Ziggy Ramo has released his highly anticipated third album, Human?, a multifaceted project accompanied by a book and art exhibition.
The album follows his critically acclaimed 2020 debut Black Thoughts and his 2022 follow-up Sugar Coated Lies, which was named as one of Rolling Stone AU/NZ‘s 25 Best Australian Albums of 2023.
Building on the momentum of his hard-hitting singles “Shame” and “Banamba“, this album represents Ramo’s most personal and impactful work to date.
Human? features nine tracks that confront uncomfortable truths about colonialism, privilege, and identity in Australia.
The album’s centrepiece, “Sorry”, delivers an unfiltered look at the country’s past and present, featuring an excerpt from Kevin Rudd’s 2008 apology speech to Indigenous Australians.
Ziggy says of the album, “Human? is a record that is a labour of love. It is unlike any music I have made before. It is an offering of my most sincere reflections, stripped raw.”
“It took me years to refine and articulate this body of work and I am beyond grateful to share it with you all. It is harder to hurt someone when you know their story. Inside these 9 songs are a collection of my humanity. A reminder of who we are, and what is at stake. Thank you for coming on this journey”.
The tracklist includes reimagined acoustic versions of “April 25th” and “Stand for Something” from Ramo’s debut album Black Thoughts, alongside his 2021 rework of Paul Kelly’s “Little Things”.
Four new tracks explore different facets of Ramo’s identity as a Wik and Solomon Islander.
“Chameleon” delves into the multiple identities Ramo navigates in a marginalising society, while “Hopeless” reflects on family loss and inherited trauma. “Sorry” addresses Australia’s history of unfulfilled promises to Indigenous people, while “Human” strips everything back to its core, urging listeners to reconnect with their shared humanity.
The album concludes with the title track “Human,” which carries a powerful message:
“You and me, we aren’t so different We’ve been poisoned since we were children. You and me can make a difference If you’re scared to change, just be human again.”
Ziggy Ramo continues to be a powerful voice for change in Australian music and culture. Human? is available to stream now on all major streaming platforms.
