Jungaji Shows His Scars With New Album 'Betting On Blak'

After surviving heartache and open heart surgery, Gugu-Yalanji and Birri Gubba songman Jungaji underwent a profound spiritual and artistic transformation to create his new album, 'Betting On Blak'.

'Betting On Blak' serves as testament to Jungaji's 30-year music journey as well as his perseverance through adversity, enduring severe health complications and family tragedy.

"The title song was written within the realm of the hospital and what I went through," Jungaji explains. "I thought that I was infallible, I thought that I was bulletproof when I walked in there, but I was certainly humbled.

"When I walked out, I had a sense of perspective. Every time I look at my chest, even now, I see those scars and those are tattoos of my healing but also where I've been.

"So, I'm reminded every time that no, you must always bet on yourself because no one else is going to be betting on you in terms of leaving those legacies for my sons, for my grandsons.



"Those grandsons lost their father; I lost my other boy to suicide four years ago the year after I was discharged from hospital. It's about how you respond to those hits.

"When you're severely hit spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and making sure you have the right tools to combat that. So rather than me picking up the beer, no, I put down the beer and picked up the spear."

With 'Betting On Blak', Jungaji continues his work in preserving ancient tradition, knowledge and culture for future generations. In 1990, Jungaji met a 104-year-old Gugu-Yalanji bushman who helped him connect spiritually to the language and lore of his people.

"When I met him, I admired people like Shaq and Michael Jordan," Jungaji says. "[I was] very Americanised as a 14 year old, but when I met this old fella, I had a sense of what Dreamtime is to me brought up within urban environments. I was like: 'Man, what language is this old fella talking about?'

"That's our language. It hasn't been diluted; it was passed down to my uncle, passed down straight to me and it's a beautiful responsibility. It can be heavy at times, but it's about conveying that in the right manner in terms of protocols."



Family and future lie at the core of 'Betting On Blak' with songs like latest single 'Kalkurr' featuring Jungaji's son Dean Brady, 'Ol' Rooster' written about his father and 'Gummy Bamarra', which translates to 'grandson's story' and also earned Jungaji a 2025 Queensland Music Award.

"We only have a short [time] at the dance," Jungaji says. "Life is short and it's about what legacies and things we are leaving for those that are coming after us, and for me it's about building capacity but also a repository of information, particularly with the traditional stuff, for the kids and kids yet to be born.

"It's about leaving those old songlines and stories that haven't been sanitised, they've been passed direct down to me, which is something that I'm proud of and I feel a sense of responsibility; 100 or 200 years down the track, who knows? At least they've got something."

Jungaji releases 'Betting On Blak' on 13 June.

Jungaji 2025 Tour Dates

Fri 13 Jun - Brisbane Powerhouse
Sat 14 Jun - The Presynct (Sunshine Coast)
Sun 15 Jun - Mo's Desert Clubhouse (Gold Coast)