Budjerah is Australia’s rising homegrown R&B star. Possessing a heart-wrenching voice, songwriting ingenuity and old-soul wisdom, it quickly became abundantly clear that he was the kind of artist that the nation had been missing. He demonstrates talent and hunger in abundance, from his debut single ‘Missing You’ to his self-titled debut EP.
Having since won Breakthrough Artist at the ARIA Awards, where he was nominated in five categories, Budjerah is ready to make an equally compelling introduction to UK audiences when he releases his new EP ‘Conversations’ on April 8th. The 20-year-old Coodjinburra
‘What Should I Do?’ makes an instant impression. Budjerah’s emotive lyricism explores loneliness and alienation, his words providing a powerfully tense counterpoint to its electro/R&B sound. His topline is supported by Tones and I producerKonstantin Kersting’s trademark synths, which are rendered here with a warped, almost vaporwave-like patina as they glide beneath.
Budjerah says, “The lyrics for ‘What Should I Do?’ came really easily, The inspiration came a few weeks earlier. I noticed that my friends weren’t really texting me or calling me; they had sort of pushed me to the side. I was real sad because I didn’t have any friends, and didn’t know what to do.”
The ‘Conversations’ EP sees Budjerah emerging as a clear-eyed young songwriter who’s at turns heartbreaking and heartbroken, lovelorn and headstrong, singing about changing friendships and relationships with the vigour of youth and an exposed depth that belies his age. Reunited with long-term producers Matt Corby and Chris Collins, the EP reveals a darker, sleeker sound for Budjerah, reflective of the changes that have occurred in his life. One of its key tracks is ‘Talk’, a collaboration with MAY-A that deals with themes of communication and clarity – a concept that is a recurring motif throughout the EP.
Budjerah adds, “This EP is about realising that this stuff that’s happening is good for me. I’ve learned and I actually have grown up a little bit since the first EP. It’s a lot of feeling: so much has happened and it’s been a lot to process at the same time, good stuff and bad stuff. ‘Conversations’ is a way to understand those feelings.”
Budjerah will play his debut London headline show at the Jazz Café before hitting The Great Escape and then supportingVance Joy at Koko. He will also tour Europe and North America this summer, before playing two major festivals back home in Australia: Splendour in the Grass and Gang of Youths’ festival A More Perfect Union. His UK shows are:
MAY
10th – London, Jazz Café (headline show)
13th – Brighton, The Great Escape
22nd – London, Koko (with Vance Joy)
