Lou Bennett (musician) facts for kids

Lou Bennett is an Indigenous Australian musician, actress, and expert who studies and helps bring back Aboriginal languages.

Early Life and Education

Lou Bennett is a Yorta Yorta/Djadjawurrung woman. She comes from Echuca, a town in Victoria, Australia.

In 2015, Lou finished her PhD degree at RMIT University. Her studies focused on how to find and bring back Aboriginal languages. Her special project was called "Sovereign Language Repatriation."

Music and Acting Career

Lou Bennett started her music journey with her uncle's band, "The Shades." Later, she joined Richard Frankland's band, "Djaambi." There, she met Sally Dastey and Amy Saunders. These three women then formed a band called Tiddas. This band won an Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Award.

After Tiddas stopped performing in 2000, Lou Bennett started a new band called Sweet Cheeks. She also became a stage actor. One of her acting shows was an autobiographical play called Show Us Your Tiddas!. This show was about her own life.

Lou was also a part of The Black Arm Band. She was an artistic director, composer, and singer for this group. She helped direct and perform in their show Dirtsong. This show was first performed in 2009 at the Melbourne International Arts Festival. It was performed again in 2014 at the Adelaide Festival. The songs in Dirtsong were written by Alexis Wright. Some of these songs were sung in Aboriginal languages.

In 2012, Lou Bennett also sang for the Australian film The Sapphires. She had also been involved in the stage version of The Sapphires in Melbourne in 2004.

Awards and Recognition

In 2017, Lou Bennett was added to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women. This is a special list that celebrates women who have done great things in Victoria.

In 2018, the University of New England invited her to give the Frank Archibald Memorial Lecture. This is an important talk given by a respected person.

In 2019, Lou was recognized for her "important service to the performing arts, especially music, and to the Indigenous community." She received the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) award during the 2019 Australia Day Honours.

At the 2023 Art Music Awards, Lou Bennett won an award. She won "Performance of the Year: Notated Composition" for her work nyernur nyarkur (which means "to see, to hear"). This piece was performed by Omega Ensemble and Lou Bennett herself.

Theatre Projects

Lou Bennett has been involved in many theatre productions:

• Magpie (2000) – with Melbourne Workers Theatre
• Conversations with the Dead (2001) – with Ilbijerri Theatre, Playbox, La Mama
• Yanagai! Yanagai! (2003) – with Melbourne Workers Theatre, Playbox
• The Sapphires (2004) – with Melbourne Theatre Company
• Show Us Your Tiddas! (2007) – with Melbourne Workers Theatre
• Our Home Our Land (2011) – with Boites 2009 Millennium Chorus

See also

In Spanish: Lou Bennett (música) para niños