Song Nation 2012

The 2012 Song Nation Project culminated last week with a hugely successful launch at the Vibe Festival in Townsville QLD last week.  Young people from Ayr, Abergowrie, Cloncurry and Charters Towers travelled to Townsville to perform their ‘Song Nation’ productions, and to be a part of the world premiere of four music videos created by The Song Nation team over the last few months.

Toby Finlayson (Facilitator/ Artistic Director), Joel ‘Roc West’ Westlake (Composer/ Music Director) and Aunty Gail Mabo (Choreographer/ Mentor) travelled to Ayr State School (The Burdekin Crew) and to St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie (The Gowrie Boys) and also new recruits Cloncurry High School (The Curry All Sorts) and Richmond Hill Primary School (The Burrula Mob) to create four songs and music videos, in three days each!!!

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With an awesome crew on the ground, and amazing support from The Smugglers Of Light Foundation who partnered with Desert Pea Media and produced the project.  Huge thanks to Jan Westlake (Production Manager/ Tour Manager) and Nigel Westlake (Co-Composer/ Producer) for their support and enthusiasm, and making the journey possible…

The crown was just blown away by the performances at Vibe Townsville, the power and emotion on the new anthem ‘Take Me Home’ from The Gowrie Boys was a highlight.  The boys developed an amazing live performance including elements of theatre and traditional dance.  They also won the entire Festival.  Congrats to them

Check their video here

ALSO the The Burdekin Crew’s second release ‘Eyes Wide Open’, which talks about taking your opportunities and being proud of who you are.

ALSO the ‘Burrula Mob’ from Richmond Hill Primary School in Charters Towers, QLD.  Playtime’s Over…

ALSO the Curry All Sorts from Cloncurry QLD with ‘Kurithila Pride’.

DONT FORGET – Share the songs on social media, email them around.

Log on to Triple J Unearthed and rate/ comment on ALL the different songs from Song Nation, also other Desert Pea Media tracks…  It only takes 5 min!!!

Let’s get these stories on the radio!!!!!!

Updates – a new stage for ‘The Colli Crew’ + more

A Desert Pea Media team has been in North QLD for the past 2 weeks on The Song Nation Project), and having finally accessed internet, we are extremely pleased to announce the release of The Colli Crew’s long-awaited seventh single titled ‘Legends’  - Created as part of a hip hop mentoring program with Toby Finlayson and Joel Westlake.

The Colli Crew – a group of ‘razor-sharp rappers’ from Collarenebri in Northwest NSW, have had a very busy 12 months. Created as part of an ongoing mentoring program with Toby Finlayson and Matthew Priestley from Desert Pea Media, the songs  ‘Talk Of the Town’ and ‘Change the Game’ – have been played high rotation on Triple J and turned heads on Triple J Unearthed.

Not only that, but having won the 2012 Generation One ‘Hands Across Australia’ School Songwriting Competition, they have attracted invitations for The Colli Crew to perform around the country at events such as The ARIA Awards @ The Sydney Opera House (2011), Stylin’ Up Festival in Brisbane (2011) and The NAIDOC Ball at Darling Harbour.  Not to mention a nomination in the Australian Indigenous Hip hop (BUMP) Awards.  Suddenly, this crew of 12-15yr old kids from a small town near the NSW/QLD Border, are being noticed in a big way.

Collarenebri is Gamileroi Land.  Around 150kms from Moree  and Lightning Ridge, not too far from Walgett – red dirt country.   Since 2010, Toby Finlayson and Matthew Priestley from indigenous community media organisation, Desert Pea Media have been developing a grassroots mentoring program with young people at Collarenebri Central School. Participants learn a range of media skills such as film making, community research skills, storytelling, hip hop lyricism and music production to start a dialogue around local social and cultural issues, and create change for their community.

The Desert Pea Media process has developed over almost 10 years and directors Toby Finlayson and Matthew Priestley have big plans. Since the program began, participant attendance rates at school have increased by 70%.  Toby says “We use media as a tool of engagement for young people. We are creating popular culture such as film and music to engage people in community, culture and country.”

A short documentary was also produced around DPM’s work in Collarenebri as part of a integrated advertising campaign by the search engine Bing.

A 30 sec TVC was also created on Desert Pea Media’s work, and is currently running on Australian commercial television.

Other big news is the release of the recent Desert Pea Media hip hop fusion projects from Central West NSW and The Philippines…  Stand by.

Keep up to date – add Desert Pea Media on Facebook

The Colli Crew Perform to an audience of 26,000 people at the NRL Indigenous All-Stars Game

The Colli Crew have had a huge week rehearsing and preparing for their big show in front of 26,000 people in The Gold Coast, at the NRL Indigenous All – Stars  Game last Saturday night.

 

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The crew were invited to perform their latest track ‘The Time Is Now’ at quarter time at the main event.  They also performed twice at the Guard of Honour Ceremony, as well as playing a game of touch football against The Gold Coast Titans, who were very lucky to get away with a narrow win.

Toby Finlayson from DPM, producer Joel Westlake and dance choreographer Nathan Leslie joined the tour this time, having spent 4 days in Collarenebri working on The Colli Crew’s latest track titled ‘Heroes’, which is due for release in the very near future…

All performances were the best yet, and the students are rapidly developing a powerful live show.  A massive congratulations from the DPM for all your hard work and deserved success.  The Colli Crew continue to be an inspiration for all Australians!

Huge thank you to Ros McGregor, the Collarenebri Central School AEO for her strong support for the program, and her dedication to the Colli Crew.

The Gowrie Boys back with another track…

Pleased to announce the release of ‘We Belong’ by The Gowrie Boys. This is yet another outcome of an ongoing Desert Pea Media mentoring program with senior students from St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie QLD

First contact was established earlier in the year, as part of the Song Nation initiative in partnership with Vibe Australia and The Smugglers of Light Foundation. The Gowrie Boys produced their first track ‘The Brotherhood’, which won The Australian Indigenous Hip Hop (BUMP) Awards in the Urban Youth category.

Two weeks ago, DPM Director Toby Finlayson and new blood film maker Mitch O’Hearn spent 3 days at the school creating a new song which focuses on the challenges and threats associated with being a young indigenous man finishing at boarding school and paving a new path in the world.

The outcome is a really provocative, bold film clip directed by Mitch O’Hearn which pushes the work into a new category.

The clip has had over 800 views in one night – 600 of which come from overseas.

Please watch it, share it, spread the word…

 

 

The song has also been entered in the Triple J Unearthed Competition. Please follow this link to rate and comment on the song.

Let’s make sure these strong young men are heard. How often does the media show strong, capable, deadly, talented indigenous young men? Attack formation!!!! Let it be known!

Images to come….

Desert Pea Media wins the Generation One ‘Hands Across Australia’ Competition.

Congrats to the deadly ‘Colli Crew’ for taking out the Gen1 Song Comp last week, and winning $15,000 for their school.

See an article here on the awards

The song was created as part of an ongoing mentoring program with Toby Finlayson and students from Collarenebri Central School, which has developed over two years, and continues today.

 

 

2011 Indigenous Hip Hop BUMP Awards

Desert Pea Media has taken out the 2011 Indigenous Hip Hop BUMP Awards in the Urban Youth Category this year.

The awards were hosted by Redfern Records, this year in Adelaide.

The song was ‘The Brotherhood’ By The Gowrie Boys from St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie QLD.  The track was produced as part of the ‘Song Nation’ project – a partnership between Desert Pea Media, The Smugglers Of Light Foundation and Vibe Australia.

See the clip below…

‘The Brotherhood’ representing.

Here is the latest track from Desert Pea Media -

This hip hop track is an outcome from a project called ‘Song Nation’ — A collaboration between Toby Finlayson and Matthew Priestley from Desert Pea Media, The Smugglers Of Light Foundation, Vibe Australia and APRA/ AMCOS.

Created as part of a mentoring process with young people from St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie North QLD, the song was written as part of a unique process with Desert Pea Media and yr 12 students.

Song Nation culminated at The Vibe Festival in Townsville, where the young people were invited to screen their clips and perform in front of over 2,000 people. Look out for other clips on this channel soon.

Proudly supported by APRA/AMCOS

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