Artist Emily Wurramara talks settling in Tassie, new album and headline tour

“I feel like as an artist, I need that separation” – Indigenous artist Emily Wurramara says taking a step back from the music industry helped her bring new creative projects to light.

lutruwita-based artist Emily Wurramara calls her new album Nara an exploration of her creativity and something "pretty vulnerable". Picture: supplied.

Moving to Tasmania has allowed award-winning artist Emily Wurramara to take a step back from the music industry and move into a new level of creativity for her second studio album.

The proud Warnindhilyagwa/Groote Eylandt woman moved to Tasmania in 2019 after she shot to fame through Triple J and was swept into the rush and constant movement of a growing music career and hungry industry.

Ms Wurramara describes her new home state as that peaceful sanctuary away from the hubbub of a busy career from her previous home in Meanjin/Brisbane.

“I’m obviously on a big island, but it makes me feel like I’m separated from all of the industry,” she said.

lutruwita/Tasmania-based artist Emily Wurramara has released her second studio album Nara, preparing for a national tour. Picture: Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore

“I get to just be a plant mum and garden and go for kayaks and it’s just so peaceful.

“I feel like as an artist, I need that separation to help me kind of get through things and to be able to come home and just be at peace and to be with my family and have family time – I feel very lucky.”

Tasmania has been the ultimate creative space for Ms Wurramara too, allowing her to complete years worth of work in the form of her new album Nara.

Nara is the Anindilyakwa, or Warnindhilyagwa/Groote Eylandt language word for nothing, a far cry from the highs and lows explored in the album.

“This was just an album where I wanted to explore my creativity, but also to show like collaboration and bring my community in, and just hone in on bringing everyone in that space and feeling like they’re welcome,” Ms Wurramara said.

“This album was quite a few years in the making, and I think throughout the process, from the songwriting to the demoing to getting in the studio and actually recording the songs, we tried to keep this authenticity throughout it.

Emily Wurramara Indigneous singer/songwriter who is now living in Tasmania. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“I just didn’t feel like it was the right time to release that kind of music, I really wanted to, not perfect myself as an artist, but to feel good about releasing these songs because of the many things that are spoken about across the record as well – it’s a pretty vulnerable record and it’s my own personal stories.”

Part of these stories include the birth of her daughter, struggles with mental health and the loss of her house in a fire in 2019.

Ms Wurramara said Tasmania has helped her to “heal in so many ways”, leading to her to launch Nara at Hobart music store Suffragette Records in late August.

She will also return to Tasmania for part of her national tour, stopping in Kanamaluka/Launceston on November 15 after beginning her tour in Whadjuk Noongar country/WA.

“It’s been a bit of a while since I’ve had a headline tour around the country, and I know a lot of people have been itching to come and watch and see the new music live,” she said.

“There’s nine stops in the tour and I really am excited to get back into that hectic tour life and just be out and proud about this music.”

Tickets to Emily Wurramara’s Nara Album Tour have gone on sale, with the tour stopping at the Royal Oak in Kanamaluka/Launceston on November 15.

Originally published as Artist Emily Wurramara talks settling in Tassie, new album and headline tour