"Better in Blak" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Single by Thelma Plum | ||||
from the album Better in Blak | ||||
Released | 26 April 2019 | |||
Length | 3:12 | |||
Label | Mosy Recordings, Sony Music Australia | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | ||||
Thelma Plum singles chronology | ||||
|
"Better in Blak" is a song by Australian singer/songwriter Thelma Plum, released on 26 April 2019 as the third single from her debut studio album of the same name.
In July 2019, "Better in Blak" was nominated for Film Clip of the Year at the National Indigenous Music Awards. [1] [2]
At the ARIA Music Awards of 2019, "Better in Blak" was nominated for Best Video. [3]
At the J Awards of 2019, the song was nominated for Australian Video of the Year. [4]
At the APRA Music Awards of 2020, "Better in Blak" was nominated for Song of the Year. [5] [6]
The song won the 2020 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition. [7]
Upon release, Plum said: "I wrote 'Better in Blak' about my experiences with people trying to take the colour from the conversation. My colour is an important part of who I am, and over the last couple of years I've had people try and tell me 'it's not about colour' when obviously to me it is." [8]
Laura English from Music Feeds wrote: "The track is all about the frustrating experiences Plum faces as a Gamilaraay woman and musician", describing it as "an emotional, cathartic song that sees honest lyrics coupled with upbeat, danceable beats". [8]
The music video was directed by Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore and released on 28 May 2019. [9] It was nominated for Best Video at the ARIA Music Awards of 2019. [10]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Better in Blak" | 3:12 |
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [12] | 89 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [13] | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
The Preatures were an Australian indie rock band from Sydney, New South Wales, who formed in 2010. The band consisted of lead vocalist and keyboardist Isabella "Izzi" Manfredi, guitarist and vocalist Jack Moffitt, bassist Thomas Champion, and drummer Luke Davison. Vocalist and guitarist Gideon Bensen was a member of the band until 2016. In 2013, the Preatures won the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition with their song "Is This How You Feel?" They disbanded in 2021, following the launch of Manfredi's solo career.
Thelma Amelina Plumbe, known professionally as Thelma Plum, is an Aboriginal Australian singer, songwriter, guitarist and musician from Delungra, New South Wales. Her father is lore-man Paul Winanga-li Gii Spearim. Her debut album, Better in Blak, was released on 30 July 2019 and peaked at number 4 on the ARIA Albums Chart.
Gretta Louise Ray is an Australian singer-songwriter from Melbourne, Victoria. In 2016, she was the winner of the national Triple J Unearthed radio competition for bands and songwriters, and the 2016 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, with her song "Drive". To date, Ray has released two studio albums – Begin to Look Around (2021) and Positive Spin (2023) – as well as the EPs Elsewhere (2016) and Here and Now (2018).
"Adore" is a song written and recorded by Australian singer-songwriter Amy Shark. It was released independently and digitally on 26 July 2016 and re-released in November 2016 after signing with Sony Music Australia. It received heavy airplay on Triple J and quickly gained traction with other more mainstream radio stations in early 2017.
Ruel Vincent van Dijk, known mononymously as Ruel, is an Australian singer and songwriter from Sydney, best known for his singles "Don't Tell Me", "Younger", "As Long as You Care" and "Painkiller". At the ARIA Music Awards of 2018, he won the award for Breakthrough Artist for his single "Dazed & Confused". Ruel's debut studio album was released on 3 March 2023.
Danzal James Baker, known professionally as Baker Boy, is a Yolngu rapper, dancer, artist, and actor. Baker Boy is known for performing original hip-hop songs incorporating both English and Yolŋu Matha and is one of the most prominent Aboriginal Australian rappers.
Dallas Woods, is an Indigenous Australian rapper and musician. Woods is known for his role on ABC Kids' Move It Mob Style and in 2018 as Baker Boy's support act on his national tour. Woods gained attention by winning the New Talent Song of the Year Award for Baker Boy's track "Mr La Di Da Di", cowritten with Baker Boy, Jerome Farah, and Dion Brownfield.
Alexander Burnett is a London-based singer, songwriter and music producer known for collaborations with major artists including DJ Snake, Hayden James, Thelma Plum, Flight Facilities, Elderbrook,Alison Wonderland, Mansionair, Japanese Wallpaper, Hudson Taylor, and for fronting the band Sparkadia and being part of the London collective KOMMUNION.
"Clumsy Love" is a song by Australian singer/songwriter Thelma Plum, released on 13 July 2018 as the lead single from Plum's debut studio album Better in Blak (2019). In Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2018, the song was voted in at number 79. The song was certified platinum in Australia in 2020.
"Painkiller" is a song recorded by Australian singer-songwriter Ruel. The song was released on 1 May 2019 as the lead single from his second extended play, Free Time. The song sees Ruel reunite with producer M-Phazes and Sarah Aarons, and collaborate with songwriter Hiren Mor for the first time.
Better in Blak is the debut studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Thelma Plum, released on 12 July 2019 through Warner Music Australia.
"Clair de Lune" is a song released by the Australian DJ duo Flight Facilities, written by singer-songwriter Christine Hoberg and producers Hugo Gruzman and James Lyell. It features a melodic interpretation of a section of "Clair de Lune" by French composer Claude Debussy. The song was released in October 2012 as the second single from the band's debut studio album, Down to Earth (2014). The song peaked at number 38 on the ARIA charts and was certified gold in 2013. At the APRA Music Awards of 2013, the song was shortlisted for Song of the Year.
"Meditjin" is a song by Indigenous Australian musician Baker Boy featuring New Zealand rapper JessB, released on 21 November 2019 as the second single from his debut album Gela (2021).
"Homecoming Queen" is a song by Australian singer/songwriter Thelma Plum, and was sent to radio on 12 July 2019 as the fourth and final single from her debut studio album Better in Blak.
Miiesha is an Australian singer-songwriter from the Aboriginal community of Woorabinda, Queensland. She was the recipient of New Talent of the Year at the 2020 National Indigenous Music Awards and won the ARIA Award for Best Soul/R&B Release at the 2020 ARIA Music Awards.
Sasha McLeod, known professionally as Sycco, is an Aboriginal Australian singer-songwriter and producer from Brisbane. She was nominated for Triple J Unearthed Artist of the Year in 2020, having released the pop singles "Nicotine" and "Dribble" in the same year.
Tasman Keith is an Australian rapper and singer-songwriter.
Jerome Farah, is an Australian singer, songwriter & producer. Farah co-wrote and co-produced "Waiting" with Kian before releasing his debut single in 2020.
Beddy Rays are an Australian rock band from the outer Brisbane suburb of Redland Bay, Queensland. With music described as "rollicking coastal punk rock", they are best known for their 2020 single "Sobercoaster". The band have supported Tones and I on tour, as well as Dune Rats and Hockey Dad.
Budjerah Julum Slabb, known mononymously as Budjerah, is an Aboriginal Australian singer-songwriter from Fingal Head, New South Wales. He is a Coodjinburra man from the Bundjalung nation.