# Emily Wurramara

Emily Wurramara is an Indigenous Australian singer and songwriter. At the 2024 ARIA Music Awards, she won the ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album, making her the first Indigenous woman to ever win in this category.

## Early life

Emily Wurramara moved between Groote Eylandt and Bickerton Island (Milyakburra), two islands in the Gulf of Carpentaria off the coast of the Northern Territory, until she was six years old. Her father is of Filipino, Chinese, and Spanish descent, who grew up on the Philippine island of Negros. Her mother is a Warninidlyakwa/Greek/Italian/Turkish woman who grew up on the two islands.
Emily grew up in Brisbane after her family moved there when she was six. As a child, she wrote songs and poetry, and listened to Coloured Stone and Yothu Yindi on her grandparents' cassette player. She later listened to Billie Holiday, rapper Lauryn Hill, Beyoncé, and American country singer Alan Jackson.

## Career

Wurramara writes and sings in both English and Anindilyakwa, and plays six instruments, including piano and violin.
In 2016, she released her debut EP, Black Smoke, which was featured on triple j unearthed and earned her a Queensland Music Award. She followed it up with an album named Milyakburra in 2018 and toured nationally with Alice Skye. Milyakburra is named after the island of Milyakburra, sacred to Wurramara and her people. Family members feature on the album, including Wurramara's Uncle Enoch singing on track "Title" and her great-grandmother on "Carry Me Home". The album art is by her grandmother.
In November 2022, she collaborated with other First Nations artists Emma Donovan, DOBBY, Drmngnow, and Optamus to create a song in memory of Cassius Turvey, a Noongar-Yamatji boy who had died at the age of 15 the result of an assault by a random attacker when walking home from school in Perth, Western Australia. The song, titled "Forever 15", was played at Turvey's funeral on 18 November 2022 funeral and released three days later on 21 November 2022.
Wurramara appeared on the cover of Coles supermarket chain's Health and Beauty magazine for Winter 2023, alongside Noongar singer Bumpy.
In July 2024, Wurramara announced the release of her second studio album Nara. The album was released on 23 August 2024. The album was supported with a national tour, and won Best Adult Contemporary Album at the 2024 ARIA Awards. She is the first Indigenous woman to win in this category at the ARIA Awards.

## Personal life

Wurramara has a daughter, born in 2017.
On 2 May 2019, a fire at her home in Brisbane destroyed most of her belongings.

## Discography
### Albums

| Title | Details |
| Milyakburra | Release date: June 2018 Label: Wantok Music (W0020) Formats: Digital download, CD |
| Nara | Scheduled: 23 August 2024 Label: ABC Music (ABCM0035) Formats: CD, LP, digital |

### Extended plays

| Title | Details |
| Black Smoke | Release date: June 2016 Label: Emily Wurramara Formats: Digital download |
| Ayarra Emeba (Calm Songs) | Release date: February 2022 Label: ABC Formats: digital download |

### Singles

| Year | Title | Album |
| 2016 | "Ngerraberrakernama (Wake Up)" | Black Smoke |
| 2016 | "Ngayuwa Nalyelyingminama (I Love You)" | Black Smoke |
| 2016 | "Black Smoke" | Black Smoke |
| 2016 | "Ementha-Papaguneray (Turtle Song)" | Milyakburra |
| 2017 | "Hey Love" | Milyakburra |
| 2019 | "Yuwani" (with Mambali) | non album singles |
| 2019 | "Laughing Buddha" (with Chong Ali) | non album singles |
| 2019 | "Black Boy" (with Flewnt) | non album singles |
| 2020 | "Trust" (with Kuya James) | non album singles |
| 2020 | "Cruisin'" | non album singles |
| 2024 | "Magic Woman Dancing" | Nara |
| 2024 | "Midnight Blues" | Nara |
| 2024 | "Lordy Lordy" (with Tasman Keith) | Nara |

### Non-single album appearances

| Year | Title | Album |
| 2017 | "Black Boy" | Deadly Hearts |
| 2020 | "Get Back to the Land" (with DRMNGNOW) | Deadly Hearts: Walking Together |
| 2022 | "Dressing Up" | ReWiggled |
| 2024 | "So High" (with PNAU) | Hyperbolic |

## 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 |
| 2019 | Emily Wurramara | Breakthrough Independent Artist | Nominated |
| 2019 | Milyakburra | Best Independent Blues and Roots Album | Won |
| 2023 | Ayarra Emeba (Calm Songs) | Best Independent Children's Album or EP | Nominated |

### 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 |
| 2018 | Milyakburra | Best Blues & Roots Album | Nominated |
| 2024 | Nara | Best Adult Contemporary Album | Won |
| 2024 | Nara | Best Independent Release | Nominated |

### 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 | "When a Tree Falls" (The Boy of Many Colors featuring Emily Wurramara) | Environmental Music Prize | Nominated | |
| 2023 | "Lady Blue" | 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. They commenced in 2005.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
| 2024 | "Lordy Lordy" (featuring Tasman Keith) Directed by Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore | Australian Video of the Year | Won | |
| 2024 | Emily Wurramara | Double J Artist of the Year | Nominated | |

### National Indigenous Music Awards

The National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA) is an annual award ceremony and recognises excellence, dedication, innovation and outstanding contribution to the Northern Territory music industry.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2017 | "Herself" | New Talent of the Year | Nominated |
| 2017 | "Hey Love" | Song of the Year | Nominated |
| 2018 | "Herself" | New Talent of the Year | Nominated |
| 2018 | Milyakburra | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| 2020 | "Herself" | 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 | Ref. |
| 2023 | Emily Wurramara | Best Folk Act | Won | |
| 2023 | Emily Wurramara | Live Voice in Tasmania | Nominated | |

### Queensland Music Awards

The Queensland Music Awards (previously known as Q Song Awards) are annual awards celebrating Queensland, Australia's brightest emerging artists and established legends. They commenced in 2006.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result (wins only) |
| 2017 | "Ngayuwa Nalyelyingminama (I Love You)" | Indigenous Song of the Year | Won |
| 2018 | "Ngayuwa Nalyelyingminama (I Love You)" | Indigenous Song of the Year | Won |
| 2019 | "Lady Blue" | Indigenous Song of the Year | Won |
| 2019 | "Tap Sticks" | Blues and Roots Song of the Year | Won |