Baker Boy’s big news: Second album release date announced

The Territory’s ARIA-Award winner, Baker Boy, aka Danzal Baker, has capped off this week’s release of his third single with more big news. Read what it is.

Baker Boy will release his second album in October. DJANDJAY.

The Territory’s ARIA-Award winner, Baker Boy, aka Danzal Baker, has capped off this week’s release of his third single with more big news - he is releasing his much awaited second album in October.

His third single, ‘LIGHTNING ft. REDD.,’ received its first play on triple j Drive and has an accompanying official video, co-directed by Jordan Ruyi Blanch and Aurie Indianna.

The cultural trailblazer and proud Yolŋu artist has named his second album after his late grandmother, DJANDJAY.

Following the acclaim of his five x ARIA Award-winning debut album Gela, including Album of the Year, DJANDJAY is being hailed as Baker Boy’s most emotionally layered and creatively evolved work yet - rooted in culture and shaped by personal growth.

Where Gela introduced the Baker Boy, DJANDJAY is a statement of resilience, identity, and the Territory artist’s transformation.

Baker Boy wins Best Hip Hop Rap Release at the 2022 ARIA Awards at the Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“Throughout the making of this album, I kept joking that Baker Boy was growing up and becoming Baker Man,” the popular Territorian said.

“But I think it’s true, I’ve grown up a lot as a person in the last few years since Gela, but also became a lot more intentional and focused on what I wanted out of my music and career.

“I think this album has all of the things Baker Boy is known for, it’s playful and fun but has a more mature twist on it.

“I’ve explored some different sounds and different energies and really focused on what I want out of my music rather than trying to be what people want me to be.

“Baker Boy has always had this positive reputation and that’s still there, but also like I guess I’m getting into the more real side of things, some darker, grittier feelings and letting that come out in my music more.”

DJANDJAY also draws on the Yolŋu spiritual figure of the same name: a guiding octopus spirit that leads souls forward. That dual legacy flows through the record, which fuses ancestral influences with cutting-edge global production.

“DJANDJAY feels like a new space for me — more mature, more elevated,” Baker Boy said.

“This is my strongest, most powerful work yet”

Australian hip-hop MC Baker Boy, aka Danzal Baker, in a still image from 'Burn Gently', a documentary about Australian hip-hop music released in 2023. Picture: supplied

On the new single LIGHTNING co-written with REDD. and longtime collaborators Rob Amoruso and Pip Norman, Baker Boy smoothly switches between Yolŋu Matha, English and Burarra — his mother’s language from Maningrida.

“Sonically, LIGHTNING is a lighter moment on DJANDJAY, the production is bouncy and playful and REDD. brings this catchy hook,” he said.

“It has this kind of cheeky arrogance to it, but during the writing process, I was touching on the pressures and expectations I feel to kind of be this perfect role model and I guess coming to terms with not being able to make everyone happy.

“People are always going to have opinions about how you do things and yeah this feeling that I could do more, be more, but being able to look past the noise, the jealousy and just being true to myself and protecting my peace”

The official video for ‘LIGHTNING ft. REDD.’ is the third in a five-part visual series filmed within the historic Werribee Mansion.

WATCH VIDEO – https://s.disco.ac/abowxbzrehod

Originally published as Baker Boy’s big news: Second album release date announced