Following lauded performances at The Gum Ball, Badayijeng Ninggoowoong-Woorr Festival (alongside JK-47), BlakYard Picnic & her second sold-out headline show for 2024, ARIA-nominated lutruwita/Tasmania-based artist, author and proud Warnindhilyagwa woman hailing from Groote Eylandt & Milyakburra/Bickerton Island EMILY WURRAMARA (she/her) today announces her long-awaited second studio album NARA out 23 Aug via ABC Music plusnew single + video ‘Lordy Lordy’ ft Tasman Keith. Titled for the Anindilyakwa word meaning “nothing”, NARA beckons its listeners through mystical portals on a varicoloured journey through the years since Wurramara‘s debut album Milyakburra (2018), tracing intense highs and lows – from winning accolades and taking her music across the world, losing her house in a fire, giving birth to her daughter and struggling with her mental health – to her ultimate arrival at peace in the knowledge that “It was when I had nothing, I realised I had everything”. Expanding into weird and wonderful spaces sonically & visually without losing the organic timelessness of Wurramara‘s songwriting and steeped in love for community, NARA is fittingly announced alongside her most pop/dance-forward offering yet; “protest club song” ‘Lordy Lordy‘ ft. Tasman Keith. ‘Magic Woman Dancing‘, ‘Midnight Blues‘ & ‘Lordy Lordy’ will all appear on NARA – pre-order digitally & on vinyl HERE. ‘Lordy Lordy’ ft. Tasman Keith is out now – stream HERE & watch the video HERE.

The announcement arrives ahead of live dates at the NIMAs 2024 – returning as a performer after her 2018 win for New Talent of the Year – Bondi Festival’s Proud, Proud Woman: A Ruby Hunter Tribute & Live @ The Gardens supporting Xavier Rudd – all details below.

A fresh twist incorporating more pop & electronic elements than ever before into Emily Wurramara‘s sound – hinted at via her highly-praised feature ‘So High‘ on PNAU‘s Hyperbolic album alongside names like Troye Sivan, Ladyhawke, Khalid and Bebe Rexha – ‘Lordy Lordy‘ ft. Tasman Keith sets the scene for what’s to come. A powerful call to action inspired by slow-building dance pop hits, the track is imbued with grit, dust and depth, escalating into urgent chanting as the beat flips into gorgeous treated vocals from Gumbaynggirr man and artist Tasman Keith. A reflection on truth-telling (Wurramara‘s signature), social division, and her deep frustration with “how much more racism is showing, now more than ever”, especially in the wake of the 2023 Referendum, ‘Lordy Lordy‘ challenges listeners to question who is being platformed & highlights the importance of respecting & listening to the voices of First Nations people. Marking Wurramara‘s first time collaborating with a hip-hop artist on her own music, ‘Lordy Lordy‘ feels as ripe for the acoustic guitar around a campfire as it does the dancefloor, with the soul-baring reflection of ‘Magic Woman Dancing‘ and the raw vulnerability of ‘Midnight Blues‘ woven throughout as she laments:

“Lordy, Lordy / What have we done?”

Filmed across locations on Larrakia Country and directed by ARIA Award winner Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore, the earthy, gothic-inspired video for ‘Lordy Lordy‘ features the Red Flag Dancers, Tasman Keith, a horse wrangler as well as a stacked cast from Wurramara‘s community (including her mother Angela Wurramara, present in all this era’s visuals), highlighting the magnificent, ancient power of country to drive the song’s message home. Emily explains: “‘Lordy Lordy’ is about the hard work that you have to do when things go to shit. We’re the next generation, so how can we honour those who’ve come before us, but also open up new pathways for those who are going to come after us? That’s what its all about – community. The future. It has always been a dream of mine to film something with the Red Flag Dancers in NT – it just makes sense, it’s the place I was born, my family live there, I recorded the album there – it all feels like a full circle thing. My favourite thing about this film clip was seeing all the dancers coming on set: my mum, Red Flag, Uncle Jayden Drahmand my cousins. I just didn’t realise how much it would impact me seeing these different entities and spirits from all across this country, and they each gave 10000%.”

With NARA, which includes features from Wurramarra‘s teen idol Lisa Mitchell, Tasman Keith, Zeppelin Hamilton (Velvet Trip) and her little brother Arringarri in his debut, Emily Wurramara breaks free from all expectations, blending indie, alt-pop, RnB, folk, soul, roots/blues, rock, electronic and ambient influences in a refusal to be put in a box as she shares her epic journey of dizzying highs and devastating lows, rich in introspection, DGAF honesty, and a commitment to growth through the good and the bad – “you need both to truly understand peace” she asserts. Co-produced by Wurramara and Kuya James aka James Mangohig (A.B. Original, Daniel Johns) and recorded at Boat Ramp Studioson Larrakia Country, Garramilla/Darwin – where Emily Wurramara spent much of her childhood and holds close to her heart – NARA and marks her first foray as a producer. Also playing synths for the first time, for the band Wurramara conjured her nearest and dearest – who were there for her through it all – to capture the album’s celestial potency: Mangohig on bass & synths, Ben Edgar(Gotye, Gurrumul, Angus & Julia Stone) on guitar & bass (and mixing duties in a first for the acclaimed musician), Rowan Dally (Kuya James, DRAFTDAY) on drums, plus Caiti Baker, Serina Pech, John Coulehan, Juran Timu, Zelda Pomery, Mangohig and more on backing vocals. Written over the course of 13 years – from high school, to her public profile flourishing following the release of her Black Smoke EP (2016) & Milyakburra (2018) – as Wurramara took her music to perform at the Australian High Commission in Papua New Guinea & to stages with the likes of Uncle Archie Roach and Missy Higgins, received an ARIA nomination for Best Blues & Roots Album with multiple wins at the Queensland Music Awards & the AIR Awards, became a mother, struggled with thoughts of leaving this world, and lost her house in a devastating fire in 2019 (organising & performing at a fundraising festival for her building’s other residents) before making a life-changing move from Meanjin/Brisbane to lutruwita/Tasmania – the 12 songs on NARA are the testament of a soul now finally at peace, making the music she wants to make, anchored by a deep love, respect and appreciation for community, family and country – always with a sense of humour and purpose: “I’m not here to fuck spiders,” she says.

A first-time author, having co-written children’s book Marringa Lullaby – based on her song of the same name –  with Sylvia Wurramarrba Tkac for HarperCollins – Emily Wurramara continues to be a force of empowerment, with a preternatural ability to bring people together in the most open and vulnerable way. Furthering this sense of connection, she has dedicated herself to championing vital causes like mental health, youth suicide prevention and environmental issues. Her work in these spaces echoes the emotional nuance and depth of compassion that resonate so strongly in her songcraft, and includes her announcement as a second-time mentor via The Mushroom Group x Coles First Nations Pathways Program as well as roles as an ambassador for First Nations Foundation and Kennell & Co. Her music – from her Black Smoke EP, Milyakburra, to the Ayarra Emeba (Calm Songs) EP (2022) – is a masterful showcase of her breath-taking talents as a songwriter, storyteller and performer who is known for her ability to evoke feeling through intimacy and appreciation of life’s subtleties, written and sung in both English and Anindilyakwa language. The impact of her art is evident, with her catalogue amassing over 40 million streams, garnering widespread industry support, soundtracking art gallery installations and fashion runways alike. Wurramara has collaborated with PNAU, Reuben James (Tory Kelly, Sam Smith), Grammy Award-winning producer Q million, Emma Donovan, Kee’ahn, Fred Leone, DRMNGNOW, Bumpy and more on heartfelt tribute ‘Forever 15‘, JK-47, Kutcha Edwards, The Wiggles (on ARIA-winning Re:Wiggled! as well as Emma! 2), Tibetan musician & activist Tenzin Choegyal, Mereani Masani (PNG) and many more, appearing on Bad//Dreems’ triple j Like A Version alongside Peter Garrett (Midnight Oil) and members of Mambali (which placed in the station’s Hottest 100).

Wurramara has built a striking, refined live reputation via sold-out headline shows, appearances at prestige venues like the Sydney Opera House, countless events nationally including A Festival Called Panama, Groovin The Moo, RISING, Bluesfest, Port Fairy Folk Festival, Sydney Festival, YABUN Festival and many more including the Protect Our Oceans benefit series. She’s also performed at TEDx and with the Queensland Orchestra, supported the likes of Baker Boy, Missy Higgins, Mavis Staples, Rob Thomas, Uncle Archie Roach, The Cat Empire, ICEHOUSE, Jack Johnson, Midnight Oil, and John Farnham, and performed internationally at Folk Alliance International (Turtle Island/USA & Canada) & National Sawdust (New York, Turtle Island/USA) with appearances across Sweden, France, and beyond. She has received strong support for her new era from SBS / NITV, AIR, AMRAP / CBAA, Witchology Magazine UK, Refinery29, NME, Atwood Magazine US (Today’s Song – Midnight Blues), rage (Feature Video – Magic Woman Dancing), The Big Issue, National Indigenous Times, Nikkei Asia, ABC Indigenous, NT News, Koori Mail, Mixdown Magazine, NZ Herald, Pilerats, The AU Review (Track of the Week – Magic Woman Dancing), The Music, Check Check, Ramona Magazine, Happy Magazine, Missing Perspectives, Beers & Tears, This Song Is Yours, triple j, Double J (rotation), HIT FM, Coles Radio, ABC Radio National, Triple R and beyond, adds across metro community stations FBi Radio, PBSFM, 2SER, SYN FM, Edge Radio, RTRFM &Radio Adelaide, international airplay with RADIO CAMPUS PARIS and US stations WERU, KBBF, KMUN and more, with both singles charting via AMRAP Regional Charts for a weeks & the most-playlisted local releases at DSPs, including Spotify’s Indie Arrivals, Fresh Finds AU & NZ, New Music Friday AU & NZ, Blak Australia, Big Ancestor Energy& Original Storytellers, TikTok Music’s Always Was, Always Will Be (cover) + Apple Music’s FIRST (cover), New In Indie, New In Alternative, New In Rock, New Music Daily & Best New Songs as well as ARIA’s own Running Anthems Mixtape.

Emily Wurramara – NARA
Out Friday 23 August via ABC Music
Pre-order

CATCH EMILY WURRAMARA LIVE
6 July – Bondi Festival: Proud, Proud Woman: A Ruby Hunter Tribute, Eora/Sydney, Gadigal Country NSW
10 August – NIMAs 2024 @ Darwin Amphitheatre, Garramilla/Darwin, Larrakia Country NT
23 November – Live at the Gardens – Naarm/Melbourne, Wurundjeri Country VIC*
*supporting Xavier Rudd