Emily Wurramara releases debut album 'Milyakburra'

A prolific song-writer and multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, piano and ukulele, Emily has been writing songs since she was six.
Singing in both English and Anindilyakwa, the traditional language of her home on Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory, she has since become a seasoned performer who has taken her music around the country and abroad with show and festival appearances in Sweden and France.
Now entering the second half of the year, Emily has just released her debut album ‘Milyakburra’, two years since the release of her debut EP Black Smoke – which amassed over 1 million Spotify streams, 25K Shazams, 54K YouTube views, rotation on JJJ and ABC Local x 2, 10 weeks in the AMRAP charts, a Queensland Music Award, a publishing contract with Mushroom and live showcase slots everywhere from BIGSOUND as a Triple J Unearthed feature artist to Folk Alliance International in the USA.
And now the album, it’s looking to be even better.
Steeped in the sand, salt and concrete of her family, community, culture, islands and all of the souls that have played a part in her journey so far, Milyakburra is 11 tracks again sung in both English and Anindilyakwa that explore the contrasting themes of the two worlds in which Emily grew up – the island and the city. In her own words: “I grew up in two different worlds with two different perspectives of life but I’ve always had a strong love for protecting my land and inspiring and empowering my people through the preservation and protection of our culture, which is why I sing in my language”.
Teaming up again with award winning producer David Bridie, Emily has added some extra special collaborations to Milyakburra with features from her Uncle Enoch, some of the children of Groote Eylandt and her Great Great Grandmother ‘Gayangwa Lalara’. “Carry Me Home is a very special track for me because it features my Gayangwa Lalara! She’s a very wise woman and holds many sacred stories for the women in my community.”
Ngarrikwujeyinama was the first single to be lifted from Milyakburra, released earlier this year the track was added to rotation on Double J and ABC Local nationally, took out the number 1 chart position on AMRAP and saw Emily take home her 2nd Queensland Music Award in May.
To celebrate the release of Milyakburra, Emily is hitting the road again, this time with fellow songstress Alice Skye for a co-headline national tour. Launching their respective debut albums, the two young singer songwriters share not only an indigenous heritage but a beautiful friendship that will make for unforgettable live show.
You won’t want to miss this.
Catch them at Wesley Anne, Melbourne on Friday July 6, and check out the album below.