# King Stingray

King Stingray is an Australian rock band from Northeast Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. With a sound self-described as "Yolŋu surf rock", the band perform songs with lyrics in both English and Yolŋu Matha. King Stingray released their debut single, "Hey Wanhaka", in October 2020, and their self-titled debut album on 5 August 2022.

## Career

Two of the band's founding members have known one another since childhood – lead vocalist Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu is the nephew of Dr M. Yunupiŋu, and guitarist Roy Kellaway is the son of Stuart Kellaway, who were both founding members of Yothu Yindi. The pair grew up together in Yolngu country, in the community of Yirrkala. They were joined by guitarist/didgeridoo player Dimathaya Burarrwanga and bassist Campbell Messer to form King Stingray in 2020. They signed to The Chats' Bargain Bin Records in 2020.
King Stingray's debut single, "Hey Wanhaka", written by Yirrnga Yunupiŋu and Roy Kellaway, was released in October 2020.
In January 2021, King Stingray released "Get Me Out"; a song described by Double J as "a tribute to the importance of home". According to a press statement, the song was written following a family member of the band getting lost in Melbourne when they were on tour with Yothu Yindi. The band said: "She had no phone, [and] Yolŋu style, she navigated her way back to us miraculously and we now laugh about it." Dan Condon from the ABC said "It's as catchy as it is stirring and will no doubt help this new band continue to win the hearts of a broad range of music lovers." Lewis Stiles joined on drums in early 2021.
In August 2021, King Stingray signed with Cooking Vinyl Australia (a partner of Sony Music) and released "Milkumana"; a song described by triple j as being "about the power of passing on knowledge". The music video was filmed in the band's hometown of Yirrkala, and features tribal elders Mangatjay Yunupingu and Malŋay Yunupingu. In January 2022, both "Milkumana" and "Get Me Out" charted in the triple j Hottest 100 at number 56 and 46, respectively.
In March 2022, King Stingray released "Camp Dog". The title refers to the dogs that wander the streets of Yirrkala. The following month, the band supported Midnight Oil at the latter's final headlining show in Sydney on their Resist tour. In May 2022, King Stingray released the single "Let's Go" and announced their debut self-titled album. The album was released on 5 August 2022.
In July 2022, King Stingray were featured on the cover of NME Australia for an in-depth interview feature about their debut album, conducted by Torres Strait Islander freelance journalist Rhianna Patrick. In the same month, they did a Like a Version cover of Coldplay's "Yellow" using a combination of the original English lyrics as well as Yolŋu Matha.
In October 2022, King Stingray released a cover of Men at Work's "Down Under" as part of a new campaign for Tourism Australia.
In June 2023, King Stingray released "Lookin' Out". August 2023 saw King Stingray win three AIR Awards: Best Independent Rock Album or EP, Independent Album of the Year, and Breakthrough Artist of the Year. They were also winners at the 2023 National Indigenous Music Awards and along with Wildfire Manwurrk were the only groups to win more than one. King Stingray picked up the Film Clip of the Year and Song of the Year awards for "Lets Go".
In December 2023 They performed at the ABC New Year's Eve concert at Sydney Harbour.
The group's second studio album For the Dreams was released in November 2024.

## Band members

* Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu – lead vocals, clapsticks
* Roy Kellaway – guitar, backing vocals
* Dimathaya Burarrwanga – guitar, backing vocals, didgeridoo
* Lewis Stiles – drums, backing vocals
* Campbell Messer – bass, banjo, backing vocals
* Yimila Gurruwiwi – didgeridoo, backing vocals

## Discography
### Studio albums

| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Details | AUS |
| King Stingray | Released: 5 August 2022 Label: Cooking Vinyl Australia Format: Streaming, vinyl, CD, digital download | 6 |
| For the Dreams | Released: 8 November 2024 Label: Cooking Vinyl Australia Format: Streaming, vinyl, CD, digital download | 51 |

### Singles

List of singles :
| Title | Year | Album |
| "Hey Wanhaka" | 2020 | King Stingray |
| "Get Me Out" | 2021 | King Stingray |
| "Milkumana" | 2021 | King Stingray |
| "Camp Dog" | 2022 | King Stingray |
| "Let's Go" | 2022 | King Stingray |
| "Lupa" | 2022 | King Stingray |
| "Down Under (Under One Sun)" | 2022 | Non-album single |
| "Lookin' Out" | 2023 | For the Dreams |
| "Through the Trees" | 2024 | For the Dreams |
| "Best Bit" | 2024 | For the Dreams |
| "Octopus" (with Bluey) | 2024 | Rug Island |
| "Cat 5 (Cyclone)" | 2024 | For the Dreams |
| "Light Up the Path" | 2024 | For the Dreams |
| "Oysters in My Pocket" (Like a Version) (with Jem Cassar-Daley) | 2024 | Non-album single |

## Awards and nominations
### AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2022 | "Get Me Out" | Independent Song of the Year | Nominated |
| 2023 | King Stingray | Independent Album of the Year | Won |
| 2023 | King Stingray | Best Independent Rock Album or EP | Won |
| 2023 | "Camp Dog" | Independent Song of the Year | Nominated |
| 2023 | King Stingray | Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year | Won |

### APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters". They commenced in 1982.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2022 | "Get Me Out" (Roy Kellaway & Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu) | Song of the Year | Shortlisted |
| 2022 | "Milkumana" (Roy Kellaway & Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu) | Song of the Year | Shortlisted |
| 2023 | "Lupa" (Roy Kellaway & Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu) | Song of the Year | Nominated |
| 2023 | "Milkumana" (Roy Kellaway & Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu) | Most Performed Rock Work of the Year | Nominated |
| 2023 | Roy Kellaway & Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu | Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year | Nominated |
| 2024 | "Lookin' Out" | Song of the Year | Shortlisted |
| 2024 | "Lookin' Out" | Most Performed Rock Work | Nominated |
| 2025 | "Through the Trees" | Song of the Year | Shortlisted |

### ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2022 | King Stingray | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| 2022 | King Stingray | Best Group | Nominated |
| 2022 | King Stingray | Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist | Won |
| 2022 | King Stingray | Best Rock Album | Nominated |
| 2022 | Kayla Flett, Gabi Coulthurst & Dimathaya Burarrwanga for King Stingray – King Stingray | Best Cover Art | Nominated |
| 2023 | Tourism Australia: Come and Say G'day (M&C Saatchi Sydney) | Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement (duration of 2 minutes or less) | Nominated |
| 2023 | Tourism Australia: G'day Short Film (M&C Saatchi Sydney) | Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement (over 2 minutes duration) | Nominated |
| 2023 | Sam Brumby for King Stingray – "Lookin' Out" | Best Video | Nominated |
| 2023 | That's Where I Wanna Be Tour | Best Australian Live Act | Nominated |
| 2024 | King Stingray - Regional Run 2024 | ARIA Award for Best Australian Live Act | Nominated |

### Australian Music Prize

The Australian Music Prize (the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. It exists to discover, reward and promote new Australian music of excellence.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
| 2022 | King Stingray | Australian Music Prize | Won | |

### Environmental Music Prize

The Environmental Music Prize is a quest to find a theme song to inspire action on climate and conservation. It commenced in 2022.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
| 2022 | "Hey Wanhaka" | Environmental Music Prize | Nominated | |
| 2023 | "Milkumana" | Environmental Music Prize | Nominated | |

### J Awards

The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. The J Awards commenced in 2005.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2021 | "Milkumana" (directed by King Stingray and Sam Brumby) | Australian Video of the Year | Nominated |
| 2021 | King Stingray | Unearthed Artist of the Year | Won |
| 2022 | King Stingray | Australian Album of the Year | Nominated |
| 2022 | King Stingray | Double J Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| 2023 | King Stingray | Australian Live Act of the Year | Nominated |

### National Indigenous Music Awards

The National Indigenous Music Awards recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians from throughout Australia. They commenced in 2004.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2021 | King Stingray | New Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| 2022 | King Stingray | Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| 2022 | "Milkumana" | Song of the Year | Won |
| 2023 | "Let's Go" | Song of the Year | Won |
| 2023 | "Let's Go" | Film Clip of the Year | Won |
| 2024 | King Stingray | Artist of the Year | Nominated |

### National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) commenced in 2016 to recognise contributions to the live music industry in Australia.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2023 | King Stingray | Best Live Act | Nominated |
| 2023 | King Stingray | Best Live Act in the NT | Won |
| 2023 | Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu (King Stingray) | Best Live Voice | Nominated |
| 2023 | Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu (King Stingray) | Best Live Voice in the NT | Nominated |
| 2023 | Lewis Stiles (King Stingray) | Best Live Drummer | Nominated |
| 2023 | Roy Kellaway (King Stingray) | Best Live Guitarist | Nominated |

### Rolling Stone Australia Awards

The Rolling Stone Australia Awards are awarded annually in January or February by the Australian edition of Rolling Stone magazine for outstanding contributions to popular culture in the previous year.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
| 2022 | King Stingray | Best New Artist | Won | |

### Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition

The Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition is an annual competition that "acknowledges great songwriting whilst supporting and raising money for Nordoff-Robbins" and is coordinated by Albert Music and APRA AMCOS. It commenced in 2009.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
| 2022 | "Milkumana" | Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition | 1st | |
| 2022 | "Camp Dog" | Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition | 3rd | |