The Boy Of Many Colors That Came In The Falling Rain has to be one of the coolest names of all time.
The literal translation of Coedie Ochre Warrah McCarthy, The Boy Of Many Colors is indeed a creative in the full spectrum of not only colour, but life as a whole.Rapper, producer, dancer, visual designer, editor and founding member, vocalist and didgeridoo player with Indigenoise are just some of the shades with which The Boy paints himself; always humble, always learning, and always leading the way for those to come.
"I grew up on Bundjalung country, in the hills behind Byron Bay," he says. "I lived here most of my upbringing and always travelled, but found myself bouncing back.
"It's such a beautiful home and meeting place culturally, it's always been a place to be growing and learning from all the energy seers. I'm a classic Byron High boy, then been around the world and now up near Mullumbimby.
"There's a lot of creative energy here. If you look at the history and the dreaming of the lore of this place, there's actually some big reasons for that. So naturally I give credit where it's due to the country. I started music at Shearwater Steiner School in Mullam.
"A group of friends had a group. Artistic, we called ourselves. Connor Jones, Luke, Oscar, Jackpack Shaw, there was a bunch of young guys around rapping, and I was the kick along.
"Suddenly I wrote a verse, and they all turned around and went 'whoa, that was sick, do it again'. So I found myself on that wave, and then followed my good friend CJ into production and fell in love with that really young."
After over a decade working in music production and successful music groups, The Boy Of Many Colors set out on his individual journey two years ago, and has released his debut self-titled album to the world.
"It's big, 15 tracks. It's been a journey. I have always been The Boy Of Many Colors in that way, born with the name and without even thinking, I find myself wanting to create in so many different formats and forms.
"When it came to this album, it naturally came out and when it came to narrowing [the songs] down, I felt like I shouldn't leave any of those flavours out."
The album sports multiple collaborations including Kira Divine, Emily Wurramara, and Coopsi, while fellow local Ash Grunwald lent his talents to 'Shaken'. "Ash has been a connection I've had since back then.
"So I was doing music, and we lived next door to him. He was the neighbour who played epic blues guitar, already on the road and yada yada, and I was the kid who didn't understand the world and music.
"Then two and a half years ago, we were out in the surf together. There were beautiful dolphins and rainbows and epic scenery, and he popped up, and we said we should actually do something, So we did, and we co-wrote the chorus together. He sent it back, it sounded epic and away it went."
The Boy enjoyed a fateful meeting with upcoming artist Coopsi, so much that he felt he had to recruit the young rapper for a song. "The most unexpected collaboration was Coopsi.
"I went into a session with him through One Vision. I was mentoring, teaching and recording him, heard the talent and just went, 'I'm gonna have to make a track with you'. He has such wisdom in his lyrics already. It reminds me looking back on how we were young, looking up at the others. It was a good point of helping a young fella."
However, the most special collaboration of the album is that with real life partner and mother of his two children Roslyn Barnett on 'Bravado'.
"Super special. I'm glad I finished that with her, because it's been two years, but it feels like many years, since we performed together. She was in the original Indigenoise, so we went from being onstage and writing together, and then we had the lockdown situation that really squashed art and live music.
"We ended up going into hibernation, and that's where this album has come from. We all went into solo dens and into solo creation mode, which is beautiful as well. We also had two babies in that time. It was super special getting her back in on my solo stuff, and there'll be much more to come."
The Boy reflects on track 'Creators Interlude', a touching delve into philosophy that adds yet another streak to The Boy's palette, and shows a life widely and well-lived.
"I'm still learning. I'm still learning to be patient and humble in what you receive from life every day. To look somewhere else for the blessing or the lessons. I've done music for many years, but I often forget that this project Boy of Many Colours is so young. It's nice to remember it's only been a couple of years doing this new set and it's already got such a good response and good energy."
The Boy has adorned his own body with art, sharing the meaning and significance behind his ink. "I have four tats. I got my first one on my hand, a cassowary foot, then I got the back piece, which was extremely painful.
"Then I've got a Xanthorrhoea, one of the blackboy trees, on my arm with a fire at the bottom, dedicated to my boy Maba. That's his name, fire. The latest one is another cassowary foot and a shield from the rainforest. It's a collaboration artwork between me and my cousin Nigara and symbolises protection."
Well at home in the Northern Rivers, The Boy still absorbs all that travel has to offer, sweetened now by the addition of his children. "We just took the kids international. It was really special seeing them experience travel for the first time. It's magic to see them in wonder of the world. It's one of the best inspirations.
"You can talk about buying land and things, which is on the list as well, but I think it's so important to see the world and the different people and all of the different ways of life."
A true artisan in all the colours of life, The Boy of Many Colours has much to teach well beyond his years, and is ensuring his place as a significant mainstay of the Australian music scene.
