SYCCO, EMILY WURRAMARA,
NAOMI WENITONG AND
TRIPLE J’S KARLA RANBY &
NOOKY LEAD 100% FIRST
NATIONS YOUTH-LED MUSIC
CONFERENCE BLAKSOUND
First Nations music has never been more front-facing than in 2021 and with the country still reeling from COVID closures, more details have emerged about BLAKSOUND, so-called Australia’s first dedicated Indigenous music event led by youth and broadcasting globally online from Meeanjin.
Presented by Digi Youth Arts and Vyva Entertainment and supported by QMusic and BIGSOUND, the virtual event will take place from September 6-8 with young First Nations musicians Sycco, Jem Cassar-Daley, DOBBY and Loki Liddle co-curating the event, supported and mentored by Alethea Beetson, Lead Artistic Director of Digi Youth Arts.
The team will deliver a series of online workshops and discussions, designed to elevate, celebrate and represent the voices and perspectives of current and future First Nations artists and industry workers.
“BLAKSOUND provides a sovereign platform for conversations that need to be heard by the wider music community. Said Alethea Beetson. “Digi Youth Arts invites the music industry to listen to our community, and then respond or where required step aside so we can continue the work of carrying on our stories through song.”
Emily Wurramara above
Renowned artist and keynote speaker Naomi Wenitong leads the inaugural line up in 2021, and will be joined by fellow speakers Emily Wurramara, rising rapper BARKAA, Bianca Hunt, song writer, hip hop artist and producer DRMNGNOW and radio & podcast personality Rhianna Patrick.
In addition to delivering powerful conversations from some of so-called Australia’s most important, young First Nations voices, BLAKSOUND will also host a series of workshops, aimed at providing first hand, invaluable insights into the music industry at large.
A Spotify Masterclass Presented by Jono Harrison (Artist & Label Partnerships Lead, Spotify Australia & New Zealand) will address navigating the platform as a young First Nations musician and demonstrate how to make the most of Spotify, while triple j’s Karla Ranby and Nooky will host a virtual networking opportunity for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander young people, where they can meet and yarn with the faces of triple j’s Blak Out program.
Ditto Music’s Jinaya Walford will also discuss distribution, DSPs and playlisting, providing a behind the scenes look at how DSP’s work, and offering a how-to for First Nations artists who want to make the most of Ditto to distribute their music.
Barkaa above
“Vyva Entertainment is excited to be collaborating with DYA to present BLAKSOUND. We invite you to learn, listen and grow as we dissect our current ecosystem and take a look into the future of our music industry from the perspectives and experiences of our youth and First Nations industry and communities”. Said Vyvienne Abla, Director – Vyva Entertainment
“BLAKSOUND is an opportunity for First Nations youth to talk back and challenge the music industry at large. It is charged with powerful conversations that will shine a light on the issues we face, and the future we plan to create.” Said co-curator Loki Liddle.
Through thought-provoking panel discussions and hands-on workshops,BLAKSOUND invites the music industry to listen and explore how the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural and arts leaders can be placed at the forefront of industry conversations.
BLAKSOUND is free to register (with payment options available for those who can) and will be held on the Swapcard platform on Monday 6 September, Tuesday 7 September and Wednesday 8 September with panels and keynotes targeting the wider music industry in the mornings and workshops for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in the afternoons.
To register for BLAKSOUND 2021, click here:
Digi Youth Arts and Vyva Entertainment Presents
BLAKSOUND
Monday 6 September – Wednesday 8 September
SPEAKERS:Naomi Wenitong (Keynote)
Barkaa
Bianca Hunt
DRMNGNOW
Emily Wurramara
Rhianna Patrick
WORKSHOPS:
Spotify Masterclass:
Navigating the platform as a young First Nations musician
Presented by Jono Harrison
(Artist & Label Partnerships Lead, Spotify Australia & New Zealand)
triple j Blak Out:
A Music Yarn
Presented by Karla Ranby & Nooky
(triple j)
Ditto:
Distribution, DSPs and Playlisting with Ditto Music – Get Your Music to the World
Presented by Jinaya Walford
(Australian and New Zealand A&R Representative for Ditto Music)
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