Barefoot Divas are six indigenous women from three countries (Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea) who’ve come together to sing soul, R&B and Latin music. Find out a little bit more about Barefoot Divas, below, and have a listen to their recording, Walk a Mile in My Shoes, streaming until its worldwide release on July 19.

The women

The Barefoot Divas, with backgrounds in theatre and music and life experiences that range from having grown up in a grass hut (Ngaiire) to being nominated alongside Cate Blanchett for Australia's equivalent to the Tony Awards, the Helpmanns (Ursula Yovich) , these women intend to share their diverse experiences as modern-day Aboriginal women. Or as it says in their press material: “Six women. Six distinct life stories tied to the complex history of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea’s indigenous peoples. Six strikingly fresh voices that move this history down a new and compelling path.”

The music

Original compositions sung in various languages (notably English and Maori); six-part harmonies and a mix of R&B, soul and Latin sounds. The live recording is from their show, Walk A Mile In My Shoes, which was created for (and sold out) the 2012 Sydney and New Zealand international arts festivals. The Barefoot Divas embark on their first North American tour in 2014.

The critics

“It’s to do with the preservation of centuries — old truths in the bodies of these women — what makes them Indigenous artists. And they remind us how ‘emptied out’ so much of our own culture has become.” — James Waites (Australian theatre critic)

“‘Walk a Mile in My Shoes’ reminds us of the beauty, integrity, humour, heartache and joy that encapsulate the human experience which these six extraordinary women exemplify in the highest form.” — ABC TV News 24

“Whether or not you believe in divinity, being in the presence of Ngaiire and her fellow soul sisters — the bold and brash Barefoot Divas — is an undeniably otherworldly experience." — Daily Telegraph