2025 Lineup
Thelma
Plum
Thelma Plum an incredible Gamilaraay woman, musician and creator will be headlining the coveted Saturday night slot. The multi-awarded singer recently released her highly awaited sophomore album I’m Sorry, Now Say It Back which instantly became triple J’s Feature Album of the Week. It’s an exclusive NT show and the first time Barunga has been headlined by a woman.
big name
no blankets
Big Name, No Blankets isn’t just a show — it’s a homecoming. After touring major cities around the country, this iconic theatre piece is coming back to community, where the story began. Created by Ilbijerri Theatre Company, it honours the life of Warumpi Band’s Sammy Butcher, and celebrates the legacy of Blackfella anthems like My Island Home and Blackfella/Whitefella.
SAME BLOOD
J-MILLA
Back by popular demand are the Milla brothers. For 2025 these brutha bois are bringing their SAME BLOOD – J-MILLA x Yung Milla show so another round of amped up/syked up rap and dance vibes are to be expected. The bruthas will arrive a few days prior to the festival to work with youth on the ground and smash out a DJ set for the local blue light disco on Friday night.
SAME BLOOD
Yung Milla
Back by popular demand are the Milla brothers. For 2025 these brutha bois are bringing their SAME BLOOD – J-MILLA x Yung Milla show so another round of amped up/syked up rap and dance vibes are to be expected. The bruthas will arrive a few days prior to the festival to work with youth on the ground and smash out a DJ set for the local blue light disco on Friday night.
East
Journey
N.E. Arnhem Land legendary rock-royalty East Journey will play an exclusive ‘special reunion’ show. It’s been almost a decade since these guys last performed together and they’re bringing it back for Barunga. You’ll be hearing those guitar riffs shredding all the way down the West-Arnhem highway.
Rrawun Maymuru
A rare solo performance by Yolngu Songman Rrawun Maymuru will bringing a cosmic element to the line-up. The front man for East Journey, [and currently Yothu Yindi] will grace the stage with the ancestral Songlines of his people. Joined by yidaki and harmonies this will be a breathtaking highlight at this year’s Barunga Festival.
Kootsie Don
Jawoyn/Larrakia/TSI woman, Kootsie Don is the country’s freshest emerging female rapper. Kootsie’s currently in the studio with bad ass producer Jayteehazard [Hermitude, Hilltop Hoods,Haiku Hands] finalising her next drop titled “Go Stupid” scheduled for release in Q1 2025 and dead cert will get festivals jumping.
NGULMIYA
Ngulmiya Nundhirribala is an iconic ceremony leader and songman from Arnhem Landwith a godlike voice and presence. Ngulmiya shares improvisations on previously private ceremony songs and Dhumbala (Red Flag) songs and stories, that developed over centuries, through his family’s long relationship and history with the Makassan traders and sailors from SE Asia.
YILILA
Yilila come from one of Australia’s most remote Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. Yilila perform high energy roots and world music with displays of colorful traditional Red Flag dancing. Red Flag Songs and Dances belong to the band’s Nundhirribala clan and have come from hundreds of years of contact with the Maccassan traders from Indonesia.
