The 2024 Australian Women in Music Awards' First Nations Women's Music Program was staged last night in Brisbane.
Emcees for the evening (1 October), the dynamic duo of Dizzy Doolan and Emily Wurramara, brought a touch of deadly humour and pride boosts between each performance, guiding us with wit and a whole lot of sass.The event was held at The Outpost Bar inside The Fortitude Music Hall, and officially opened with a heartfelt Welcome to Country by Aunty Sandra King that extends to a special welcome to elders visiting from the Northern Territory. Aunty Sandra King set the tone for a night that honours the significance of heritage, place, connection, identity and pride. Her words creating a respectful and reflective atmosphere.
First to grace the stage is Layla Havana, whose soulful voice and powerful lyrics captured the audience's attention immediately. Her performance demonstrates her vulnerability and strength, and is setting the bar high for the rest of the night.
A 15 year old, Layla mesmerised the crowd with her acoustic cover of Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu's 'Bapa'. Havana brings her own haunting, expression to the song, showing deep respect for the original while adding her own distinct voice.
Layla Havana - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Her connection to her First Nations roots is evident in the way she purveys a sense of sincerity and emotional weight with authenticity. Havana also performed an original song dedicated to her mother that showcased her songwriting talents. This personal tribute reflects the deep bond she shares with her mother.
It's clear Havana draws inspiration from her life and heritage, creating songs that resonate with authenticity. She is an artist to follow as she continues to cultivate her musical identity.
Next, Sunny Luwe's acoustic set is a masterclass in pop simplicity and lyrical intimacy, especially her opening song 'Letters To The Future'. Luwe's vocals are rich and warm, and perfectly suited to the acoustic format as she is captivating the crowd.
Sunny also shared a song she tells us was written as a gift to her partner, who pushed her to share it with the world. The subtle variations in her guitar work provide a delicate balance between rhythm and melody, making this performance profound.
Armed with just her guitar, this ex-school teacher's soulful voice is transforming the stage into a space filled with raw emotion with her pop banger 'We've Got The Power', as she dials up the vocals and smashes our ears with a song that truly reflects standing up for what you believe; and aligns with what tonight's showcase is all about. Luwe confirms that true artistry shines brightest when it's raw and unadorned.
Doolan and Wurramara then welcome Yirgjhilya Lawrie to the stage. Accompanied by a guitarist, she is quick to mesmerise the crowd with her ethereal voice. Her music has a haunting beauty and her storytelling adds emotional depth to her performance, especially with her song 'Sunrise', about her own story, which resonated deeply with the audience.
Aunty Sandra King - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Doolan incites a chant to bring a true matriarch of the First Nations music scene to perform for us. The crowd joins in chanting "Maggie, Maggie, Maggie". Aunty Maggie Walsh brings wisdom and grace to the stage with her recital of 'Mother Earth'.
Her spokenword performance makes it feel like she is having a heartfelt conversation with us, via storytelling against a background of melodies played by Sue Ray on guitar. There is an undeniable reverence in the room for this elder, and her presence is a powerful reminder of the importance of passing down stories through song, poetry or any other form of creative art.
Sue Ray followed with her deeply evocative country-blues sound, and her rich, raspy voice delivering songs full of heartache, love, and resilience. Ray's storytelling through music is also connecting with the crowd on an emotional level.
Sue Ray jokes about giving us the "Sue Ray variety hour", and she even has other artists join her for a cover of the late Ruby Hunter's 'Down City Street' (made famous by the late Archie Roach, Ruby's life partner) and her own song 'All The Lonely Ones'. We even get encouraged to join in with an a cappella "ooohooooh".
Doolan gives a shout out to Caitlin who is celebrating her birthday tonight and the whole room cheer for her, with some even singing happy birthday. As the end of the event draws closer, SOLCHLD lights up the stage with her electric presence and genre-bending sound beginning with 'A Woman's Worth'.
Sue Ray - image © Clea-marie Thorne
As the mini set kicks along, we see that her fusion of R&B, soul and hip hop is fresh and invigorating. She brings a modern edge to her set and along with her band, Atika, Will and Rena, she has energised the room. If anyone was fading at this point, they are now wide-awake and the young and old are all joining in repeatedly to sing on cue "...and the room is gonna f...ing lose it". I'll put money on the table that SOLCHLD has a bright future in the music industry – as do all the artists performing tonight.
The evening concluded with Wurramara touting the achievements of feature artist Dizzy Doolan and tells us to get our "titties out for Dizzy Doolan". Doolan is back onstage relieved of her emcee duties to perform in front of us and her family, Aunty and brother Jordan with a breathtaking banger.
Kicking off with her song 'Reppin' Queensland', the place is pumping and jumping with the crowd crushing in around the stage. In her new sparkly knee-high boots, Doolan bounds about the stage spitting her rhymes. Doolan then gives opportunity for emerging regional and remote artists she is mentoring – Kashana Wallace and Narita Briscoe – who get to throw out a few bars, both receiving huge applause from the crowd, which I hopes gives them extra encouragement to follow their dreams.
The finale to end all finales comes with all the showcase artists returning onstage to farewell us after they each give a statement about what it all means to them; the sense of unity onstage infects the crowd as these incredible women stand side by side.
Their collective voices intertwine in a harmonious celebration of culture, strength, and sisterhood. The energy is palpable and the audience are all on their feet dancing and cheering undeniably moved by the talent and spirit that has been showcased throughout the night.
Overall, the First Nations Women's Music Program has been a night to remember; a beautiful celebration of diversity in sound, storytelling, and culture. The vibe in the room has reflected the inclusion and intention to uplift each other rather than tear each other down, and that this mob stand strong and proud in the march to equality in music and all aspects of Blak female lives.
I'm in awe of each artist who brought their unique creative style to the stage. Together they have cemented what this mob already knows and their strong Blak matriarchy stands testament to – that musical excellence is thriving among First Nations women and that deserves to be nurtured.
The First Nations Women's Music Program was a deadly celebration of powerful voices, deep-rooted culture, and profound storytelling.
