Around for just over a year, Tjaka are a hip hop, electronic, reggae fusion act from Brisbane who have just released their debut single, 'Fiya'.
Comprised of brothers Geoff and Jake Fabila (who are proud descendants of the Djabera Djabera tribe in the Western Australian Kimberley) and their family friend Felix Fogarty, the trio craft contemporary sounds that they blend with Geoff and Jake's ancestral Aboriginal culture.Produced and recorded by Magoo (Regurgitator, Midnight Oil, Powderfinger) and mastered by Lee Groves (Black Eye Peas, Goldfrapp), 'Fiya' was one of the first songs the group wrote, its theme of fire being hard to douse once lit acting as the perfect kindling for the heat Tjaka plan to bring with their live show and future releases.
"You only get to release your first single once, so this is quite special for us so thanks to all the legends for your support up until this point, we love you all," Tjaka says.
Who is Tjaka... Our name is Tjaka, and we fuse indigenous sounds with upbeat, exciting genres of music such as hip hop, reggae, funk and electronic music.
We are a trio, made up of two brothers, Geoff and Jake Fabila, and a family friend Felix Fogarty. Myself (Geoff) and Jake are proud descendants of the Djabera Djabera tribe in the WA Kimberley (three hours north of Broome) and use music as an outlet to connect to our indigenous roots.
We have just released our first single 'Fiya', which was a big and special milestone for us as music creators. We have a range of different and unique instruments such as the didjeribone (slide didgeridoo); a facebass (wireless sensory microphone played with the didjeribone); and an Ableton Push 2 (instrument pad).
By adding fiery vocals and blistering electric guitar, and through refinement of a sound and style of performance, we bring something truly unique to Australian music.
We sound like... Tjupurru (father), Charlie McMahon, Oka.
Our first gig was... A livestream on 4ZZZ's 'Right Here, Right Now'. Our first live gig was a headline performance at Warehouse 25 in Milton, Brisbane.
When did you settle on the group's name, and was it a unanimous decision... Tjaka is the shortened version of Tjakamarra, which is the skin name given to myself and Jake from the WA Kimberly kin naming system.
Due to our music having strong connection to our Indigenous ancestry, this name represents our proud identity and what we aim to channel through our music.
In the studio we usually... Aim to have fun with what we create. This could involve jamming and creating instrumentals, or focusing on lyrics to tell a story.
If we could tour with anyone... The Cat Empire and Katchafire would be insane as they are idols of ours. We are also huge fans of bands like King Stingray and would love to tour with them.
Social media is... A tool to connect us and a tool to disconnect us – use it in moderation people.
My favourite app at the moment is... We love Spotify for Artists right now – we get to see how many people are listening to our new song.
To date, our most embarrassing moment was the time... We got invited to play at a really cool party not long ago and took a tent to crash in. Three in the band, but only two single airbeds were brought. Unfortunately for Jake, he is the youngest so he had to sleep in his (really hot) car for the night.
Life on the road can be... We hope to find out the answer to this question. When everything seems like it is going back to normal, I think we will enjoy being on the road.
If you'll have us on your bill, all we I ask is that our rider contains... A few plus ones so we can bring some friends and family along to enjoy the experience with us.
The most scary scenario we've found ourselves in, was... Fortunately we haven't had too many experiences together that have been that scary.
In saying that, we once squished into a far too-small elevator together with all of our gear to go to a gig. The lift ended up stopping due to the weight (Felix had a big dinner that night), and we didn't know if we were going to be stuck for hours or days. Luckily it was only five minutes and we made it to our gig in time.
What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band... Bruce Buffer, the UFC announcer. The hype before we got on stage would be deadly.
If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose and why? Somewhere in Europe would be really cool – solely for the reason for the opportunities to play some very cool festivals and shows.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? I would say we would make you tacos, because they're kinda easy and because they are delicious.
When it comes to pets are you a lover or hater of our furry friends? We love all furry friends. Felix has a very cute cat named Baba, which is short for Babaganush. The Fabila household has two dogs, Raffi and Zee who are our biggest fans (when food is around).
No matter the expense, send me a case of... Really great music equipment so we can have a jam. Oh and also send us a case of beer, we like beer too.
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... Geoff: A few weeks ago when I got a tour of a new gym I signed up to; haven't been back since. Jake: Last week! Felix: What's a gym?
What's the one chore you dislike the most? Changing bed sheets is easily the most tedious and annoying job.
Do you have any phobias... Geoff: Aside from the normal spider or rat dislikes, I have a weird thing where I cannot drive with anything in my pockets. I don't know where it comes from, but they have to be empty.
Would you ever partake in a reality show? Possibly 'Survivor' or 'Amazing Race'.
If you could prank any of your friends, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down? We play a lot of pranks in our family. Usually catch-ups turn into roasts and many laughs.
Best local takeaway joint for a midnight feed that will leave you with a food coma? The kebab shop at West End in Brisbane is the BEST in Brisbane. I drove from the northside of Brisbane for a HSP because I know that no one does it better.
Last show you binge-watched (and what kept you glued to the screen)? I am currently watching 'Man In The Arena' and 'Hawkeye'. They are so good.
Tjaka launch 'Fiya' at Banyo Rugby League Club (Brisbane) 11 December.
