A vibrant showcase of unique Aboriginal live talent returns to on Thursday 6 July with an all-lady line-up. The event, headlined by award-winning Casey Donovan, is set to unveil emerging and established Aboriginal musicians.
Presented in partnership by Carriageworks and Koori Radio 93.7FM, Klub Koori celebrates NAIDOC Week by highlighting the importance, resilience and richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
Yabun Events Producer at Gadigal Information Service, Miah Wright says this year's focus needed to be on our sisters around NAIDOC Week.
"A lot of the ladies tonight are part of our Young Black Deadly program. Casey started out in our program and has continued to flourish so who better to kick off tho show than her?," said the and Gomeroi/Dhungutti woman.
The Young Black and Deadly Rising Star Development Program (YBD) provides performance and music industry training workshops to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people between 13 and 18 years of age. Miah says it was great to be able to link this with the project they've been working on for the last 15 years.
"Casey was the forefront because she's been in the industry for so long now. She’s also achieved several things with us, so this year we wanted to put her at the forefront for sisterhood," she said.
To see a rising star, Mi-Kaisha Masella, the youngest of the group, [and] pairing her up with Casey, one of the best in the business, it's going to be a night to remember.
"We’ve seen a lot of focus on men lately, which is why we decided to put our sisters on stage. We really wanted to push these artists, who are doing big things in their own areas. To see a rising star, Mi-Kaisha Masella the youngest of the group, pairing her up with Casey, one of the best in the business, it's going to be a night to remember."
Established in 2013, Klub Koori at Carriageworks is an annual event produced by Sydney’s only Aboriginal community radio station, Koori Radio 93.7FM. The event aims to promote Indigenous musicians and advocate for a broader appreciation of Aboriginal arts and culture.
Meet the four sister girls that are set to bring down the show in Sydney tonight with a killer performance:
Casey Donovan
A Gumbaynggirr and Dungari woman, Donovan is one of Australia’s most versatile Indigenous Entertainers. After a meteoric rise to fame at the age of 16, she became the youngest ever winner of Australian Idol.
Over the last 13 years, Donovan has made her mark as a musician, on stage in musical theatre, and as a television presenter and author.
Donovan is a multi-award winner and nominee, including an ARIA No #1 Award for Listen with Your Heart and Deadly Awards for Best Album, Best Single and Most Promising New Talent. Donovan has played roles in several musical theatre productions including The Sapphires, Flowerchildren and We Will Rock You.
Jess Beck
A Luritja woman from south-west of Alice Springs, Beck Is the lead singer of Sydney indie/pop band Pirra, who have been performing together for the past six years. Beck was a 2010 Deadly Awards nominee for Most Promising New Talent in Music.
Beck’s heritage is irrevocably intertwined with the history of black and white relations over the last century. The great-granddaughter of an Irish station owner, Beck's grandmother was stolen from her family in Central Australia aged four and transported to Croker Island, north of Darwin. Beck's mother was then forcibly adopted out at birth. Beck discovered her family heritage at an early age when her mother and grandmother were reunited in the late 1980s.
Mi-Kaisha Masella
This singer/songwriter is of Tongan and Dharaumbal Murri heritage. By the age of 11, Mi-Kaisha was featured as a recording artist on The Sapphires movie. She then appeared on The Voice Kids, has been played on Triple J Unearthed and has a long list of performances under her belt. She has also won numerous singing competitions. The Sydney student plays the piano while performing her own compositions.
Thaylia
Thaylia is of Greek/Aboriginal heritage. She was born in Darwin and raised in WA. She is a singer-songwriter-producer that has performed at some of Australia’s finest venues, including the Sydney Opera House for Homeground Festival (2014), the Sydney Conservatorium of Music for Our Music Festival (2014), Happy Yess for Launch @ Youth Week Festival (2014) in Darwin, and One Movement Festival (2009).
Her childhood years were spent in the small outback town of Kununurra in the Kimberley, Western Australia. She moved to Perth when she was 12. Growing up she never had any music lessons. It wasn't until she turned 23 when she picked up an instrument for the very first time and discovered her passion for music.
