Carissa Nyalu

Mon 30 May 2022

Wuigada is a dedicated space where First Nations musicians can share and celebrate music made by other First Nations musicians with PBS audiences.

Wuigada was named and developed by the highly acclaimed indigenous singer songwriter, Kutcha Edwards. Wuigada in Mutti Mutti means 'to sing'.

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In this edition of Wuigada we hear from Yorta Yorta Dja Dja Wurrung singer/songwriter and storyteller Carissa Nyalu.

Carissa is based on Boonwurrung Country on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. She uses song as a medium to share stories.

Carissa expresses this through singing in language as well as taking you on a journey to a place where you can feel her deep connection to her ancestral roots.

Her love for being out on Country mixed with stories of her family and culture make for some raw and real acoustic songs that come straight from the soul.

We asked Carissa what she’s been doing recently:

‘I’ve been busy playing gigs for the Thin Green Line Foundation which involved supporting Dan Sultan down in Balnarring on the Mornington Peninsula and supporting John Butler up in Castlemaine.

I have also just released my second single, ‘Wanyarra’, which means water in Dja Dja Wurrung language. It is a song for all the different water ways, the salt water and fresh water, and also for the land and sky country too. I am currently in the process of recording my next single.

My next gig is supporting Lisa Mitchell on June 3 at the Westernport Hotel in San Remo.

Carissa Nyalu · Wanyarra

We also asked Carissa about a song that has had an impact on her:

‘Briggs' 'The Children Came Back' feat. Gurrumul & Dewayne Everettsmith. Being a Yorta Yorta woman myself, this song gives me so much pride. It gives me strength in who I am and with my grandma being a part of the Stolen Generations, I feel it so deeply.

We are excited to share Carissa Nyalu’s top songs for Wuigada:

Skinnyfish Sound System - ‘Smoking Ceremony' feat. B2M, Birdz & Tasman Keith