Emma Donovan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Emma Donovan
Background information
Born	1981 (age 43–44) Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
Genres	R&B, soul, country, reggae
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Years active	2000–present
Labels	HopeStreet Recordings Cooking Vinyl Australia
Associated acts	The Donovans The Black Arm Band Stiff Gins

Emma Donovan (born in 1981) is a talented Aboriginal Australian singer and songwriter. She comes from the famous musical Donovan family. Emma started singing when she was just seven years old. She performed with her uncle's band, called The Donovans.

In 2000, Emma helped start a band called Stiff Gins. After three years, she left to release her first solo album, Changes, in 2004. She also performs with the Black Arm Band. In 2009, she released a solo mini-album (EP) called Ngaaraanga.

Emma has been nominated for many Deadly Awards, including Female Artist of the Year. She even performed at the start of the 2004 Olympic Torch Relay. In 2009, she won Best Female Artist at the BUMP Awards. Emma appeared in the ABC TV show Dynasties in 2004. A year later, the SBS TV made a documentary about her called Emma Donovan: Gumbainggir Lady.

Emma has sung with many other amazing Indigenous Australian musicians. These include Frank Yamma, her cousin Casey Donovan, Archie Roach, and Ruby Hunter. She has also performed with artists like Paul Kelly and Shellie Morris.

Emma Donovan's Early Life and Music Journey

Her Family and Heritage

Emma Donovan was born in 1981 in Liverpool, a suburb of Sydney. Her father, Neville Councillor, is from Geraldton in Western Australia. He has Naaguja and Yamatji heritage. Emma's mother, Agnes Donovan, is a Gumbaynggirr/Danggali woman. She is from the Nambucca Valley in New South Wales, where Emma grew up.

Starting Young in Music

Emma's singing career began when she was very young. Her grandparents, Micko and Aileen Donovan, started an Aboriginal country band called The Donovans. This was even before Emma was born. The band included their five sons and daughter Agnes. They sang at local events. Emma's uncles still perform as the Donovan Brothers band today.

When Emma was seven, she started singing with The Donovans sometimes. Her family, especially her mother Agnes, always supported her singing. Agnes took her to talent shows all over the country. Agnes also helped create special Aboriginal showcases at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in the late 1990s. Emma took part in these shows.

Learning and Growing

Emma's family moved often, so she went to many schools. In 1997, at age sixteen, Emma studied music at the Eora College for Performing Arts. This school in Chippendale, New South Wales, was made to help Indigenous students get an education. Here, Emma started to explore different music styles. She moved beyond country music and began singing reggae and R&B.

Emma's Musical Career

1999–2003: Stiff Gins Band

In late 1999, Emma formed a vocal acoustic band called Stiff Gins. She met Nardi Simpson and Kaleena Briggs at Eora College. Their first mini-album, Soh Fa, was released in 2000. Emma helped write songs for their second album, Origins. The group won two Deadly Awards. They won Most Promising New Talent in 2000. In 2001, they won Best Single Release for their song "Morning Star". After touring in Australia and other countries, Emma left the group in 2003. She wanted to work on her own music.

2004–2006: Her First Solo Album Changes

In 2004, Emma was featured in the SBS documentary Gumbaynggirr Lady. She also performed at the start of the 2004 Summer Olympics torch relay. Later that year, she toured Greece for an exhibition about Indigenous Australia. She also performed at the Festival of Pacific Arts in Palau.

Emma released her first solo album, Changes, in 2004. The album's launch in Sydney was very popular. The music was a mix of soul, gospel, and reggae, with some country sounds. In 2005, Emma toured Australia to share her album.

In 2006, Emma performed at the Perth Festival of the Arts. She also performed in New Zealand and at The Dreaming Festival in Queensland. She even made a short trip to Paris to perform.

2007–2012: The Black Arm Band and Ngarraanga

In 2007, Emma was asked to join the Black Arm Band. This group performs a stage musical called Murundak/Alive – The Black Arm Band. They sing important songs from the Aboriginal resistance movement. The show toured England and Canada and was very successful. In 2007, murundak won a Helpmann Award for Best Contemporary Music Concert.

While working with the Black Arm Band, Emma also created new music with drummer Yanya Boston. They wrote the song "Ngarranga – Remember" together. It was a prayer to remember the Stolen Generations. This song was first released on a CD in 2007.

In 2008, Emma worked with Vicki Gordon to create a mini-album (EP). The EP, called Ngarraanga (Remember), was a tribute to the Stolen Generations. It included Emma's traditional language and words from her Uncle Harry Buchanan. The EP was released on National Sorry Day in 2009. A music video for "Ngarranga" was also made.

In October 2009, Emma performed in the musical Dirtsong. This show was created by the Black Arm Band. The songs were written by Alexis Wright, and some were sung in Indigenous languages. Emma also performed at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.

2013–2021: Emma Donovan & The PutBacks

In 2013, Emma started performing with The Putbacks. They are a funk and soul band from Melbourne. They became known as Emma Donovan & The PutBacks. They have toured together and released several albums. Their first album, Dawn, came out in 2014. Crossover was released in 2020, and Under these Streets in 2021.

2022–Present

In January 2022, Emma released a cover of Archie Roach's song "Get back to the Land". She sang it with The Teskey Brothers.

In November 2022, Emma worked with other First Nations artists. They created a song called "Forever 15". This song was made to remember Cassius Turvey, a young boy who passed away. The song was played at his funeral and released a few days later.

In July 2023, Emma released "Take No More" with Kee'Ahn.

In February 2024, Emma announced her fifth studio album, Til My Song is Done. It is set to be released on April 19, 2024.

Emma's Musical Style

Emma Donovan's songs often mix reggae, gospel, smooth soul, roots, and country music. Her work with The Putbacks, a soul and funk band, has been compared to famous artists like Aretha Franklin. However, her record label says her songwriting is more like classic Aboriginal bands.

Emma is proud of her Naaguja, Yamatji, and Danggali heritage. But she often expresses her Gumbaynggirr heritage in her music. This comes from her mother's side of the family. She often sings in the traditional Gumbaynggirr language.

Documentaries About Emma

Emma Donovan has appeared in or been featured in a few documentaries. The documentary Gumbayngirr Lady was about her. It was filmed and shown by the Special Broadcasting Service in 2004. This hour-long film followed Emma to her home area of Macksville, New South Wales. In 2005, she was in the ABC series Dynasties. This episode was filmed while she was performing at the Dreaming Festival.

• Emma Donovan: Gumbainggir Lady (SBS TV) (2004)
• Dynasties (ABC series) (2005)
• murundak – songs of freedom (AFI) (2011)

Emma's Albums and EPs

Albums

Extended Plays (EPs)

Awards and Nominations

Emma Donovan has won and been nominated for many awards for her music.

AIR Awards

The AIR Awards celebrate independent music in Australia.

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are Australia's main music awards.

Australian Music Prize

The Australian Music Prize (the AMP) gives an award to an Australian album each year.

The Deadly Awards

The Deadly Awards celebrated achievements by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

J Awards

The J Awards are given by the Australian radio station Triple J.

Music Victoria Awards

The Music Victoria Awards celebrate music from Victoria, Australia.

National Indigenous Music Awards

These awards recognize Indigenous Australian musicians.

National Live Music Awards

The NLMAs celebrate live music in Australia.