Skinnyfish Music Explained

Skinnyfish Music is a Darwin, Australia based independent record label. The label blends traditional Australian First Nations sounds, language, and instrumentation with modern western music genres.

History

Skinnyfish Music was co-founded in 1999 by Mark Grose and Michael Hohnen.^{[1] [2]} The label connects remote Indigenous communities to mainstream global music markets^{[3] [4]} through business development mentoring, education and promotion.^[5]

Skinnyfish undertake extensive community engagement around the production and cultural preservation of First Nations music, through consultation with the musicians, family members and community elders. They also support a model of fostering economic independence in their artists and encourage local music at community events.^[6]

In 2009 they struck a deal with Dramatico Entertainment for the Pan-European release of all the label's albums, after the success of "Gurrumul" across Europe ^[7]

Notable artists associated with Skinnyfish Music

• Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu^[8]
• Lonely Boys
• B2M (Bathurst to Melville)
• Saltwater Band
• Mark A Hunter, Songs from the Buffalo Country (2008)^[9]
• Nabarlek Band^[10]
• Ego Lemos, O Hele Le (2009)
• Wildflower Band
• Manuel Dhurrkay
• June Mills, I’ll be the One (2005)^[11]
• Mambali Band
• Tom E Lewis
• Dewayne Everettsmith

Community engagement

The label engages with Indigenous communities through touring music groups and artists to festivals, where the main message is of cultural pride, healthy lifestyle education^[12] and social change promotion.

The label has also been notable for its championing of fair compensation for artists.^[13]

Skinnyfish Music has played a significant role in addressing pressing social issues within remote Indigenous communities.^{[14] [15]}

Projects and festivals

• Galiwin’ku Festival - Healthy Lifestyle Festival started in 1998 and was managed by the Ngalkanbuy Health Clinic.^[16]
• Barunga Festival - A celebration of remote Indigenous community life, held annually on the Queen's birthday long weekend June in the small community of Barunga.^[17]
• Darwin International Jazz & Arts Festival^[18] - held on one night in July (the Dinidjanggama heavy dew season) of Garramilla, Gulumoerrgin, Larrakia country^[19] Initiatied by Skinnyfish Music in 2023.^[20]
• Skinnyfish Sound System - Modern Tribal Late Night Dance Party^[21] bringing indigenous musicians from remote Australia to remix their traditional songs to popular beats^[22]

Awards and recognition

• 2013 - Grose and Hohnen awarded Australian of the Year for the Northern Territory.^[23]
• 2018 - Outstanding Achievement Award, Australian Independent Record Awards.

External links

• Skinnyfish Music Label

Notes and References

1. Web site: Mark Grose and Michael Hohnen Australian of the Year . 2024-10-20 . australianoftheyear.org.au . en.
2. Web site: About Skinnyfish . 2024-10-20 . en-AU.
3. Web site: Skinnyfish Music - taking an ancient culture to the world . 2024-10-20 . TAG Touring . en.
4. News: 2017-07-18 . Arnhem Land band share stage with Queens of the Stone Age . 2024-10-20 . ABC News . en-AU.
5. Web site: Australian Performing Arts Market . 2024-10-20 . Australian Performing Arts Market . en.
6. News: 2017-12-17 . Christmas party kicks off Palmerston school holiday program . 2024-10-20 . ABC News . en-AU.
7. Tucker . K . 23 January 2010 . THE DEAL MAKERS . Billboard . 122 . 3.
8. News: 2024-08-08 . Australian music would not be the same without the National Indigenous Music Awards . 2024-10-20 . ABC News . en-AU.
9. Web site: 2021-10-26 . "He encapsulates Old Darwin": the music of Mark A Hunter . 2024-10-20 . ABC listen . en-AU.
10. Web site: 2021-09-21 . "The garage band without a garage": The story of Nabarlek . 2024-10-20 . ABC listen . en-AU.
11. Barney . Katelyn . 2006 . 'Women singing up big': the growth of contemporary music recordings by Indigenous Australian women artists . Australian Aboriginal Studies . 1 . 50.
12. News: Skinnyfish musos and NT remote communities- ackle Covid19 awareness with popular song campaign . NT News.
13. Web site: Davies . Brynn . 2018-07-27 . AIR Awards winners Skinnyfish and Milk! Records show independent sector is thriving in the face of digital disruption . 2024-10-20 . The Music Network.
14. News: 2019-05-18 . Skinnyfish Music celebrates 20 years of powerful voices . 2024-10-20 . ABC News . en-AU.
15. Web site: 2021-11-02 . "They wanted to be role models": The story of Tiwi Islands band B2M . 2024-10-20 . ABC listen . en-AU.
16. Web site: Galiwin'ku Festival Skinnyfish . 2024-10-20 . en-AU.
17. Web site: Barunga Festival Skinnyfish . 2024-10-20 . en-AU.
18. Web site: Darwin International Jazz & Arts Festival Skinnyfish . 2024-10-20 . en-AU.
19. Web site: 2023-07-22 . Darwin International Jazz & Arts Festival . 2024-10-20 . City of Darwin Darwin Council, Northern Territory . en.
20. News: 2023 . Darwin International Jazz Festival to feature musicians, artists, cartoonists and music for dogs . NT News.
21. Web site: 2019-01-18 . Skinnyfish Sound System triple j Unearthed . 2024-10-20 . www.abc.net.au . en.
22. Web site: 2017-08-23 . Skinnyfish Sound System: traditional Aboriginal music gets the electronic treatment . 2024-10-20 . ABC Radio National . en-AU.
23. Web site: Recipients By the Year - Australian of the Year . 2024-10-20 . australianoftheyear.org.au.