Six times winners, Indigenous Act of the Year at the West Australian Music Industry Awards, Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse use their music and performances to highlight one of the most beautiful and rare languages on the planet; the Noongar language of the southern corner of Western Australia.

 

Bringing ancient language, contemporary music, stunning vocals, poignant stories and guitar brilliance, Gina and Guy have made it their mission to become agitators for a hopeful future, by rewriting the script through song. Because the only way to address intergenerational trauma is to bring healing and invite everyone back to the campfire.

 

But rather than talk about it, they’d much rather allow their performances and the power of the music they create speak for itself.  Because even though there are less than 400 speakers of Noongar language left, their work has always been about what connects us. You don't need to understand the words; love, loss, joy all means the same things no matter how you say it.

 

Since 2014, they have released four albums, two books, two works for the Perth Festival (Koorlangka and Koort) and an Opera (Koolbardi wer Wardong). They toured the UK in October and November and will be premiering their latest Opera, Wundig wer Wilura (commissioned by the West Australian Opera) in 2024.

 

Their welcome song Wanjoo, has reached over 1 million people and has been translated into a number of other languages around the world.

 

“...Gina Williams, she’s like a modern Edith Piaf: she takes this old, ancient language and she makes it beautiful and we all fall in love with it.”

Archie Roach, Singer-songwriter

 

Highlights:

 

- Winners, Indigenous Act of the Year, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 & 2022 West Australian Music Industry Awards

 

- Gina awarded Member of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours

 

- Historic commissioning by WA Opera to compose and perform in the original opera Koolbardi wer Wardong (Magpie and Crow) – the first Noongar language opera.

 

- Gina and Guy’s second opera “Wundig wer Wilura” is set to debut in Perth in 2024

 

- Opening night act and Festival Patrons for the inaugural Perth International Cabaret Festival

 

- Performed at the opening of the refurbished WA Art Gallery in October

 

- 600+ school Noongar language singing workshops

 

- Release of their songbook “Kalyakoorl, Ngalak Warangka Forever We Sing” through Magabala Books in September 2021

 

- Guy awarded Best Guitarist Award at the 2020 WA Music Awards.