLA’s uncompromising bars are as honest and gritty as ever.”
TRIPLE J, Abby Butler
“J-MILLA is the living example proving actions speak louder than words.”
TRIPLE J UNEARTHED
“It feels like J-MILLA’s star is just beginning to rise”
TONEDEAF
“J-MILLA’s ascendant trajectory in the vibrant Australian hip-hop scene has been nothing short of meteoric, invoking an ardent devotion from fans who recognize his exceptional talent and unwavering dedication to his craft. With an unmatched prowess, he has captivated audiences far and wide, establishing himself as a rising luminary whose influence knows no bounds.”
HAPPY MAGAZINE
‘ON MY SOUL’ is out now!
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