Emily Wurramara facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Emily Wurramara
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| Origin | Australia |
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Emily Wurramara is an Indigenous Australian singer and songwriter. At the 2024 ARIA Music Awards, Wurramara was won the ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album. In 2024, Australian Recording Industry Association announced that Emily Wurramara is the first Indigenous woman to ever win in this category at the ARIA Music Awards.
Contents
Early life
Wurramara is a Warnindhilyagwa woman from Groote Eylandt, 50 kilometres (31 mi) off the Northern Territory of Australia. She grew up in Brisbane.
Career
Wurramara writes and sings in both English and Anindilyakwa.
In 2016, she released her debut EP, Black Smoke, which earned her a Queensland Music Award. She followed it up with an album named Milyakburra in 2018 and toured nationally with Alice Skye. Milyakburra is named after the island of Milyakburra, sacred to Wurramara and her people. Family members feature on the album, including Wurramara's Uncle Enoch singing on track "Title" and her great-grandmother on "Carry Me Home". The album art is by her grandmother.
In November 2022, she collaborated with other First Nations artists Emma Donovan, DOBBY, Drmngnow, and Optamus to create a song in memory of Cassius Turvey, a Noongar-Yamatji boy who had died at the age of 15 the result of an assault by a random attacker when walking home from school in Perth, Western Australia. The song, titled "Forever 15", was played at Turvey's funeral on 18 November 2022 funeral and released three days later on 21 November 2022.
Wurramara appeared on the cover of Coles supermarket chain's Health and Beauty magazine for Winter 2023, alongside Noongar singer Bumpy.
In July 2024, Wurramara announced the release of her second studio album Nara. The album was released on 23 August 2024. The album was supported with a national tour, and won Best Adult Contemporary Album at the 2024 ARIA Awards.
Personal life
On 2 May 2019, a fire at her home in Brisbane destroyed most of her belongings.
Discography
Albums
| Title | Details |
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| Milyakburra |
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| Nara |
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Extended plays
| Title | Details |
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| Black Smoke |
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| Ayarra Emeba (Calm Songs) |
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Singles
| Year | Title | Album |
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| 2016 | "Ngerraberrakernama (Wake Up)" | Black Smoke |
| "Ngayuwa Nalyelyingminama (I Love You)" | ||
| "Black Smoke" | ||
| "Ementha-Papaguneray (Turtle Song)" | Milyakburra | |
| 2017 | "Hey Love" | |
| 2019 | "Yuwani" (with Mambali) | non album singles |
| "Laughing Buddha" (with Chong Ali) | ||
| "Black Boy" (with Flewnt) | ||
| 2020 | "Trust" (with Kuya James) | |
| "Cruisin'" | ||
| 2024 | "Magic Woman Dancing" | Nara |
| "Midnight Blues" | ||
| "Lordy Lordy" (with Tasman Keith) |
Non-single album appearances
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | "Black Boy" | Deadly Hearts |
| 2020 | "Get Back to the Land" (with DRMNGNOW) | Deadly Hearts: Walking Together |
| 2022 | "Dressing Up" | ReWiggled |
| 2024 | "So High" (with PNAU) | Hyperbolic |
Awards and nominations
AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Emily Wurramara | Breakthrough Independent Artist | Nominated | |
| Milyakburra | Best Independent Blues and Roots Album | Won | ||
| 2023 | Ayarra Emeba (Calm Songs) | Best Independent Children's Album or EP | Nominated |
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Milyakburra | Best Blues & Roots Album | Nominated | |
| 2024 | Nara | Best Adult Contemporary Album | Won | |
| Best Independent Release | Nominated |
Environmental Music Prize
The Environmental Music Prize is a quest to find a theme song to inspire action on climate and conservation. It commenced in 2022.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | "When a Tree Falls" (The Boy of Many Colors featuring Emily Wurramara) | Environmental Music Prize | Nominated | |
| 2023 | "Lady Blue" | Environmental Music Prize | Nominated |
J Awards
The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | "Lordy Lordy" (featuring Tasman Keith) Directed by Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore |
Australian Video of the Year | Won | |
| Emily Wurramara | Double J Artist of the Year | Nominated |
National Indigenous Music Awards
The National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA) is an annual award ceremony and recognises excellence, dedication, innovation and outstanding contribution to the Northern Territory music industry.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | ! Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | "Herself" | New Talent of the Year | Nominated | |
| "Hey Love" | Song of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2018 | "Herself" | New Talent of the Year | Nominated | |
| Milyakburra | Album of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2020 | "Herself" | Artist of the Year | Nominated |
National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) commenced in 2016 to recognise contributions to the live music industry in Australia.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Emily Wurramara | Best Folk Act | Won | |
| Live Voice in Tasmania | Nominated |
Queensland Music Awards
The Queensland Music Awards (previously known as Q Song Awards) are annual awards celebrating Queensland, Australia's brightest emerging artists and established legends. They commenced in 2006.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result (wins only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | "Ngayuwa Nalyelyingminama (I Love You)" | Indigenous Song of the Year | Won |
| 2018 | "Ngayuwa Nalyelyingminama (I Love You)" | Indigenous Song of the Year | Won |
| 2019 | "Lady Blue" | Indigenous Song of the Year | Won |
| "Tap Sticks" | Blues and Roots Song of the Year | Won |
