Damon Paraha, a Melbourne hip-hop artist better known as NOMAD, compares his latest project to something out of a Disney movie, or maybe the sound of a classic animated film score. It’s a far cry from what he usually performs at well-known hip-hop spots like Laundry Bar.
That’s because the 25-year-old from Manor Lakes in the city’s southwest is one of four emerging artists working with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for a free concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Wednesday.
Damon Paraha is a hip-hop artist who goes by the stage name NOMAD. Credit:Jason South
It’s the first time the MSO has collaborated with GRID Series, an organisation that works with outer suburban up-and-coming artists to help get their music out into the world. For this program, they were paired with artists such as Lior and Oscar Dawson from Holy Holy to develop their songs.
The brainchild of Ariel Blum and Ayisha Mehta, GRID Series was set up to help emerging musicians develop their work. The other three artists appearing with the MSO on Wednesday are Ag Johnson, Elaura and HVSH.
Johnson, a Sunshine-based singer-songwriter, says the idea of playing with an orchestra was something she’d only dreamt about and the experience had been amazing, “especially how they rearranged my song”. “It almost sounds like a movie soundtrack, it’s so cool. I never would have imagined that they could take it to that next level”.
Ag Johnson will perform one of her songs with the MSO on Wednesday.Credit:Jason South
Born in Egypt after her family fled the war in South Sudan – they later settled in Adelaide – Johnson moved to Melbourne to study at the Australian Institute of Music. “My family in general just used to put a lot of music on, especially when we were cleaning the house. We always used to pretend we were like big superstars and we would have an Australian Idol in our house and we’d be performing to each other.”
Johnson, 23, will perform her song Beauty within, a song about “loving yourself and feeling comfortable in your skin and not letting your insecurities get the best of you”.
“I didn’t see a lot of representation growing up. I didn’t see a lot of people who look like me on TV or really anywhere. A lot of the time when I would see someone who was like me, it was someone from America.”
Now she says there are more faces like hers in magazines and advertising. “I can actually go to the store and find my foundation shade and stuff like that, just the little things are so important.”
Paraha is also a guest in Johnson’s song. He says the MSO experience has been magical – and slightly surreal. “The four of us have all talked about it before and we said this is like our Disney moment. It’s very reminiscent of Snow White or Cinderella, the scores of those old classic animated films. It takes our music to that level.”
“There’s so many layers to it, I just feel a lot of pride and responsibility to make sure that I bring my A-game – because I know that this orchestra is going to bring their A-game. I think as a Polynesian and as a member of the hip-hop community, we still struggle to find a place in mainstream Australian music.”
Paraha started making music with friends during his last few years at secondary school. “I’ve been surrounded by music my whole life. My mum used to sing R&B and my dad was a hip-hop dancer back in the day,” he says.
Artist Hashim Hashim, better known as HVSH.
He and some friends have set up the label We Move Productions to help emerging Melbourne artists; he also produces live events and after-school programs around freestyle hip-hop.
“I’ve been around for a little bit now and I guess at this point, after putting out an album and singles, and just trying to make the most of my own music, I’ve sort of moved more into the space of trying to create platforms to develop other artists and give them a voice.”
Also performing on Wednesday are HVSH – the stage name of Hashim Hashim, from Caroline Springs – with “multi-faceted, genre-crossing sounds and distinctive tenor”, and Gembrook-raised, Reservoir-based Emily Nesvara Hernandez, who goes by the name Elaura, a singer with “neo-soul and alt R&B vocal stylings”.
Singer Elaura, Emily Nesvara Hernandez.
The concert will open with a world-premiere performance by composer Melissa Douglas, her first commission as the MSO’s Young Composer in Residence
Later this year, Mo’ju and N’gaire will headline at separate shows with the orchestra, as will Genesis Owusu with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra.
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performs free concerts at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on February 15 and 18. Doors open at 4.30pm, performances at 7.30pm. The shows will be live-streamed for free on MSO.LIVE.
A cultural guide to going out and loving your city. Sign up to our Culture Fix newsletter here.
Most Viewed in Culture
From our partners
Source: Read Full Article
