Budjerah Slabb’s breakout year in music, with a little help from his mum
Few Australian singer-songwriters made a bigger impression in the past 12 months than this 19 year-old from a sleepy northern NSW town.
Few Australian singer-songwriters have made a bigger impression in the past 12 months than Budjerah Slabb, a 19 year-old Bundjalung descendant based at the NSW town of Fingal Head, just south of the Queensland border.
With only a handful of tracks to his name since his debut song Missing You was issued in October last year, his uniquely soulful voice has connected strongly with listeners across Australia and led to a deal with Warner Records in the US.
“Last year, before I put out my first song, I made a list of goals that I wanted to achieve in the next five to 10 years, and a lot of those boxes have been ticked in the first year,” he told The Australian with a laugh. “I just can’t believe it.”
Last month, Slabb – who records and performs under his birth name mononym, Budjerah – was nominated for five ARIA Awards including best artist and the Michael Gudinski breakthrough artist award.
As well, he’s a nominee in the best new talent category at the National Indigenous Music Awards, to be held as a virtual event on Sunday, while his video for Higher is a finalist for film clip of the year.
With only an acoustic guitar and his one-of-a-kind voice – which draws on his childhood influences of gospel and soul, blended with modern pop and R&B – Slabb has charmed crowds across the country on an interrupted national tour that began in May, and was only completed last month due to border restrictions.
On the road, he had just one companion: the woman who gave him life.
“It was just me and my mum, and my guitar,” he said. “We had to carry the merch boxes around everywhere. She helped me out on my clothes, and dressing nice to perform. I’m really bad at ironing.”
Plenty of teenage musicians would see a national tour as an opportunity to get away from mum and dad, but not Slabb.
“My parents are super supportive, and they’re pretty much responsible for everything: my dad taught me how to write,” he said. “They’ve always been there for me, supporting me and helping me on the right path. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do if it wasn’t for them.”
Ahead of the ARIA Awards on November 24, Slabb is among a handful of musicians to film a performance at the Sydney Opera House for an online contemporary music series named Liminal.
For these shows, the Joan Sutherland Theatre stage was radically transformed into a 360 degree blank canvas with a unique colour palette for the lighting of each performance.
“I’m a singer, and the Opera House? That’s where the greatest singers in the world go,” said Slabb.
“Joan Sutherland is one of the greatest singers in history, so for me to stand on a stage where she stood – and where many incredible singers stood – that’s really just a mind-flip for me,” he said. “Even though I’m not a classically trained singer – I grew up singing in church and with my family – it’s still really special.”
Slabb’s performance at the Sydney Opera House will begin Liminal’s three-week free streaming program from 8pm on Friday, followed by artists include Blessed, Liz Martin and Chris Abrahams.
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