Locals Only #1 - Northern Territory

We highlight some of the most influential musicians and bands sprouted out of Northern Territory. Learn about change makers Youthu Yindi, R&B star Baker Boy, soul-pop artist Jessica Mauboy, beloved rockers King Stingray and hip-hop duo 3%.

Words Tobias Handke

Yothu Yindi

What to expect: A melding of traditional Indigenous instruments, contemporary rock and social commentary promoting respect, peace and togetherness, led by vocalist, dancer and bilma player Witiyana Marika alongside a revolving door of talented musicians.

Without Yothu Yinidi, there would be no Baker Boy, no Emily Wurramara, no Jessica Mauboy. Hands down one of the most influential Australian acts of all time, Yothu Yindi have been inspiring generations of artists for 40 years.

Consisting of members from the white rock group Swamp Jockeys (Todd Williams, Michael Wyatt, Cal Williams, Stuart Kellaway, Andrew Belletty) and the Yolngu folk group of Mandawuy Yunupingu, Witiyana Marika and Milkayngu Mununggur, Yothu Yindi merge traditional Indigenous dancing and instruments, such as the yidaki (didgeridoo) and bilma (clap stick), with modern gear like guitars and drums. They craft music that promotes respect, urging peace and harmony amongst all people, no matter their race or creed.

Yothu Yindi’s early popularity saw them touring with Midnight Oil across the US and signing with Mushroom Records before releasing their 1989 debut album, Homeland Movement. Recorded as a demo tape in one day, the album was a minor success and laid the groundwork for their 1991 sophomore record Tribal Voice, which featured their breakthrough hit single, ‘Treaty’. A punchy pop-rock number that soared up the charts thanks to a dance-favoured remix by Filthy Lucre, the track was written by the group with input from Paul Kelly and Peter Garrett.

Peaking at #11 on the ARIA Singles Chart, ‘Treaty’ was selected by the Australasian Performing Right Association as one of the top 30 Australian songs of all time, with its political and social message about unity between all Australians as important now as when it was released 35 years ago.

Since that breakthrough moment, Yothu Yindi have released a further four albums, with their most recent being 2000’s Garma. Despite the lack of new music, the group tours sporadically across the country with an ever-evolving lineup that includes a new generation of Indigenous artists continuing the legacy of the original group.

Baker Boy

What to expect: Rapid-fire raps, up-tempo beats and soaring pop hooks from Yolngu artist Baker Boy (29).

It’s been a massive eight months in the career of Yolngu rapper, dancer and vocalist Baker Boy. September saw him performing solo as part of the 2025 AFL Grand Final pre-match entertainment and on the didgeridoo alongside headliner Snoop Dogg before the release of his hotly anticipated sophomore album, DJANDJAY. Named after his late Grandmother and a Yolngu spirit figure, the record is Baker Boy’s most personal yet, showcasing his maturity as a songwriter, with the record tackling the failure of the 2023 Indigenous Voice referendum on ‘THICK SKIN’, the pressure of being on the road on ‘RUNNING LOW’ and prioritising his own happiness on ‘PEACEKEEPER’.

It’s safe to say Baker Boy has come a long way since his beginnings as a dancer with touring dance troupe Djuki Mala. Taking out triple j’s Unearthed National Indigenous Music Award in 2017, he followed up with a slew of well-received singles that got airplay on triple j while supporting the likes of Yothu Yindi, Dizzie Rascal, 50 Cent and A.B. Original.

Baker Boy’s debut album Gela dropped to much fanfare in 2021. The star-studded affair featured collabs with JessBV, G Flip, Uncle Jack Charles and more, along with production from the likes of former TZU member Pip Norman. Seven of the 14 tracks were released as singles, including fan fav ‘Cool As Hell’, with Baker Boy winning five ARIA Awards for Album of the Year, Best Solo Artist, Best Hip Hop Release/Rap Release, Best Mixed Album and Best Cover Art.

National tours followed, along with a performance at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, before he went back into the studio to record his second album, DJANDJAY. Released to rave reviews, Baker Boy has just finished touring the country in support of the album, with fans excited for the next chapter in his ever-evolving career.

Jessica Mauboy

What to expect: Soulful vocals, pop hooks and vibrant personality have helped Jessica Mauboy (36) become one of our nation’s biggest stars.

Whatever your thoughts are on reality television, without Australian Idol, we may have never gotten Jessica Mauboy – one of the most accomplished artists to have ever appeared on the show. Despite finishing second in the fourth season in 2006, Mauboy has established herself as not only a bona fide pop star but also an accomplished actress.

Born and raised in Darwin, Mauboy was still a teenager when she competed on Australian Idol, making it all the way to the end before losing to Irish singer Damien Leith. Two years later, she dropped her debut album Been Waiting, featuring her first number one single, ‘Burn’, and followed up in 2010 with the R&B-infused Get ‘em Girls. It was around this time that Mauboy began to flex her acting chops, scoring starring roles in musical comedies Bran Nue Dae and The Sapphires.

While her performances were well received, music continued to push Mauboy forward, with the former choir singer releasing her third album Beautiful in 2013 and going on to make history as the first non-European guest to perform solo at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2014, singing her single ‘Sea of Flags’ during the second semi-final in Denmark.

Demand for Mauboy’s talents increased, with the singer performing at the 2013 NRL Grand Final, 2014 Commonwealth Games Flag Handover Ceremony and the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup opening ceremony. Her Eurovision journey came full circle in 2018 when Mauboy was picked as the fourth artist from Australia to compete at the competition, performing the song ‘We Got Love’.

2019 was a major year in Mauboy’s career that saw the release of her latest album with Sony, Hilda. Sharing writing credits with a host of prolific songwriters and artists, Hilda went straight to the top of the charts, making it Mauboy’s first solo number one record.

Over 20 years into her journey, Mauboy has released five studio albums, 16 top twenty singles and garnered over 600 million streams across multiple platforms. A proud ambassador of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF), Mauboy spends time away in remote communities, shining a light on literacy issues. She remains a defining voice in Australian music whose legacy continues to grow.

King Stingray

What to expect: Aussie guitar rock has never been this much fun thanks to guitarist Roy Kellaway, vocalist and guitarist Dimathaya Burarrwanga, bassist Campbell Messer, drummer Lewis Stiles, and vocalist Ngalakan "Billy" Wanambi, the members of King Stingray.

If Yothu Yindi are the godfathers of Indigenous rock, King Stingray are their reckless offspring, a group bonded by friendship whose love for music and each other is plain for all to see. Describing themselves as "Yolŋu surf rock", King Stingray’s members hail from the Northern Territory and Queensland and include both Yolŋu (Aboriginal people of northeast Arnhem Land) and balanda (non-Indigenous) musicians. With connections to both Yothu Yindi and Warumpi Band, two of the most respected and influential bands from the NT, music makes up the DNA of King Stingray.

Similar to those who have come before them, the group combine Indigenous culture with modern rock, giving listeners an insight into what life is like in northeast Arnhem Land. Gaining traction with early singles ‘Hey Wanhaka’ and ‘Get Me Out’, the latter written about a family member getting lost in Melbourne, the group wasted no time recording their self-titled debut album in 2022. Reaching #6 on the ARIA Albums Chart, the album claimed an ARIA Award and the prestigious ARIA Music Prize, which included a cash prize of $30,000 to help the band with their next release.

King Stingray’s follow-up record, For the Dreams, arrived with much fanfare in 2024. The record received high praise from critics and spawned seven singles, with the band’s Roy Kellaway once again handling production duties. They also appeared on triple j’s Like a Version where they performed a cover of Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ that is arguably as impactful as the original.

Although original members Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu (lead vocals, bilma) and Yimila Gurruwiwi (yiḏaki, backing vocals) are no longer part of the band, the current lineup of founding members Roy Kellaway (guitar, backing vocals), Dimathaya "Dima" Burarrwanga (guitar, lead vocals, yiḏaki, bilma), Campbell Messer (bass, banjo, backing vocals), Lewis Stiles (drums, backing vocals) and latest addition Ngalakan "Billy" Wanambi (yiḏaki, backing and lead vocals, bilma) are excited for the future of King Stingray and album number three.

3%

What to expect: Conscious hip-hop combining lyrical fire with Atlanta beats is what 3%’s Nooky, Dallas and Lolesio deliver.

This group is one of the most dynamic hip-hop acts to emerge from the scene in recent years. Founded by rappers Nooky and Dallas Woods with vocalist Teon Lolesio (who recently joined after original singer Angus Field departed), 3% have earned a reputation for their unflinching, razor-sharp lyrics and sonically diverse beats.

Taking their name from the percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders living in Australia, 3% exploded into the social consciousness with their blistering 2023 debut single ‘Our People’, a track that samples The Presets’ anthem of the same name and addresses the mistreatment of refugees. The song had an immediate impact and got people to take notice, with 3% dropping their debut album Kill The Dead less than a year later.

The album’s cover art, created by Aboriginal artist Daniel Boyd, is a recreation of the moment AFL footballer Nicky Winmar lifted his shirt and pointed to his skin after being racially abused during a match in 1993. It encapsulates everything 3% stand for as proud First Nations men using music to get their message of protest across.

Kill The Dead made it to #12 on the ARIA Albums Chart and won two ARIA Awards for Best Hip Hop/Rap Release and Best Cover Art. The album cemented 3% as ones to watch, and the lads haven’t disappointed, releasing a slew of pumping singles last year before dropping their thought-provoking latest, ‘Welcome 2 County’, a gritty and raw exploration of the true history of Welcome to Country and its importance, featuring special guest, Darumbal and Tongan woman Mi-kaisha.

3% have also become a festival favourite, appearing at triple j’s One Night Stand, Treaty Day Out, Party In The Paddock, Summer Crawl, Vivid Sydney, Dreamtime at the ‘G, BASSINTHEGRASS and more. Their performances range from controlled chaos to introspective moments of gravitas, with 3% are one group everyone needs to see at least once.

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