BAREFOOT DIVAS BIOS MAY 2013

URSULA YOVICH (Serbian/Burarra - Australian Aborigine) has defied the odds to become one of Australia's most celebrated performers. From her humble beginnings in her mother's country Maningrida, far North Arnhem Land, she has gone on to dazzle audiences all over the world with performances in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House, the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London to Carnegie Hall in New York. Ursula has been nominated and awarded 5x Helpmann Awards (Australia's equivalent to the Tony Awards) including Best Actress alongside Cate Blanchett. She has performed with every major theatre company in Australia and played significant roles in Baz Luhrman's feature film Australia. In 2013 she was listed as one of Australia's top 21 most iconic women of the stage, page and screen.

NGAIIRE (nyree) (Papua New Guinea) came to Australia at 16 years of age having spent her early life in the jungles of Papua New Guinea living in a small grass hut with no electricity, television or internet. She listened to a single hand held radio that serviced the village with what she says was a “mind-bashing of uninspiring top 40 hits”. This sparked an extensive love affair with Sarah Vaughan and Jeff Buckley who are instrumental in shaping her vocal style today. Ngaiire has built a reputation for herself as one of Australia's most unique, dynamic and creative performers turning heads with her eclectic sound with no partiality to any particular style. She has been compared to the enigmatic Erykah Badu.

EMMA DONOVAN (Gumbayngirr NSW Australian Aborigine) is one of Australia’s finest Indigenous singer songwriters. She is committed to educating the global community about Aboriginal culture and spirituality with the inclusion of her traditional language, Gumbayngirr, in her music and songs. Seamlessly blending roots, reggae, gospel and soul performing across the globe treating audiences to her rich soulful voice. Her vast concert experiences include the Royal Concert Hall London, Musee de Quai Branli Paris, Benaki Museum Athens, Tjibaou Cultural Centre New Caledonia, Festival of Pacific Arts Palau, Treaty Grounds of Waitangi New Zealand, the Sydney Opera House and the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

WHIRIMAKO BLACK (Maori) formed her band Tuahine Whakairo in 1991. Throughout the early 2000s, Whirimako released several albums, including 2001's Hine Pukohurangi: Shrouded in the Mist, 2002's Hohou Te Rongo: Cultivate Peace, 2004's Tangihaku, 2005's Kura Huna and 2006's Soul Sessions. In 2001 she was awarded a New Zealand Music Award for Best Maori Language Album. She composed and sang the titles for The New Zealand Wars program shown on TVNZ and also co-wrote the theme for the Te Karere Maori news program. She has been awarded a Te Waka Toi for her role in advancing contemporary Maori music and was a finalist in the NZ Music Awards. She is one of the only songwriters to have two of her songs recognised in the APRA Silver Scrolls in the same year. She has recorded and performed with acclaimed world music act 1 Giant Leap in Athens and recently received a New Zealand Arts Foundation Laureate Award.

MERENIA (Maori/Welsh/Roma Gypsy) is a multi talented beat throwing musician who sings in 5 languages and takes great joy in mischievously bending the rules when it comes to her music. Her personal musical style seduces as the sounds of her own distinctive fusion of Dance, Soul/Funk, Electro, Latin, House and World flow into the universe. A powerhouse performer on stage, with one of the most distinctive vocal talents of her generation, she has to be seen to be believed! Since relocating from New Zealand to Australia Merenia has collaborated with a staggering variety of leading Australian and International acts.

MAISEY RIKA (Maori) was nominated for Best Female Vocalist in 1998 at just 15 years of age. Her debut album E Hine achieved double Platinum status winning Best Maori Language Album at the New Zealand Music Awards. Her strong heritage, eclectic songs, honey-stung vocals and fusion of English and Maori (Te Reo) lyrics have captured the hearts of soul seekers all over the world. In 2009 she was nominated for the prestigious APRA song writing 'Maioha Award' for her song 'Repeat Offender'. In 2010 Maisey was awarded Best Maori Female Solo Artist, Best Maori Pop Album, Best Maori Song and Best Maori Songwriter of the year at the Waiata Maori Music Awards.