Gina Williams is rapidly gaining a reputation across Australia for bringing a fresh, modern take on ancient traditions; merging evocative sounds, natural acoustic instruments, poignant stories with that incredible, beautiful voice. The natural rhythms of the language are perfectly captured and represented, and there’s an onstage connection and charisma that comes from a gentle heart.
Australian Indigenous music Icon and National Treasure, Archie Roach, has likened Gina to being a modern day Edith Piaf, telling audiences that Gina “takes this old, old language, writes and sings these beautiful songs so that we in the audience cannot help but fall in love with the romance of it all.”
Gina is a Balladong daughter; one of the 14 clan groups which make up the Noongar nation, covering the south west corner of Western Australia. She also has links to the Kija people of the east Kimberley region of WA. This music is informed by an ancient culture and is drawn from a deep well of recent West Australian and an even deeper personal history. By of cial records, Noongar language is critically endangered (there are less than 400 recognised uent speak- ers left). Her mother and grandmother, both part of the stolen generations were never allowed to speak their languages. Gina wasn’t stolen, but was relinquished as a baby for adoption. Telling her story and singing these beautifully crafted songs in language is deeply personal.