Emma Donovan (born 1981) is an

Aboriginal Australian Aboriginal Australians are the various indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, excluding the ethnically distinct people of the Torres Strait Islands. Humans first migrated to Australia 50,000 to 65,000 year ...

singer and songwriter. She is a member of the renowned musical Donovan family. She started her singing career at age seven with her uncle's band, the Donovans. In 2000, she became a founding member of

Stiff Gins The Stiff Gins are an Indigenous Australian band from Sydney. They call their music "acoustic with harmonies" and are regularly compared to Tiddas (band), Tiddas. The band was formed by Emma Donovan, Nardi Simpson and Kaleena Briggs in 1999, af ...

, leaving the band three years later to release the solo album ''Changes'' in 2004. She performs with

the Black Arm Band Black Arm Band is an Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander music theatre organisation. History The organisation was founded in late 2005 by Steven Richardson and has produced seven large-scale productions since its debut performance a ...

and released a solo EP, ''Ngaaraanga'', in 2009. She has been nominated for multiple

Deadly Awards The Deadly Awards, formally titled National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music, Sport, Arts and Community Awards and commonly known simply as The Deadlys, was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander a ...

including Female Artist of the Year,Deadly Vibe Issue 104, October 2005
Xpress Delivery and performed at the opening of the 2004 Olympic Torch Relay. She won Best Female Artist at the 2009 BUMP Awards. Donovan appeared in the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

series ''Dynasties'' in 2004,Dynasties: Episode 5
The Donovan family and was the subject of the 2005

SBS TV SBS TV (Seoul Broadcasting System Television) is a South Korean free-to-air television channel operated by Seoul Broadcasting System. The channel was launched on 9 December 1991. Unlike competing network MBC, SBS operates using a federalized ...

documentary ''Emma Donovan: Gumbainggir Lady''. Donovan has sung with and performed with

Indigenous Australian Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to History of Australia (1788–1850), British colonisation. The ...

musicians such as

Frank Yamma Frank Yamma (born ) is an Aboriginal singer and songwriter from Central Australia. He is a Pitjantjatjara man who speaks five languages and sings in both Pitjantjatjara and English. Yamma is the son of Isaac Yamma, an early artist who pioneere ...

, her cousin Casey Donovan,

Archie Roach Archibald William Roach (8 January 1956 – 30 July 2022) was an Australian (Gunditjmara and Western Bundjalung people, Bundjalung) singer-songwriter and Aboriginal Australian, Aboriginal activist. Often referred to as "Uncle Archie", Roach wa ...

and

Ruby Hunter Ruby Charlotte Margaret Hunter (31 October 195517 February 2010), also known as Aunty Ruby, was an Aboriginal Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist, and the life and musical partner of Archie Roach. Early life Ruby Hunter was born on 31 ...

, Kerriane Cox,

Christine Anu Maia Christine Anu (born on 15 March 1970) is an Australian singer-songwriter and actress of Torres Strait Islander origin. She gained popularity with the cover song release of the Warumpi Band's song " My Island Home" in 1995. Anu has been no ...

, Tiddas,

Yothu Yindi Yothu Yindi (Yolŋu Matha, Yolngu for "child and mother", pronounced , natively ) are an Australian musical group with Australian Aboriginal, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal members, formed in 1986 as a merger of two bands formed in 1985 – a wh ...

and

Jimmy Little James Oswald Little, AO (1 March 19372 April 2012) was an Australian Aboriginal musician, actor and teacher, who was a member of the Yorta Yorta tribe and was raised on the Cummeragunja Reserve, New South Wales. Little started his professi ...

. She has also performed with Paul Kelly,

Ursula Yovich Ursula Yovich is an Aboriginal Australian actress and singer. She is known for numerous stage appearances, for co-writing and appearing in the rock musical '' Barbara and the Camp Dogs'' (2017), and several film and TV appearances. Early life ...

, and

Shellie Morris Shellie Morris is an Indigenous Australian singer/songwriter who plays a mix of contemporary folk music and contemporary acoustic ballads. Biography and career Shellie Morris was raised in Sydney and began singing at an early age. She often per ...

Early life and education

;Heritage Donovan was born in 1981 in

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

, a suburb of Sydney. Her father, Neville Councillor, is from

Geraldton Geraldton (Wajarri language, Wajarri: ''Jambinu'', Wilunyu language, Wilunyu: ''Jambinbirri'') is a coastal city in the Mid West (Western Australia), Mid West region of Western Australia, north of the state capital, Perth. As of the , Geraldt ...

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

, and is of Naaguja and

Yamatji Yamatji (or Yamaji) is a Wajarri word that has at least two different meanings: * a member of the Wajarri people * any Aboriginal Australian from the Murchison region of Western Australia. Yamatji peoples were involved in a large native tit ...

heritage. Her mother, Agnes Donovan, is a

Gumbaynggirr The Gumbaynggirr people, also rendered Kumbainggar, Gumbangeri and other variant spellings, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Mid North Coast of New South Wales. Gumbathagang was a probable clan or sub-group. The traditional lands of th ...

/ Danggali woman from the Nambucca Valley on the north coast of

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

, where Emma was raised. ;Music Donovan's musical singing career started at a young age. Her grandparents Micko and Aileen Donovan, years before her birth, founded the Aboriginal country band The Donovans, which consisted of their five sons and daughter Agnes singing at local events. Donovan's uncles still perform as the Donovan Brothers band. At the age of seven, she began periodically singing with the Donovans. Her family and mother Agnes encouraged and supported her singing, Agnes taking her to talent competitions around the country. Agnes also helped develop Aboriginal showcases at the

Tamworth Country Music Festival The Tamworth Country Music Festival is an annual Australian music festival held for 10 days from Friday to Sunday in mid to late January each year, sometimes including Australia Day, in Tamworth, New South Wales, Tamworth, New South Wales. The f ...

in the late 1990s, in which Donovan took part. ;Education Donovan's family moved frequently, and she attended multiple schools in

and WA, with an extended time spent at North Newtown Primary. In 1997, at age sixteen, Donovan was studying contemporary music at the Eora College for Performing Arts in

Chippendale, New South Wales Chippendale is a small inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on the southern edge of the Sydney central business district, in the Local government in Australia, local government area of the City of Sydney. Chippendale is locate ...

. The school was founded to provide education for Indigenous students. She began branching out from

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

, exploring

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

and R&B as well.

Musical career

1999–2003: Stiff Gins

In late 1999, Donovan formed the vocal acoustic band

with

Nardi Simpson Nardi Simpson (born 1975) is an Aboriginal Australian musician and writer of the Yuwaalaraay people. She is a founding member of the Indigenous folk group Stiff Gins. Her debut novel, '' Song of the Crocodile'', was published in 2020. Early l ...

and Kaleena Briggs after meeting at the Eora College. They released their first EP, ''Soh Fa'', on

Sony Records Sony Records was a record label founded by R&B duo Ike & Tina Turner in 1963. It was not affiliated with Sony Group Corporation. Ike Turner produced singles by members of the Kings of Rhythm and the Ikettes on Sony Records. Records on the la ...

in 2000. Donovan co-wrote their second release, the full album ''Origins''. The group won two

;

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

for Most Promising New Talent and in

2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...

for Best Single Release for "Morning Star". After touring both nationally and internationally, Donovan left the group in 2003 to work on solo material with industry professionals.

2004–2006: ''Changes''

In 2004, she was the subject of SBS documentary Gumbaynggirr Lady and opened the 2004 Summer Olympics torch relay. Later that year, she toured in

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

for the ''Indigenous Australia Now'' exhibition prior to the

2004 Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (), and officially branded as Athens 2004 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 13 to 29 August 2004 in Athens, Greece. The Games saw 10,625 athletes ...

. That year she also performed at the 10th Festival of Pacific Arts in

Palau Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island country in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the western Pacific Ocean. The Republic of Palau consists of approximately 340 islands and is the western part of the Caroline Islands ...

. In 2004, Donovan released her debut solo album ''Changes''. The Sydney launch of the album was well received. The style was a blend of soul, gospel, and reggae, with country undertones. In 2005, Donovan embarked on an Australian tour to promote the album. In 2007, Wendy Martin of the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue Performing arts center, performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive b ...

stated: "Emma is one of the most requested artists on Koori Radio 93.7FM since the release of her CD ''Changes'', and is fast becoming one of the most popular live performers in Sydney." In 2006 she performed at the Perth Festival of the Arts, the Australian Performing Arts market in

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

, the

Waitangi Day Waitangi Day (, the national day of New Zealand, marks the anniversary of the initial signing—on 6 February 1840—of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty of Waitangi was an agreement towards British sovereignty by representatives of the The Cr ...

Ceremony in

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

, and The Dreaming Festival in

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

. She also made a short tour to Paris. In 2006, Donovan recorded three songs with longtime writing partner Yanya Boston, a drummer she had met while performing with the Stiff Gins. She also worked with Rob Wolf and Adam Ventoura. Among the songs were "Lonely" and "He's Just A Kid." At the time she was a participant in the Music NSW industry program ''Which Way''.

2007–2012: The Black Arm Band and ''Ngarraanga''

In 2007 she performed at the WOMADELAIDE festival, various festivals in

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

, and the

with the

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is an Australian orchestra based in Melbourne. The MSO is resident at Hamer Hall. The MSO has its own choir, the MSO Chorus, following integration with the Melbourne Chorale in 2008. The MSO relies on fun ...

. In 2007, Donovan was invited to become a member of

. The travelling group performed a stage musical called ''Murundak/Alive – The Black Arm Band'', which reproduced iconic songs of the Aboriginal resistance movement. The show toured England and Canada to great acclaim. The cast consists of a rotating line-up of Australian Indigenous musicians, and in 2007 ''murundak'' won the

Helpmann Award The Helpmann Awards are accolades for live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia (LPA) since 2001. The annual awards recognise achievements in the disciplines of musical theatre ...

for Best Contemporary Music Concert. Simultaneously while working on ''Murundaki'', Donovan was working on material with drummer Yanya Boston. The pair co-wrote the single "Ngarranga – Remember", intended as a prayer to acknowledge the

Stolen Generations The Stolen Generations (also known as Stolen Children) were the children of Aboriginal Australians, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian Gover ...

experience. It was initially released on the Kimberly Stolen Generation Corporation's 2007 compilation CD ''Cry Stolen''. By April 2008, Donovan was working with industry veteran Vicki Gordon of VGM Media and Marketing. Together they created a gospel remix of the single "Ngarranga – Remember," along with four other songs to create a five track EP. The EP, ''Ngarraanga'' (Remember), or ''Ngarraanga Ngiinundi Yuludarra'' (Remember Your Dreaming), is intended as a tribute to the Stolen Generations. The songs include Donovan's traditional language, as well as spoken words from her Uncle Harry Buchanan and backing vocals from

Gary Pinto Gary Pinto is an Australian singer, songwriter and musician and was the lead singer of dance group, CDB. Early life Gary Pinto is an Australian musician of Anglo-Indian descent. His parents were from Chennai and members of a minority Christia ...

and Juanita Tippins. The EP was released by MGM on

National Sorry Day National Sorry Day, officially the National Day of Healing, is an event held annually in Australia on 26 May commemorating the Stolen Generations. It is part of the ongoing efforts towards Reconciliation in Australia, reconciliation between Ind ...

on 26 May 2009. A music video to accompany the "Ngarranga" single was filmed at Carriageworks performance space in

Redfern, New South Wales Redfern is an Southern Sydney, inner southern suburb of Sydney located south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Local government in Australia, local government area of the City of Sydney. Strawberry Hills is a locality ...

, starring Donovan and Torres Strait Islander dancer Albert David. It is interwoven with archival footage. In October 2009 at the

Melbourne International Arts Festival Melbourne International Arts Festival, formerly Spoleto Festival Melbourne – Festival of the Three Worlds, then Melbourne International Festival of the Arts, becoming commonly known as Melbourne Festival, was a major international arts festi ...

, Donovan performed in the world premiere of the

musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatre, theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, ...

production of ''

Dirtsong Black Arm Band is an Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander music theatre organisation. History The organisation was founded in late 2005 by Steven Richardson and has produced seven large-scale productions since its debut performance a ...

'', created by Black Arm Band. The songs were written by

Alexis Wright Alexis Wright (born 25 November 1950) is an Aboriginal Australian writer. She is best known for winning the Miles Franklin Award for her 2006 novel '' Carpentaria''. She was the first writer to win the Stella Prize twice, in 2018 for her "colle ...

, with some sung in

Indigenous languages An indigenous language, or autochthonous language, is a language that is native to a region and spoken by its indigenous peoples. Indigenous languages are not necessarily national languages but they can be; for example, Aymara is both an indigeno ...

. The show was reprised as the closing show at the 2014

Adelaide Festival The Adelaide Festival of Arts, also known as the Adelaide Festival, an arts festival, takes place in the South Australian capital of Adelaide in March each year. Started in 1960, it is a major celebration of the arts and a significant cultural ...

. Other performers included

Trevor Jamieson Trevor Jamieson (born 7 March 1975) is an Aboriginal Australian stage and film actor, playwright, dancer, singer and didgeridoo player. Early life Trevor Jamieson was born on 7 March 1975 in Subiaco, Western Australia (WA). He grew up in th ...

(2014 only),

Lou Bennett Lou Bennett (May 18, 1926, Philadelphia – February 10, 1997, Paris) was an American jazz organist. Bennett first played bebop on piano, but started playing organ in 1956 after hearing Jimmy Smith. Bennett toured the U.S. with an organ trio bet ...

, and

Paul Dempsey Paul Anthony Dempsey (born 25 May 1976) is an Australian musician. He is best known as the lead singer, guitarist and principal lyricist of rock group Something for Kate. Dempsey released his debut solo album, '' Everything Is True'', on 20 A ...

. Donovan performed at the

2010 Winter Olympics The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Vancouver 2010 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held from February 12 to 28, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with ...

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

, Canada.

2013–2021: Emma Donovan & The PutBacks

In 2013, Donovan started performing with The Putbacks, a funk / soul band based in

, as Emma Donovan & The PutBacks. They have toured together and recorded several songs and albums. Their debut album ''Dawn'' was released November 2014, ''Crossover'' in November 2020, and ''Under these Streets'' in September 2021.

2022–present

In January 2022, Donovan released a cover of

's "Get back to the Land" with

The Teskey Brothers The Teskey Brothers are an Australian blues rock band from Melbourne, named after the two brothers who formed the group in 2008: Josh Teskey (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Sam Teskey (lead guitar). In 2019, they signed with Glassnote Records and ...

. In November 2022, she collaborated with other First Nations artists

DOBBY Dobby may refer to: People * Steve Dawson (born 1952), English bass guitarist nicknamed "Dobby" * Dobby Dobson, Jamaican reggae singer and record producer Highland Ralph Dobson (1942–2020) * Dobby Gibson (born 1970), American poet * Doris Do ...

Emily Wurramara Emily Wurramara is an Indigenous Australian singer and songwriter. At the 2024 ARIA Music Awards, she won the ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album, making her the first Indigenous woman to ever win in this category. Early life Emily W ...

, Drmngnow, and

Optamus Scott Griffiths, better known by the stage name Optamus, is one of the MCs of the Perth-based Australian hip-hop group Downsyde and member of WA's Syllabolix Crew. Optamus is also the name of Griffiths' solo project. Music career Downsyde Grif ...

to create a song in memory of

Cassius Turvey Cassius Turvey was a 15-year-old Aboriginal Australian boy who was assaulted on 13 October 2022 in Perth, Western Australia, and died ten days later of his injuries. His death sparked vigils and rallies across Australia and internationally. Four ...

, a

Noongar The Noongar (, also spelt Noongah, Nyungar , Nyoongar, Nyoongah, Nyungah, Nyugah, and Yunga ) are Aboriginal Australian people who live in the South West, Western Australia, south-west corner of Western Australia, from Geraldton, Western Aus ...

boy who had died at the age of 15 the result of an assault by a random attacker when walking home from school in

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

, Western Australia. The song, titled "Forever 15", was played at Turvey's funeral on 18 November 2022 funeral and released three days later on 21 November 2022. In July 2023, Donovan released "Take No More" with Kee'Ahn. In February 2024, Donovan announced the release of her fifth studio album, ''Til My Song is Done'', scheduled for release on 19 April 2024.

Musical style

Donovan's singing and songwriting frequently blend

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...

smooth soul Smooth soul is a fusion genre of soul music that developed in the early 1970s from soul, funk, and pop music in the United States. The fusion genre experienced mainstream success from the time of its development to the late 1970s, before its succ ...

roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusin ...

, and

. Her work with the soul / funk-influenced Putbacks has been likened to Aretha Franklin's

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

- era recordings, however, her record label highlights the influence of Australian Indigenous music, and claim her song-writing is "more akin to classic Aboriginal bands like

Coloured Stone Coloured Stone is an Aboriginal Australian band whose members originate from the Koonibba Mission, west of Ceduna, South Australia. They first became known for their 1984 single, "Black Boy". The band performs using guitar, bass, drums, and A ...

than it is to

Sharon Jones Sharon Lafaye Jones (May 4, 1956 – November 18, 2016) was an American soul and funk singer. She was the lead singer of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, a soul and funk band based in Brooklyn, New York. Jones experienced breakthrough success ...

". Although she has stated she is proud of her Naaguja,

, and Danggali tribal heritage, she most frequently expresses her

heritage from her mother's side in her music, often singing in the traditional language.

Documentaries

Donovan has appeared in or been featured in a handful of documentaries. The documentary ''Gumbayngirr Lady'' featured her, and was filmed and aired by the

Special Broadcasting Service The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is an Australian hybrid-funded public broadcasting, public service broadcaster. About 80 percent of funding for the company is derived from tax revenue. SBS operates six TV channels (SBS (Australian TV chann ...

in 2004 as part of their BLAKTRAX series. The hour-long film followed Donovan to her home region of

Macksville, New South Wales Macksville is a small town on the Nambucca River in the Nambucca Valley Council, Nambucca Valley, New South Wales, Australia. It is halfway between Sydney and Brisbane, along the Pacific Highway, Australia, Pacific Highway, approximately 40 minu ...

. In 2005 she appeared in the

series ''Dynasties'' (episode 5), which was filmed on location in

Woodford, Queensland Woodford is a rural town and Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the City of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Woodford had a population of 4,022 people. The town is noted for the Woodford Folk Festival th ...

while she was performing at the Dreaming Festival. *''Emma Donovan: Gumbainggir Lady'' (

) (2004) *''Dynasties'' (

series) (2005) *''murundak – songs of freedom'' (

AFI AFI may refer to: * Actual flip-angle imaging, a type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) * ''Address-family identifier'', a 16 bit field of the Routing Information Protocol * AFI (band), an American rock band ** ''AFI'' (2017 album), the tenth ...

) (2011)

Discography

Albums

Extended plays

Awards and nominations

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as

AIR Awards The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector. History The inaugural 2006 awards were held at Blacket Hot ...

) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector. ! , - , rowspan="2",

2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...

, rowspan="2", ''Crossover'' , Independent Album of the Year , , rowspan="2", , - , Best Independent Soul/R&B Album or EP , , - ,

2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...

, ''Under These Streets'' (with the Putbacks) , Best Independent Soul/R&B Album or EP , , , - ,

2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...

, "Blak Nation" (directed by Chris Cowburn) , Independent Music Video of the Year , ,

ARIA Music Awards

The

ARIA Music Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...

is an annual ceremony presented by

Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival Records (Australia), Festival, Sony Music ...

(ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the

music of Australia The music of Australia has an extensive history made of music societies. Indigenous Australian music forms a significant part of the unique heritage of a 40,000- to 60,000-year history which produced the iconic didgeridoo. Contemporary fusions o ...

. They commenced in 1987. ! , - , rowspan="2",

, rowspan="2", ''Crossover'' (with the PutBacks) , Best Blues and Roots Album , , rowspan="2", , - , Best Independent Release , , - ,

, ''Under These Streets'' (with the PutBacks) , Best Soul/R&B Release , , , - , rowspan="2",

, rowspan="2", ''Till My Song Is Done'' , Best Solo Artist , , rowspan="2", , - , Best Adult Contemporary Album ,

Australian Music Prize

The

Australian Music Prize The Australian Music Prize (often shortened to the AMP) is an annual award of $50,000 ($30,000 from 2005 to 2023) given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The award was ...

(the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. It commenced in 2005. ! , - ! scope="row",

2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...

, ''Crossover'' , Album of the Year , , , - ! scope="row", 2021 , ''Under These Streets'' , Australian Music Prize , ,

The Deadly Awards

The Deadly Awards The Deadly Awards, formally titled National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music, Sport, Arts and Community Awards and commonly known simply as The Deadlys, was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ac ...

, commonly known simply as The Deadlys, was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. The ran from 1995 to 2013. ! , - ,

2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...

, Emma Donovan , Female Artist of the Year , , , - ,

2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

, Emma Donovan , Female Artist of the Year , , , - , rowspan="2" ,

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

, Emma Donovan , Female Artist of the Year , , rowspan="2" , , - , "Ngarraanga" , Single of the Year , , -

J Awards

The

J Awards The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards, established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J, and which also extend to sister stations, Triple J Unearthed and Double J. The awar ...

are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is Australia’s principal public service broadcaster. It is funded primarily by grants from the federal government and is administered by a government-appointed board of directors. The ABC is ...

's youth-focused radio station

Triple J Triple J is an Australian government-funded national radio station founded in 1975 as a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). It aims to appeal to young listeners of alternative music, and plays far more Australian conten ...

. They commenced in 2005. ! , - ,

2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...

, herself , Double J Artist of the Year , , , - ,

, Emma Donovan & The Putbacks , Double J Artist of the Year , ,

Music Victoria Awards

The

Music Victoria Awards The Music Victoria Awards (previously known as The Age EG Awards and The Age Music Victoria Awards) are an annual awards night celebrating music from the Australian state of Victoria. They commenced in 2006 and are awarded in Melbourne Music W ...

, are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2005. ! , - , rowspan="2",

, ''Dawn'' (Emma Donovan & The Putbacks) , Best Soul, Funk, R'n'B and Gospel Album , , rowspan="3", , - , Emma Donovan , Best Indigenous Act , , - ,

2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...

, Emma Donovan , Best Indigenous Act , , - , rowspan="5",

, herself , Outstanding Woman in Music , , , - , ''Crossover'' , Best Victorian Album , , rowspan="4", , - , rowspan="2", Emma Donovan and The Putbacks , Best Group , , - , Best Soul, Funk, R’n’B or Gospel Act , , - , Emma Donovan , Best Musician , , - ,

, Emma Donovan & The Putbacks , Best Group , , , -

National Indigenous Music Awards

The

National Indigenous Music Awards The National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA), also known as the NT Indigenous Music Awards from 2004 to 2008, are music awards presented to recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians in ...

recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians from throughout Australia. They commenced in 2004. ! , - , rowspan="2",

, ''Dawn'' (Emma Donovan and Putbacks) , Album of the Year , , rowspan="2", , - , "Black Woman" , Song of the Year , , - ,

, Emma Donovan , Artist of the Year , , , - ,

, ''Under These Streets'' , Album of the Year , , , - , rowspan="2",

, Emma Donovan , Artist of the Year , , rowspan="2", , - , ''Til My Song Is Done'' , Album of the Year , , -

National Live Music Awards

The

National Live Music Awards The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are annual Australian music awards, established by Heath Media in 2016. They were preceded by the AU Live Music Awards in the previous two years. The awards are given in categories that recognise the best ...

(NLMAs) commenced in 2016 to recognise contributions to the live music industry in Australia. ! , - , rowspan="3" ,

2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...

, rowspan="2" , Emma Donovan and the Putbacks , Best Live Act in Victoria , , rowspan="3" , , - , Best R&B or Soul Act , , - , Emma Donovan , Live Voice in Victoria ,

Rolling Stone Australia Awards

The

Rolling Stone Australia Awards The ''Rolling Stone Australia'' Awards are awarded annually in January or February by the Australian edition of ''Rolling Stone'' magazine for outstanding contributions to popular culture in the previous year. The awards initially commenced i ...

are awarded annually in January or February by the Australian edition of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' magazine for outstanding contributions to popular culture in the previous year. ! , - , rowspan="1", 2025 , ''Til My Song Is Done'' , Best LP/EP , , rowspan="1", , -

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Donovan, Emma Living people 1981 births Australian women singer-songwriters Indigenous Australian musicians Australian soul singers Australian country singer-songwriters 21st-century Australian women singers 21st-century Australian singers Donovan family (show business) 21st-century Australian singer-songwriters

Early life and education

Musical career

1999–2003: Stiff Gins

2004–2006: ''Changes''

2007–2012: The Black Arm Band and ''Ngarraanga''

2013–2021: Emma Donovan & The PutBacks

2022–present

Musical style

Documentaries

Discography

Albums

Extended plays

See also

Awards and nominations

AIR Awards

ARIA Music Awards

Australian Music Prize

The Deadly Awards

J Awards

Music Victoria Awards

National Indigenous Music Awards

National Live Music Awards

Rolling Stone Australia Awards

References

External links