It’s NAIDOC Week 2023, and Apple Music has partnered with several acclaimed First Nations artists to curate and share new playlists to mark the occasion.
Each artist took creative control to create their special playlist, one that speaks to this year’s NAIDOC Week theme of “For Our Elders.” Their playlist joins Apple Music’s First Nations collection of playlists dedicated to showcasing vital First Nations stories and artists, including FIRST, MOTHER, BLAKLIST, and ALWAYS.
One of the chosen artists is Emma Donovan, who was excited to celebrate the NAIDOC Week theme. “I’ve chosen some of the iconic songs that our Elders have left, chosen mostly with the messages and strong advice for generations, songs that amplified their voice to lead the way, songs that have given power today to a new younger voice,” she explains.
“First Nations artists wouldn’t exist today if it weren’t for most of these tunes that we had the honour of hearing in our homes, through our mothers fathers and grandparents.”
The singer-songwriter chose 25 songs for her playlist, including Joe Gaia’s “Yil Lull”. “This is one of the most celebrated songs of our time, written around the time the Aboriginal flag was designed, it unified all Aboriginal people,” Donovan says of her choice. She also selected “Black Man’s Rights” by No Fixed Address, hailing it as “a song for the ages.”
You can check out Donovan’s full Apple Music playlist below. Donovan also combined wonderfully with Kee’ahn this week on new single “Take No More”, the debut single for the Singing Out Futures program, The Archie Roach Foundation’s mentoring experience that helps emerging First Nations artists on their songwriting and recording journeys.
