Pirritu (Brett Lee) is an Ngiyampaa musician. His debut album was released in 2021. He is based in Melbourne, Australia.
Pirritu | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Brett Lee |
| Origin | Bourke, New South Wales, Australia |
| Genres | folk |
| Occupation(s) | musician, songwriter, singer |
| Instrument | guitar |
| Labels | Heavy Machinery Records |
| Website | pirritu |
Career
editPirritu was adopted by a non-Aboriginal couple as a newborn, and grew up in Bourke, New South Wales.[1] He was able to later reconnect with his culture when he was 14.[2][3] His name Pirritu means Brett in the Ngiyampaa language.[3]
He had represented Australia as a junior triathlete, but after an injury forced him to take time away from sports, Pirritu taught himself music theory.[2]
In 2021, Pirritu released his debut album as part of the Fast Forward festival in Melbourne. Pirritu Part 1 was pressed on vinyl and released by Heavy Machinery Records, with support from City of Melbourne.[4]
He followed this with another album Pirritu Part 2: Fire When the Sun Goes Down in March 2023[5]
Outside of music, he volunteers with the Ngiuyampaa Language Project, to make the language more accessible,[3][6] and also deepen his own understanding.[5]
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Pirritu Part 1 |
|
| Pirritu Part 2: Fire When the Sun Goes Down |
|
Awards and nominations
editMusic Victoria Awards
editThe Music Victoria Awards are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Pirritu | The Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent | Nominated | [7] |
| 2023 | Pirritu | The Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent | Nominated | [8] |
References
edit- ^ MC, Ali (6 December 2018). "'Find a word and use it in a song': a musician's discovery of his language". NITV. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
- ^ a b Hui, Jin (2023-04-17). "Pirritu second album a reflection on his journey so far". Ocean Grove Voice. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
- ^ a b c Ruben, Emma (29 March 2023). "Ngiyampaa singer and storyteller, Pirritu, to launch new album tour". The National Indigenous Times. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ Victoria, Generation (2022-01-12). "A yarn with Pirritu (Brett Lee)". Creative Spaces. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
- ^ a b "Ngiyampaa Brett Lee talking of personal journey, singing you a story of both sadness, love and hope". 3 Kool n Deadly. 2023-04-26. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
- ^ "Segments: Banksia: Ngiyampaa Singer Songwriter Pirritu Yarns About New Album — Triple R 102.7FM, Melbourne Independent Radio". www.rrr.org.au. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
- ^ "VIC Music Awards Announces Massive 2022 Nominations". Kix Country Radio Network. 2022-10-26. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
- ^ "Nominees, Hall of Fame Inductees Announced for 2023 Music Victoria Awards". Music Feeds. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.