ALNF’s newest ambassador Danzal Baker, better known as Baker Boy, has smashed the top position in the National Indigenous Music Chart with his hit song ‘Meditjin’.
Featuring NZ rapper JessB, the success of Meditjin is cause for huge celebration. It seamlessly blends English with Yolngu Matha – Baker Boy’s First Language – and provides important representation of Indigenous languages in popular culture.
“Music is the best meditjin, it brings everyone together, makes you want to dance, love, laugh, vibe and feel,” Baker Boy said to ABC News.
“I wrote Meditjin with just that in mind.”
A bold follow-up from his popular single ‘Cool as Hell’, which reached #44 on Triple J’s Hottest 100, Meditjin refuses to hold back.
It is fierce and confident, with lyrics like “I’m bilingual, I don’t mumble” and “I’m just a brother reppin’ Arnhem Land”.
“It’s so fun and energetic that it makes you want to dance and move,” he said.
“We added in the sounds of the Yidaki [Didgeridoo] which just topped it off.”
Baker Boy’s music is truly a dose of medicine to the Australian music scene, which has long suffered from a lack of linguistic diversity and underrepresentation of Indigenous voices. It’s a tune on repeat in the ALNF office.
“The crew that made this happen are unbelievable,” Baker Boy said in an Instagram post.
“Manymak Dhapirrk! Putting music out into the world is scary, but so rewarding, especially when you get this much love for it!”
Baker Boy will be playing at this year’s Splendour in the Grass festival. You can listen (and sing along) to Meditjin on Spotify.
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