Interview: Kardajala Kirridara on bringing the sounds of Indigenous NT to a national audience

The first BIGSOUND artist we sat down with in Brisbane last week set a brilliant tone for the few days ahead – Kardajala Kirridarra. It’s been a big year for the group from the Marlinja and Elliott communities in the NT; their music has struck a chord throughout the Northern Territory and with the NIMAs and NT Song of the Year and Desert Divas further propelling Kardajala Kirridarra onto a national platform, these ladies have been flourishing.

Sitting down with Eleanor DixonBeatrice Lewis and Kayla Jackson, Kardalaja Kirridarra take us through their 2017 and how there’s change in the air when it comes to the public acceptance of music from community into the mainstream realm.

“I come from [the] bush,” Dixon says. “I have always have time and space to reflect on things, especially things that we’ve done so far and the music that has been coming from home. …It’s been an inspiration because we’re not only inspiring people, but people inspire us because of the response that we receive. It makes us want to keep going; our story needs to be heard.”

“Something is happening,” Lewis adds. “People are hungry for connection and understanding. I think there’s such a big rise for women. I’m a producer and having the accessibility to take a studio to Marlinja and make an album out there, with that technology, it does feel like it’s all coming together to create more of an underground movement. It not being controlled by a bunch of white men in office.”

Check out the full interview below!

Follow Kardajala Kirridarra here.

Photo by Michelle Grace Hunder.

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