Decca Australia has released Gurrumul’s four ARIA-award winning studio on coloured vinyl. Dubbed the LEGACY EDITIONS, the reissued titles are Gurrumul, Rrakala, The Gospel Album, and Djarimirri (Child Of The Rainbow). Two of the albums (Rrakala and The Gospel Album) have been released on vinyl for the first time.
Creative Director of Skinnyfish Music, Michael Hohnen, says: “The vinyl production of the full set of studio albums of Gurrumul feels like a statement and testament to the quality of artist he was. The depth, beauty and alluring timelessness of his voice and songs is even more assured in this medium.”
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ABOUT GURRUMUL
Born blind, Dr G. Yunupingu – known universally as ‘Gurrumul’ – grew up as a member of the Gumatj clan on Elcho Island, off the coast of tropical North East Arnhem Land. His fragile but powerfully emotive voice affected the public in a way no other artist has done in this country. This unique Aboriginal man sang songs about identity, spirit and connection with the land, its elements and the ancestral beings he is related to. His high tenor voice and aura-like persona creates emotion, compassion and a feeling of peacefulness and longing with audiences in Australia and around the world.
Gurrumul emerged as a unique celebrity, whose music was said to ‘change the way you breathe’ (Brisbane Courier Mail, 2008), reforming the way people listened to and experienced his Yolngu cultural world through an accessible Western music style.
Gurrumul first came to attention when he released his eponymous debut to international claim. His angelic voice connected with listeners worldwide including Stevie Wonder and Sting. The debut album ‘Gurrumul’ has sold half a million copies worldwide, reaching Triple Platinum in Australia, his second solo album ‘Rrakala’ released in April 2011 has hit Platinum, and the cover of Rolling Stone magazine declared Gurrumul “Australia’s Most Important Voice” (Rolling Stone, April 2011).
In 2014, Gurrumul performed at an exclusive, intimate gathering for the G20 leaders, including Xi Jinping, François Hollande, Angela Merkel, Narendra Modi, Joko Widodo, Matteo Renzi, Shinzō Abe, Enrique Peña Nieto, Vladimir Putin, Crown Prince Salman, Jacob Zuma, Park Geun-hye, Ahmet Davutoğlu, David Cameron, Barack Obama, Herman Van Rompuy and Jean-Claude Juncker.
Gurrumul also performed for His Holiness Pope John Paul II, HRH The Queen of England, US President Barack Obama, Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary of Denmark, in addition to being one of only two Australian performers at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace, confirming this multi-ARIA award-winning musician’s place as an international star, capable of transcending cultural boundaries.
Gurrumul passed away on 25 July, 2017.