Project Description

Interview with

BOOROOK

Interviewer – Vicky Hebbs

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Indigenous Cultural artist Boorook is striving to create positive change & social justice for his people. Contemporary Aboriginal music from Australia.

Boorook’s songs are grounded in the traditional stories and wisdom of his people, manifested on the ultra-modern stage of World Music. From sweet lullabies and sad love songs to proud protest and groovy dance rhythms, songs that continue to grow and evoke a strong sense of unity.

Aboriginal singer songwriter Boorook is excited to announce his Keep The Dream Alive album. Funk edged tunes, soulful voice, songs to evoke a sense of unity.

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Were you always drawn to creative pursuits like song writing? When did you know you wanted to make your own music?
Since grade 5 when I was 10 years old I started to become interested in poetry & started to put pen to paper writing things & getting on piano & keyboard trying to turn them into songs. This is when my passion for song writing & music making began. 5 years later I picked up the guitar and tried to figure out how to play it.
Growing up in a strong Aboriginal Cultural family I have been surrounded with creativity all of my life.
My mother being a artist & Author/Illustrator of Dreamtime Creation stories inspired by her late father who had been taught endless ancient knowledge of our tribal ancestors by his old people.  
Also being the keeper of the untold stories of our area Pop also taught me the ancient art of making traditional wood artefacts. I spent much of my teenage years living there & learning from him.

How would you describe your personal sound?
To describe my personal sound on my Ep I would say upbeat electronic dance grooves with Indigenous conscious lyrics with an uplifting vibe.

What genres of music did you grow up listening to? Who were the musicians you heard growing up who have inspired you most?
I grew up listening to range of genres country, folk, roots n blues, reggae.  I grew up listening to Colour Stone, warumpi band, no fixed address, Tiddas, Bob Marley and Uncle Archie Roach. These are artists that do inspire me the most.

Last year you released your EP ‘Our Own Destiny’. What does the release mean to you? What were the origins of the EP?
Our Own Destiny is about taking control of your life following you heart your intuition. Its about breaking the chains of oppression which has been inflicted upon first nations Indigenous People all across the world. It’s about standing up & fighting for your rights. The origins of my Ep evolves from growing up in a Aboriginal family watching & hearing the struggles what our people go through in everyday life. Our Own Destiny is to inspire & empower the individual to make a stand on Racism, Equal Rights And social justice for out people.

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Is there a common thread running through every song in the EP, or is it a collection of many different concepts?
The songs were recorded over 5 years ago. They are songs that where written around that same time. The common thread running the songs are this is contempary Indigenous music, singing about life and self-determination, songs about listening to your elders, learning the cultural knowledge from them of protecting our special scared sites, listening to the spirit land & healing the motherlands.

What do you hope listeners take away from listening to ‘Our Own Destiny’?
I hope listeners become inspired by the songs, to be more consciously aware of Indigenous cultural sensitivities’ & to evoke a sense of unity to be open to new ways of thinking & learning to create a better understanding & relationships between Indigenous First Nations People’s & other nationalities/cultures.

Can you share the inspiration or thought process behind your beautiful song, ‘A Friend In Need’?
An old Aboriginal principle is helping people in need, sharing and caring for one another. Growing up listening to my grandfather yarn about his upbringing in the old Purnim bush with family and how if one family had a better feed then the other it would be shared equally. Pop’s door was always open & was very welcoming to visitors. People from all walks of life would go there to meet him have a yarn & a feed. A Friend in Need is off the Keep the Dream Alive album which I have just digitally released on 13/3/2020 a day before the 20th anniversary of his passing. Most of the songs on this album have been inspired by grandfathers’ teachings.

Do you believe it is important to create impact through your music? Or do you just focus on making music from the heart?
When writing my songs I write from the heart with the hope to have a positive impact.

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Are you working on any more new music at the moment?
Yes, I have many new songs and music in the mix. Keep The Dream Alive full band album Indigenous Roots RnB Funk was released 13/03/2020 and I have a Single ‘Where Do I Go’ drops 3/4/20 which is Rnb

What do you think about the role of Indigenous rap and R’n’B in the contemporary Australian music scene? Have you seen that shifting significantly over the years?
Yes I think Indigenous rap and RnB have an important role in the music industry which is starting to make waves in the water, it’s teaching mainstream society the real histories of our First Nations people of this country. I think there should be more opportunities & initiatives created for our people to be more in the spotlight to showcase our deadly musical artists. I believe there needs to be more mainstream radio stations & Tv media coverage that play & support our First Nation Peoples music it’s vital that our voice is heard as we are the original sovereign people of this land. We have been silenced for too long and treated like prisoners since the beginning of the white colonisation of Australia.
The multicultural communities want to hear more from the true people of this land.
So its great to see Indigenous music of the many different diverse first nations is on the rise which is having a ripple effect & is creating positive change as music is good healing for the spirit & soul.

If you could say anything to an inspiring Indigenous rapper or musician today, what would it be?
To the inspiring Indigenous musicians out there I would say to you follow your heart & your dreams, make realistic goals, and don’t give up, you can be anything you want to be. Respect your Elders, & learn the stories of your old people & keep the stories alive.

If you could perform onstage with any musician, who would it be, and why?
To perform on stage with Deline Briscoe would be amazing. I remember seeing her perform at the port fairy folk festival many years ago with her sister. I was so memorised with her performance & was totally blown away with her vocal range. I was so inspired by the songs and the way they weaved their traditional language blended so smoothly with the groove of their very funky sound guitar work.

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What are your plans for your music career in the coming year?
My plan in the coming year is to release more of my songs as singles. To collaborate with other artists writing recording & performing.

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
I plan to have a music space set up to teach music production & creation, song writing, recording.

Do you have any major aspirations you are striving for?
My main aspirations I’m striving for is to teach the younger generation the ancient history of my people. From the magical Dreamin stories to the beautiful stories of our ancestors and how they lived in harmony with the natural environment.

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AMNPLIFY – DB