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 amazing Indigenous Australian singer and songwriter. She is known for her beautiful music and powerful stories. In 2024, Emily made history at the 2024 ARIA Music Awards! She won the ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album, becoming the first Indigenous woman ever to win in that category.
Contents
Early Life and Roots
Emily Wurramara is a Warnindhilyagwa woman. Her family comes from Groote Eylandt, an island about 50 kilometers (31 miles) off the Northern Territory coast of Australia. Emily grew up in Brisbane, a big city in Australia.
Emily's Music Journey
Emily writes and sings her songs in two languages: English and Anindilyakwa. Anindilyakwa is the language of her people.
First Steps in Music
In 2016, Emily released her first collection of songs, called an EP, named Black Smoke. This EP was a big hit and even won her a Queensland Music Award!
Albums and Collaborations
After Black Smoke, Emily released her first full album in 2018. It was called Milyakburra. She then went on a national tour with another talented artist, Alice Skye. The album Milyakburra is very special. It's named after Milyakburra Island, which is a sacred place for Emily and her family. Some of her family members even sing on the album! Her Uncle Enoch sings on a song called "Title", and her great-grandmother is featured on "Carry Me Home". Emily's grandmother created the beautiful artwork for the album cover.
In November 2022, Emily worked with other First Nations artists. They included Emma Donovan, DOBBY, Drmngnow, and Optamus. Together, they created a song called "Forever 15". This song was made to remember Cassius Turvey, a 15-year-old boy who sadly passed away. The song was played at his funeral and later released to the public.
In 2023, Emily appeared on the cover of Coles supermarket's Health and Beauty magazine. She was featured alongside another great singer, Bumpy.
New Album Nara
In July 2024, Emily announced her second studio album, Nara. It was released on August 23, 2024. To celebrate, she went on a tour across Australia. This album also won the Best Adult Contemporary Album award at the 2024 ARIA Awards, which was a huge achievement!
Personal Life
In May 2019, Emily's home in Brisbane had a fire. Sadly, many of her belongings were lost.
Discography
Emily has released several albums, EPs, and singles.
Albums
| Title | Details |
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| Milyakburra |
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| Nara |
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Extended Plays (EPs)
| 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) |
Other Album Appearances
Emily has also appeared on other artists' albums or special compilation albums.
| Year | Title | Album |
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| 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
Emily Wurramara has won and been nominated for many awards for her music!
AIR Awards
The AIR Awards celebrate independent music in Australia.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
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| 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 are Australia's biggest music awards.
| 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
This award looks for songs that inspire action on climate change and conservation.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
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| 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 given by Triple J, a youth radio station in Australia.
| 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 (NIMA)
The NIMAs celebrate excellence in Indigenous Australian music.
| 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 (NLMAs)
These awards recognize contributions to live music in Australia.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Emily Wurramara | Best Folk Act | Won | |
| Live Voice in Tasmania | Nominated |
Queensland Music Awards
These awards celebrate artists from Queensland, Australia.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result (wins only) |
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| 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 |
