Jessica Mauboy’s exciting new Top End venture
Aussie singer-songwriter Jessica Mauboy has returned to her home in the Northern Territory for an exciting new venture.
The 32-year-old has headed back to Larrakia country near Darwin to take on a new role supporting remote community artists, who are set to share their works and textiles at the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF) and related fashion shows later this year.
"It's a huge responsibility and I want to be able to share that message and be that role model that encourages mob to come out and to continue to share their story because it's important," she said.
"Their story is important."
As an ambassador for DAAF, Jessica has spent time touring remote art centres, but said she is happy to take a back seat and let the art speak for itself.
"From my point of view, from my lens, I'm being taught, I'm the listener," she said.
After two years off due to the pandemic, Indigneous artists from remote communities in Northern territory, as well as elsewhere in Australia, will be able to travel to share their art for the DAAF events in August.
This comes with a promise from the event's organisers to return all the profits to artists and their communities via local art centres, with the event taking no commission.
With her new role with the DAAF, Jessica Mauboy said she hopes to serve as a role model for young Indigenous Australians.
"I'm sure youth are facing a lot of challenges," she said.
"Just trust yourself and believe in yourself more, and that takes great courage and great bravery but once you do that, I think all else just falls into place."
"I'm still that Darwin bush kid who can be barefoot and just be."
Image credits: Getty Images