The 2024 season of NGV Friday Nights is closing with a bang as Music in Exile curates a three week residency that will transport you across borders.
Kicking off Music in Exile’s three week residency on Friday September 20 is Ajak Kwai, an unshakable force in South Sudanese contemporary music and one of Australia’s most exciting performers. A prolific presence on Melbourne’s stages and airwaves, Ajak has performed across the country, from WOMADelaide to Port Fairy. Her latest album, Let Me Grow My Wings, featured as Album of the Week on 3RRR.
Music in Exile, a not-for-profit record label and artist services organisation, is taking over the Great Hall stage for three Friday nights of boundary-pushing music that transcends borders, bringing the vibrant sounds of Africa to the NGV.
Music in Exile at NGV Friday Nights
- September 20, 27 and October 4
- NGV International
- Tickets here
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Growing up in the small town of Bor in South Sudan, Ajak’s music is a contemporary exploration of traditional South Sudanese funk and blues, interwoven with modern sounds and diverse styles. Performing in Arabic, Sudanese and English, she draws inspiration from her rich cultural heritage, channelling her experiences into music that resonates deeply with audiences in Australia and around the world.
Ajak’s music has a way of transporting listeners to a world of poetic sounds and profound lyrical meaning. “It’s lovely to share music with people,” she says. “It takes them away from hard days or any challenges they have in their lives. In that moment, it may make them forget.”
Pharaoh at the NGV
With three sets of performances in the NGV’s Great Hall, attendees can also explore the Pharoah displays of over 500 objects that span 3,000 years of art and culture in ancient Egypt, offering a perfect complement to Ajak’s transcendent musical storytelling.
Ajak’s storytelling is deeply rooted in her ties to South Sudan. “I come from a rich culture, which gives me strength in lyrical writing,” she explains. “Also, I have lived in Australia for a long time, which is an advantage as I see what Australians don’t see because they don’t need to. Telling stories through music – or art in general – is the best friend you can tell all your problems to.”
“Come and sing and dance with us”
Ajak’s love of music and the community it fosters drives the artist to explore new sounds and forge new paths. “Music protects my soul. It doesn’t matter if the mind is scared – music is there to comfort people.”
Ajak’s live performances often create a connective atmosphere of shared spirit and unity. Her NGV Friday Nights show promises to be no different. “We encourage the audience to come and sing and dance with us,” she says. “It’s a different sound from what they might normally know, which is a good thing.”
“A crossover between two cultures”
This instalment of NGV Friday Nights will also feature music from a playlist curated and mixed by Music in Exile guest DJs Shah Sharafi, Aysu and Kgomotso Sekhu. In the following weeks, Music in Exile will present the genre-defying Ausecuma Beats on Friday September 27 and the poetic Kang JJ on Friday October 4.
Ajak’s music invites you to come with an open mind and an open heart, ready to discover new sounds and sonic universes. What’s most compelling about her unique musical style is its ability to surpass borders and connect to her listeners through the universal language of music.
“Our music is a crossover between two cultures,” she says. “South Sudan and Australia, and, of course, somewhere in between.” It’s in that space between that Ajak creates an entirely original sound – one you simply have to experience for yourself.
Find out more about Music in Exile’s NGV Friday Nights residency here.
This article was made in partnership with the NGV.
