Fabulous Baker Boy, Danzal Baker, a one song wonder

Danzal Baker made an impact with one song at his first National Indigenous Music Awards.

Danzal Baker performs as Baker Boy. Picture: Peter Eve.

Danzal Baker had just one song to his name when he performed at the National Indigenous Music Awards for the first time, but it was more than enough to make an impact.

“All the family was saying, ‘Hey, you pretty much dropped the bomb there, and just dis­appeared,’ ” Baker said.

“From there, everyone’s just been asking: is there more from Baker Boy?”

By now it’s clear the answer is a resounding yes. On Saturday night at the Darwin Amphitheatre, the hip-hop artist from northeast Arnhem Land — who raps in English and Yolngu Matha, his traditional language — returned to perform three songs and pick up two awards, including new talent of the year and best film clip.

The latter award for his song Marryuna was especially meaningful, as he accepted it while joined on stage by a couple of elders from his family who made guest appearances in the video. Directed by Daniel King, Marryuna has since attracted more than 320,000 YouTube views.

Danzal’s father, ­Josiah, and uncle Jeremiah performed as the original Baker Boys in the 1990s. The dancing brothers were well known in dance competitions throughout the Northern Territory for their explosive, innovative style. The younger Baker is continuing that tradition in front of crowds at music festivals such as Splendour in the Grass, where he performed last month.

Also on Saturday, Roger Knox was the newest entrant to the Nat­ional Indigenous Music Awards hall of fame, while Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was honoured with three awards a year after he died of kidney and liver diseases, aged 46. The ­singer, songwriter and multi-­instrumentalist was award­ed album of the year for Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow), song of the year for its title track, and artist of the year.

In April, Djarimirri became the first album sung entirely in indigenous language to debut atop the ARIA charts. “His music means so much to me, and it tells a story that I can relate to as well, as an indigenous man of Arnhem Land,” Baker said.