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.
JEBEDIAH ANNOUNCE FIRST NEW ALBUM IN 12 YEARS, ‘OIKS’ + SHARE TRANSCENDENTAL NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO ‘RUBBERMAN’
Fresh from the release of their first new single in 12 years, beloved Perth rockers Jebediah have upped the ante once again, with new single Rubberman appearing alongside the long-awaited news of their new album, OIKS. The forthcoming record – their first new album since 2011’s Kosciuszko – will arrive on April 12th, 2024, with pre-orders available now via Cooking Vinyl Australia.
Their sixth album, OIKS isn’t necessarily the return of Jebediah, who have been consistently active in the time since their last record, but rather, a snapshot of where the band find themselves in the current era. Like lead single Gum Up The Bearings, the record was born out of experimentation while in the studio with longtime collaborator – and honorary fifth band member – Dave Parkin (Red Jezebel, Spacey Jane). The result is an album which sees Jebediah feeling content with who they are as artists – not attempting to create the energetic hype of 1997 debut Slightly Odway, but crafting a release which feels representative of modern-day Jebediah.
While the release of September’s Gum Up The Bearings was a true return to form for the WA quartet, Rubberman continues their evolving musical trajectory; pairing their revered, singular attitude towards music making with a dedication to crafting something wholly unique. Noting that their new single “sounds different to any song the band has put out” before, Rubberman began life when the band first entered Dave’s Blackbird Studios back in 2018 without any indication of what they wanted to create, the band let themselves become influenced by jam sessions and the resulting sounds. Using effects and loops as the starting point to Rubberman, the group experimented heavily with melody and atmosphere, allowing guitarist and vocalist Kevin Mitchell’s voice to take on a prominent role, sitting atop a luscious and spacious marriage of indie-rock and dream-pop. The result is a song which equally feels unlike anything Jebediah have ever produced, yet effortlessly slides into their expansive discography as a track emblematic of their continuous musical evolution.
“This one came about by accident. Whilst setting up a guitar for overdubbing we accidentally recorded the sound of it with really loose strings. This sound was turned into a loop and became the bedrock of a new song; a sort of weird melodic rhythmic loop track. The whole thing was built on top of that. It reflects an experimentalism in the studio that we have not really embraced before and so it sounds different to anything we’ve ever written or recorded before,” recalls Kevin.
Alongside the release of the single, Jebediah have taken an almost full-circle approach to its accompanying visuals, sharing a beautifully-animatedclip by Gina Moore. Having initially worked with the band to craft the video to their 1997 single Harpoon, Gina now works at RMIT teaching 3D animation and visual effects in the Animation and Interactive Media program. Taking time to once again create a video for the group, Gina took inspiration from the cover illustration to James Bridle’s book Ways Of Being, the paintings of Clarice Beckett, and her own work, and worked with RMIT students Jack Cornish and Eddy Faulkner to produce the final product.
“I loved Rubberman as soon as I heard it and listened to it many times while walking my dog. After playing the song over and over for several weeks, I created a storyboard in just a few hours. It came easily because my mind was full of imagery that had percolated on repeated walks through Melbourne’s windy parklands. Like the song, I wanted the video to be evocative or experiential and wasn’t concerned with having a definitive meaning or narrative. The song lends itself to a journey, a figure walking through a landscape. I wanted the mood to start tranquil and get increasingly chaotic as invisible forces become evident (deforming the landscape and producing colourful ribbons). I wanted it to feel Australian and to allude to global concerns including the proliferation of plastics in the environment. Although addressing dark and depressing themes, the clip needed to be visually appealing,” explains Gina.
Both Rubberman and previous single Gum Up The Bearings will appear on Jebediah’s forthcoming album, OIKS, which will arrive on April 12th, 2024. Pre-orders for the album are available now via Cooking Vinyl Australia. Though their first new album since 2011’s Kosciuszko, the group have not been far from our hearts – or stages. In addition to sporadic tours and frequent live shows, the respective members of Jebediah have remained busy: Vanessa and Brett played in bands, Chris worked at a record store, and Kevin has focused heavily on his Bob Evans project.
Currently, Jebediah are out on the road, wrapping up a highly-anticipated Aussie tour which has seen them perform intense headline gigs in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. The group will wrap up their current run of shows with a headline gig in Perth on Friday, 17 November, before joining the Good Things festival lineup for a whip-around the country at the start of December. Prior to wrapping up their current run of dates, though, Jebediah will also have their name cemented in Western Australian music history, when they’re inducted into the WAM Hall Of Fame as part of the WA Music Awards on Thursday, 16 November.
Rubberman is out today via Cooking Vinyl Australia.
OIKS will be released on 12 April, 2024 via Cooking Vinyl Australia, pre-order bundles available here.
Final tickets to the Gum Up The Bearings tour are on sale now from https://www.jebediah.net/
The WAM Hall Of Fame induction will take place at the WA Music Awards on Thursday 16 November at Regal Theatre.
JEBEDIAH – AUSTRALIAN TOUR:
Tickets available from Oztix
FRI 17 NOV | THE RECHABITE, PERTH WA | 18+
Tickets available from https://www.jebediah.net/
FRI 1 DEC – GOOD THINGS FESTIVAL, MELB, VIC
SAT 2 DEC | GOOD THINGS FESTIVAL, SYD, NSW
SUN 3 DEC – GOOD THINGS FESTIVAL, BRIS, QLD