360 ANNOUNCES PART 2 OF BACK TO LIFE REGIONAL TOUR, JOINED BY SPECIAL GUEST DREST
Off the back of a killer 12 date regional run through Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT for Part 1 of his Back To Life tour last month, beloved Australian rapper 360 will continue to conquer in 2024, today announcing 12 new dates in March and April for Part 2 of his regional takeover. Previously embarking on a fully sold out run of shows, his first in just under six years last June, Part 2 of 360’s ongoing regional tour will kick off on Thursday 14 March at Blazes Showroom in Tamworth, swinging through New South Wales and Tasmania, before finishing up in Western Australia at Dunsborough Tavern on Saturday 20 April, with special guest drest supporting on the full run.
Tickets go on-sale to the general public at 9am local time on Friday 15 December. Fans are invited to pre-register now at 360music.com.au to access pre-sale tickets from 9am local time on Thursday 14 December.
Returning to stages in November for the first half of his Back To Life regional tour, 360 also joined forces with Support Act for some of the run, with a donation of $1 per ticket purchased matched by a further $1 from Live at your Local being donated to the music industry charity, Support Act. And with the first part of the Back To Life tour officially now done and dusted, the positivity and memories grown throughout that run will firmly flow into the upcoming 2024 shows, as 360 poignantly shares, “Part 1 was so good, though I’m not going to lie, after the first tour in June I was nervous because I felt so rusty still. I had to shake off a lot of cobwebs and it got in my head a bit, I felt stiff, I struggled loosening up and having fun performing. But this tour – that feeling has completely gone, thankfully. Now I’ve been just vibing with the music, having fun and feeling like I used to back in the day. It’s taken a lot of work to get here, but it’s so good to be back.”
An ARIA Award-winning, multi-platinum pioneer, 360’s art has consistently resonated globally throughout his career, thanks largely due to his honest, authentic and self-aware nature as well as his inescapably likeable sonic flair. Closing out the year and gazing towards 2024 tapping into his own life and broader society, 360’s culturally conscious state of flow has also been heavily inspired in 2023 by the likes of Danheim, Hans Zimmer, Nicholas Britell, Mac Richter and Dustin O’Halloran. “I listen to them when I’m zoning out,” 360 reveals, “and picturing the life I want to create for myself”. Returning with gusto in 2023, 360 is undeniably back, better than ever before – and his hard-fought and inspiring journey to finding peace and strength against the odds has exuberantly flowed over into his creations as well as his live performances, as 360 reveals, “I was in a horrible place, I had a whole bunch of music I was making but the lack of self-confidence and social anxiety had wreaked havoc on my frame of mind. I wanted to stay indoors and avoid the world, I lost the spark to live and be better. But this year I made a conscious choice to turn things around and take back control of my life, so it’s been a mixture of things. It started with a ton of therapy every week, understanding my issues inside and out. Then that evolved into working with a life coach. I had to figure out the exact man I wanted to be and stop living like a little boy, so that’s what I’m in the process of doing right now. A lot of it is about doing the work I would usually avoid doing at all costs. I’m not a confrontational person and I let that get out of hand to the point I wouldn’t stand up for myself or communicate honestly. So learning to be more assertive, to have trust in myself and actually love myself again. Also, I can’t stress the importance of the fitness side of things, smashing the gym regularly and eating healthy has done way more than any medication has…so this has been the process to coming back to life.”
An artist who has never been one to do anything in halves, the prolific rapper swiftly cemented himself on the Australian scene via his 2008 debut album What You See Is What You Get, before the game-changing 2011 release Falling & Flying catapulted 360 into a whole new stratosphere. Hailed for its emotive weight, authenticity and genre-fluid finesse, Falling & Flying paved the way for 360’s continued domination with 2014’s Utopia and 2017’s Vintage Modern firmly sealing his legacy. But amongst his renowned battle rapping dexterity, searing creative innovation and collaborations, 360’s path has simultaneously been lined with mountains, from an accident in 2010 that almost upended the release of Falling & Flying to his battle with addiction and mental health issues in later years; all moments in time that ultimately helped guide and strengthen 360’s resolve, leading him to new music as well as his triumphant return to performing earlier this year. Now primed and focused on a horde of upcoming projects, 360 will also imminently be joined on Part 2 of the Back To Life regional tour with drest – a young singer-songwriter hailing from the small farming town of Finley in New South Wales, and currently based in Melbourne. Weaving a melting pot of indie, rock, pop, and rap, drest’s dazzling sonic amalgamation is equally connective and fresh, with sold out shows across Australia alongside 360 in his wake, his own headline shows and a recent single heavenwillwait out in the world.
Alongside drest in 2024, 360 is primed to continue bringing his exhilarating live show around regional Australia, with the Back To Life Part 2 tour guaranteed to satiate past, present and future fans of the magnetic rap maverick. Expect unapologetic and heartfelt storytelling from an artist who can tackle any style and make it his own. And hitting some familiar and less travelled locales next March and April, prepare for some incredible moments from one of Australia’s most engaging modern artists, who is as excited to be back and thriving, as much as his legions of fans are excited to have him back. “I am working on an album, collab projects, and I intend to jump back into the arena of rap battling as well,” 360 reveals. “I’ll be doing a bunch of other shit too, like showing certain steps I’ve taken to get myself better, I really wanna show others who are stuck in a rut that if they need a way out, this is how I’ve done it, but you’ve gotta put in the hard work. It’s fucking good to be back.”Tickets to the Back To Life Regional Tour Part 2 go on sale at 9am local time on Friday 15 December from 360music.com.au.
360 – BACK TO LIFE REGIONAL TOUR PART 2
Tickets available from 360music.com.au
THU 14 MAR | BLAZES SHOWROOM, TAMWORTH NSW | 18+
FRI 15 MAR | FINNIAN’S, PORT MACQUARIE NSW | 18+
SAT 16 MAR | KING STREET, NEWCASTLE NSW | 18+
THU 04 APR | MIRANDA HOTEL, MIRANDA NSW | 18+
FRI 05 APR | SHOAL BAY COUNTRY CLUB, SHOAL BAY NSW | 18+
SAT 06 APR | DRIFTERS WHARF, CENTRAL COAST NSW | 18+
THU 11 APR | ROYAL OAK HOTEL , LAUNCESTON TAS | 18+
FRI 12 APR | PUB ROCK DINER, DEVONPORT TAS | 18+
SAT 13 APR | REPUBLIC BAR, HOBART TAS | 18+
THU 18 APR | LEISURE INN, ROCKINGHAM WA | 18+
FRI 19 APR | THE CARINE, DUNCRAIG WA | 18+
SAT 20 APR | THE DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN, DUNSBOROUGH WA | 18+
MAYLENE YINARR SHARES POWERFUL NEW SINGLE ‘THIS IS FOR US’ TAKEN FROM NEW EP SINGING OUR FUTURES – RELEASED TODAY
Radiating poise and soul equipped with a powerful narrative, the new single This Is For Us from singer-songwriter Maylene Yinarr is a sonically lush and thematically important outing, bustling with hope and healing from the talented Naarm artist. Marking the final single released as part of the self-titled Singing Our Futures EP, also out today, This Is For Us joins a stunning collection of songs from fellow artists Ridzyray, Kee’ahn and Emma Donovan, Madi Colville-Walker and Kiwat Kennell under the inaugural Singing Our Futures umbrella, aka The Archie Roach Foundation’s mentoring experience centred around helping First Nations artists on their songwriting and recording journeys.
A stirring and polished ballad, This Is For Us draws on Yinarr’s captivating knack for weaving creations that are equally haunting, uplifting and thought-provoking, while also seeking to inspire conversations about identity and vulnerability. Mentored by the Singing Our Futures leader and fellow artist Candice Lorrae to bring This Is For Us to life, Yinarr balances diverse inspiration alongside a poignant tribute to First Peoples native to any land, as she explains, “This song is a tribute to the frontier wars on the soil that is now known as ‘Australia’. The war that existed between the Aboriginal warriors, hunters and gatherers of many nations at the time of Invasion, colonisation and European settlement. We are their children. I am their daughter. For this song, I was inspired by our blak music royalty, as well as gospel music, blues roots, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Evanescence, Nina Simone, Etta James, Sia, Sigur Rós, Andrea Bocelli, Fleetwood Mac, Patty Griffin and others like Brandi Carlisle, Sara Bareilles, and Ingrid Michaelson.”
Penned from a place of hope and healing, This Is For Us also furthers Yinarr’s ever-growing legacy, with her work alongside both Singing Our Futures program leader Candice Lorrae and other mentors in and around the program also offering her a chance to rejuvenate her creative spirit and meaningfully connect with other creatives and her community following a devastating personal loss. “For This Is For Us, the amazing Candice Lorrae was my mentor and she is a fierce, talented and powerful woman,” shares Yinarr. “We’ve taken my music to a whole new level – within the program to my other tracks that will be released in 2024. I’ve also worked closely with Linc Yow Yeh (The Deans of Soul), I’ve met one of my idols, Gina Williams and Shellie Morris, Uncle Kutcha Edwards, and, as a community, I still have my mentors, Uncle Robert Bundle, Uncle Brad Brown (Kool Mist), Uncle Dave Arden and of course, my Mum, Sharon Slater and my Dad, Mel Burns. Singing Our Futures is so heart-warming and community driven. It’s been a beautiful road. My journey in the project was a heartbreaking start with the loss of my twin sister, Marjorie, so our family was in deep Sorry Business. When I joined the project, it was an exciting secret that I didn’t get to tell her before we lost her. I’ve drawn strength from that – I’ll keep going and living out my dream of music. She was my biggest fan. She would have been right here with me on this journey. Everything that I do, I do for my family and my community. Music is a core healing energy for us as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I have been standing alongside incredible talent – our darling Madi Colville-Walker, Kiwat, Kee’ahn and Ridzyray. It’s an honour to start my recording career this way.”
Offering insight on the single art, Yinarr says, “It was exciting for me to engage a young First Nations graphic designer to design the single artwork, her name is Rubii Red. We worked together to create this artwork, Rubii really captured the essence of the song and the vision of our country when it is healing.”
Sparking her musical journey writing songs at the age of 15 at high school, Yinarr’s experience and inspiration under the tutelage of her high school music teachers led her to her ultimate creative pathway, with teachers Claudia Mameli, Sonny King Ismail and Peter Jones imparting a formula to songwriting that Yinarr still incorporates to this day – with the influence of her culture. Offering her an outlet that was missing in her youth, Yinarr learned to express and explore her feelings via music, with her first official song written in honour of her grandfather, Kamilaroi Elder Tom Slater. From songs penned in her Year 10 music book to adding her voice to the incredible inaugural Singing Our Futures program, Yinarr’s passion spills over vividly into her creative world, as does her admiration for the man behind the program: the late, great Archie Roach himself. “Uncle’s legacy has helped heal our people and shape our nation,” shares Yinarr. “Without his song with Aunty Ruby Hunter, Took The Children Away, our people would not have the international recognition and compassion that we do today. He will always be remembered. A man from Charcoal Lane, Ngar-go to the big stage, who showed the world the sounds of our longest living culture on Earth. He gave our generation the opportunity to follow in his footsteps with pride and with love. With my music, I am drawn to exploring the complex layers that we experience, the heartache and the victories. I love how we can tell a story in a melody and empty our soul into a song and in turn, fill up with the energy of music. I love the place that I go to in my mind and Spirit when I sing. I feel like that is the place beyond the stars.”
A meaningful and culturally safe songwriting program that supports emerging First Nations artists to tell their story through songwriting, Singing Our Futures was devised pre-COVID and was one of the leading programs of the Archie Roach Foundation. Led by Candice Lorrae (The Merindas), an established singer-songwriter and music producer with Jawoyn and Torres Strait Islander roots, Singing Our Futures has since evolved into an impactful and ever-growing initiative for emerging artists and storytelling that spans genres and generations, culminating for 2023 with the long-awaited release today of its inaugural self-titled EP, Singing Our Futures out now.
Bringing together all previous singles unveiled under the Singing Our Future program this year, this extraordinary EP includes the spell-binding debut track Take No More, by Kee’ahn and Emma Donovan, the powerful dive into deep connection, Disconnected from Torres Strait Islander artist Kiwat Kennell, as well as the mesmerising ode to home and country via Yinarr Mulana Winyarr by Yorta Yorta creative Madi Colville-Walker, and pure serenity courtesy of the EP’s final track, Yinarr’s This Is For Us, with the latter unforgettably teaming Yinarr up with program leader Candice Lorrae.
“It’s been a journey and a memorable experience producing the Singing Our Futures program,” shares Lorrae. “There’s nothing else quite like it. It’s meaningful and we get to share our stories through music. This program was born from Uncle Archie’s legacy. We feel him and our ancestors standing with us throughout this journey. Working with Maylene as a mentor taught me so much about the power of healing through music. I knew that music was healing from the start, but Maylene Yinarr has proven it to me through her songs, kindness, strength and wisdom.”
“I feel this is a good way to land the EP release with Maylene’s song as the feature,” Lorrae concludes. “This If For Us, it’s all for us. Uncle Archie has really paved a way for us all and I’m extremely honoured continuing his legacy by running the Singing Our Futures program.”
Maylene Yinarr’s This Is For Us single and the Singing Our Futures EP are both out today via Cooking Vinyl Australia.
ELLIE LOVEGROVE SHARES SOARING NEW SINGLE ‘I’M GONNA FLY’ FEATURING THE LATE GREAT UNCLE ARCHIE ROACH + ‘SONGS FROM THE KITCHEN TABLE’ AN ILLUSTRATED COMMEMORATION OF ICONIC ARTISTS ARCHIE ROACH + RUBY HUNTER OUT TODAY
A soaring and potently stirring debut outing from Ngarrindjeri singer-songwriter Ellie Lovegrove, the brand new single I’m Gonna Fly features none other than the late great Archie Roach AO, with the revered storyteller’s familiar vocals seamlessly blending into Lovegrove’s empowered tones. A soulful celebration of growth and letting go, I’m Gonna Fly also heralds the release of Songs from the Kitchen Table; the ultimate illustrated commemoration of iconic Australian creatives Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter. Vividly told in songs, stories, photographs and tributes, Songs from the Kitchen Table is set for release today, Wednesday November 15.
Following ongoing collaborations with an array of esteemed Australian musicians over the years, I’m Gonna Fly unveils Ellie Lovegrove’s first official single release, with the poignant serenity flowing throughout the track attesting to Lovegrove’s powerful growth and aspiration that she experienced alongside reaching out to Archie Roach himself after spending time on the road with the iconic late artist. “After sharing some time touring with Uncle Archie and listening to his stories, I had commuted back to Adelaide and written the song in a time of deep reflection,” shares Lovegrove of the I’m Gonna Fly origin story. “With just the first verse and the chorus, I wasn’t sure as to where to go next and humbly asked if Uncle Archie would be interested in hearing what I had and if he would be interested in collaborating on the piece. I had no expectations, if anything I just wanted to share with him as he had with me and I was deeply taken back when I was told Uncle had included a verse to the song. To then be able to intertwine our voices together in the last chorus was a really special moment for me. I’m Gonna Fly is a song I wrote about breaking free from things I felt were holding me back from being true to myself. It’s about personal growth and being in alignment with my miwi (Spirit) and trusting that despite the trials and tribulations I may face, if I am true to myself and my spirit, I will prosper, spiritually, mentally and therefore physically. This song is very sentimental, and it is about growth, letting go and overcoming those heavy feelings change can bring. I feel as though it will create a life of its own as different people interpret the lyrics to their own circumstances.”
Working alongside producer Craig Pilkington to bring the glowing new single to life, alongside a beautiful accompanying animated clip, I’m Gonna Fly extended Lovegrove’s personal experiences into sublime new heights, with her musical journey coming full circle from growing up watching Archie Roach on TV to the pair performing I’m Gonna Fly live in person together at Adelaide Fringe in 2015. “The first and last time I had the privilege of performing this song with Uncle Archie was in the Spiegeltent at the Adelaide Fringe when I had opened for him,” reveals Lovegrove. “I grew up watching Uncle Archie sing on TV. Having all of my family telling me how he was singing of the experiences our people have faced, I never would have thought that I would get to meet him let alone work/share space and stories and collaborate with him one day. Uncle Archie with the support of Aunty Ruby, to me, are to be considered one of our community’s most precious Story Tellers and Song Keepers. Their voices and music are timeless, and their stories will live on through all those that have had the privilege of hearing them.”
Fittingly released on the same day as the incredible new book Songs from the Kitchen Table, I’m Gonna Fly continues the soaring and enduring legacy of Archie Roach and his craft, as well as the love of music he shared with his life partner and long-time musical collaborator Ruby Hunter. Featuring stunning illustrations, lyrics to over one hundred of Uncle Archie and Aunty Ruby’s songs, stories behind the compositions, artwork and beyond, Songs from the Kitchen Table was lovingly curated by Archie’s manager and friend Jill Shelton, with forewords also penned by the duo’s friends and musical collaborators, including Emma Donovan, Paul Kelly and Jack Latimore. A snapshot and a celebration of one of Australia’s greatest creative partnerships, Songs from the Kitchen Table also offers a testament to the ongoing power of plain-spoken truths.
A gifted singer-songwriter, mother, Aboriginal health worker and community advocate for First Nations People, Ellie Lovegrove has been sharing her stunning vocals with the world since the age of 10, first performing for her family and friends before inescapably capturing the hearts of Australia as a Top 12 finalist on Australia’s X Factor in 2013. Mentored and coached by international artist and producer RedFoo during her time on X Factor, Lovegrove went on to be the recipient of the New and Emerging Talent Award at the National Deadly Awards in 2013, and also won the Channel 9 Young Achiever of the Year Award, and the NAIDOC Youth of the Year Award for the SA Southeast. Over the years, Lovegrove has also connected and collaborated with the likes of Troy Cassar-Daley, Jessica Mauboy, Emma Donovan, Emily Wurramura and Paul Kelly, and has previously teamed up with hip hop artist Jimblah, which also saw her feature on two triple j Like A Version peformances. A popular and sought-after performer at First Nations corporate events in South Australia, Lovegrove recently featured on Tony Minniecon’s single The Truth in 2021, a song for reconciliation written by Minniecon which was debuted live at the annual Reconciliation SA National Reconciliation Week Breakfast.
Armed with a remarkable vocal range, a passion for caring for community and a sonic warmth that permeates beyond her creations and unforgettably into your soul, Ellie Lovegrove is a breath of positivity on the Australian musical landscape, and her debut single alongside one of the all-time greats is a spectacular introduction into Lovegrove’s brand new creative chapter, as she concludes, “I am very excited to be releasing my very first single. I am deeply honoured that my first ever single will be one that I was able to collaborate with Uncle Archie on. It has great sentimental value to me and has been sitting in the archive for some time, so to be invited to share it in partnership with Uncle Archie’s song book is incredible.”
I’m Gonna Fly and Songs from the Kitchen Table out Wednesday November 15.