Emily Wurramara, Reborn
Emerging from a chrysalis of her former self, Warnindhilyagwa artist Emily Wurramara used honesty and vulnerability to make history with her sophomore album, NARA. Now, the ARIA award-winning singer-songwriter is taking her record of rebirth to WOMADelaide, ready to inspire audiences with its authentic messages of self-compassion and resilience.
Interview Zara Richards // Photo Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore
Congratulations on an incredible 2024! Not only did you release your critically acclaimed sophomore album NARA, but you won an ARIA and performed across the country. Have you had time to reflect on all you’ve achieved?
Last year was such a beautifully balanced year. If I can be honest, I think everything has just started sinking in. I know it’s going to take time to process, but I personally feel like this year is a celebration for me. I’ve been working so hard in my career but also in my personal life – there’s a lot to celebrate!
NARA is a record of rebirth. Your power as a storyteller really shines on this album. Tell us more about your relationship with honesty and authenticity in art.
It really was a vulnerable process. I like to think I have a healthy relationship with being honest to myself; staying real and authentic was at the core of NARA. But I couldn’t tell these stories without being in a safe space – it truly was a community effort in making this record.
Who I surround myself with and the energies I encounter are integral to keeping me grounded in myself [and] within my community. That’s at the core of everything I do and how I move through this space.
Six months following the album release, how has the concept of a rebirth powered you?
I feel a bit more clarity, of course, but then that itself unveils the many layers underneath. I’m a deep feeler, and for me, it’s about time for a rebirth. I’ve learnt and unlearnt things along the way and the experiences [of] my career have helped shape the woman I am today – it’s a big transition. It’s also a very brave thing to be able to do what you love on your terms and in your own way.
The record covers a lot of topics – mental health, self-acceptance, the pain of losing your home, giving birth, finding peace. What memory or position are you most proud of pressing on NARA?
The story of hope. There’s a deeper hope to each song [that] feels like you can get through anything; you will get through it. “Nara” means nothing, but it holds everything in it. It’s a portal of emotions, but you end with ‘Passport’ and it’s kind of like a teaser for season two.
The spoken word poem in ‘STFAFM’ is particularly moving. You collaborated with your brother on this part of the track. How did you find creating art with your sibling?
Collaborating with your sibling is a whole other level of love and music – it’s like this ancestral thread that runs between [us]. We create art together and it’s not just for us; it’s for our future. The message is so much bigger. To be able to talk about our mental health journey with so much love and realness [undoes] a lot of that shame around it.
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NARA also features Lisa Mitchell, Tasman Keith and Zeppelin Hamilton. How does collaboration push you as an artist?
I truly learnt what it was like to be a musician by collaborating. Collaboration is expansion, whether musically or in friendship. There’s always something to learn from working with others [and]... working with Lisa, Tas and Zep was a breeze – an absolute dream come true. It’s weird because each artist entered my life at a certain point – some full-circle things happened here. Working with like-minded people who understood what this record meant to me and the depth of the songs they were featuring on made this such an incredible experience.
You made ARIA history with NARA, becoming the first Indigenous woman to win the Best Adult Contemporary Album award in 2024. Tell us more about this moment for you.
I couldn’t stop crying. At first, I thought about all the women who came before me in order for me to be here – Doctor Shellie Morris, Emma Donovan, Ruby Hunter – [and] how this should have happened a long time ago. I’m the first, but I know I definitely won’t be the last. I [also] remember thinking about my grandmother – how she was born at a time when she was classified as flora and fauna; she wasn’t considered a human. I was more so excited for her because my clan, Wurramara, is etched into history books. It makes me emotional and my heart swell with pride.
You’re playing WOMADelaide as part of your NARA encore tour. It’s your first time performing at the festival – what have you heard about it? And what should we expect from your set?
I’m so excited! I’ve never been to WOMAD, so this is going to be extra special as it’s my first time. I’ve heard it’s like a bigger Woodford! I’ve got some special guests joining me and I’m paying homage to both my Indigenous and Filipino heritage. I’ll have my beautiful sister Cali Pasons on the kulintang and my full band. It’s going to be epic.
What does 2025 hold for you?
More music, more learning and unlearning, more eating yummy food and having big belly laughs. And honestly, just trying to thrive in a world that’s built for us to survive in
See Emily Wurramara at WOMADelaide this March 7 and 10. Final release tickets on sale now via womadelaide.com.au.
