Meet interdisciplinary artist Waari.
Tell us about yourself and your music.
I’m WAARI, a Kalkutungu, Waanyi, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Manu and Te Ātiawaartist working across sound, visual art, performance and storytelling. My practice is rooted in Blak futurism. Music has always been a way for me to hold space for uncomfortable truths, it’s where I process, dream, and honour my connection to who I am and where I come from. Through my practice, I aim to lift voices often unheard, creating space for Blak stories, presence and power in ways that are felt, seen, and remembered.
Tell us about the process of creating MUKI.
MUKI is my debut EP, released in November 2024. It’s a 5-track project that traces Blak life through cycles of birth, growth, loss, and renewal. This work is more than just a release — it’s a lifelong project. The stories I’m telling were born before I was. They speak to truths and experiences that would have resonated with many generations before me. MUKI is a continuation of my family’s legacy, passed down and now reimagined through music.
The visual artwork for the EP also plays an important role. I created it by etching into wood, and rolling it with ink, a process that mirrors the stories themselves: carved from history, layered with meaning, and pressed into something new. The piece visually references the EP’s title, MUKI, which is the Kalkutungu word for Gidgee Flower. The Gidgee tree grows across Kalkutungu Country and throughout so-called Australia. It’s known for its strength, used in both weaponry and medicine. In the artwork, you’ll see the shield, spears, boomerang, and serpent: powerful symbols of survival, protection, and transformation.
Creating the MUKI live show was just as important as creating the music itself. I worked closely with a team of eight collaborators to bring the songs to life as an immersive performance in Gimuy (Cairns) and Naarm (Melbourne). Through a series of workshops, we developed instrumentation, choreography, visuals, and transitions together. Everyone brought their own story, creativity, and strength into the space. It was a collective process filled with food, laughter, storytelling, challenges, and inspiration. Together, we shaped the live expression of MUKI into something emotionally rich, grounded in care, deep collaboration, and cultural revival.
How did the Music Works grant contribute to your project and what did it enable you to do?
The Music Works grant was essential as it allowed us to dedicate real time and energy into developing the MUKI live show with care. The funding meant I could pay collaborators properly for their work, support them with transport and catering, and create a safe and creative environment to experiment in.
It gave me the resources to think bigger, and the space to build a team around a shared vision. We were able to bring in a creative producer, mentor, run structured workshops, and test out visual and movement elements. It took the MUKI EP from a digital release to a powerful live experience that moved audiences deeply.
What’s next for you as an artist?
I’m excited to continue building from MUKI, both musically and thematically. This project has opened new doors for me in terms of live performance, choreography, and collaborative storytelling. I want to keep exploring these layers and working with other artists across disciplines.
I’m also starting to write new music, thinking about how sound and land can speak to each other in deeper ways. Touring MUKI more widely, refining the live show, and bringing it to new communities is definitely on the cards too. But mostly, I’m committed to creating space, for voice, for culture, and for futures that centre Blak joy, survival and imagination.
WAARI received a Music Works grant in 2024.