Best of: From Nowra to ARIAs: Music, Culture, and the Path to Blak Excellence Part 2

In this Best Of episode, I revisit some of the most powerful moments from my yarn with Nooky — a conversation that moves between music, culture, grief, and survival. We reflect on the making of his album with 3%, including the collaborations that shaped it and the intention behind centring cultural history and awareness. The iconic album artwork featuring Nicky Winmar stands as a defining moment in the discussion — a symbol of resistance, strength, and truth-telling in the face of racism. Nooky also speaks candidly about his personal journey through grief and addiction, and how community became central to his healing. His commitment to creating space for mob is evident through initiatives like We Are Warriors and his film trilogy centred on the black cockatoo — stories grounded in mentorship, culture, and passing knowledge to the next generation. We also touch on friendship, connection, and shared cultural spaces, including his relationship with The Kid Laroi, highlighting how community and identity continue to shape Indigenous voices in music. This Best Of yarn is a reminder of the power of storytelling — and how resilience, culture, and music can be tools for change, advocacy, and collective strength. Links & Resources: We are Warriors - https://www.wearewarriors.com.au/ 3% - https://amnplify.com.au/first-nations-collective-3-nooky-dallas-woods-angus-field-share-new-single-video-wont-stop-feat-jessica-mauboy-ahead-of-debut-album-kill-the-dead/ Blakout with Nooky - https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/blak-out Website: www.blackmagicwoman.com.au Follow us on Instagram - @blackmagicwomanpodcast The Black Magic Woman Podcast is hosted by Mundanara Bayles and is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly Aboriginal guests and explores issues of importance to Aboriginal people and communities.  Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do. If you enjoyed this episode, please ‘Subscribe’ on Apple Podcasts or ‘Follow’ on your Spotify app and tell your friends and family about us! If you’d like to contact us, please email, [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.