For this episode, I'm joined by singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and proud Gamilaray man Mitch
Tambo. Mitch is passionate about using his voice to stop us from turning our heads away
from the pain of his people and instead look at what we can do to make a difference. But
did you know that Mitch faces racial abuse on social media every day? And this is something
that just makes me sick to the stomach and I can't imagine how it makes Mitch feel.
Mitch says though that we must keep shedding light on the rampant abuse and bullying that
people endure online. So my big question this week is how do you remain true to who you
are and block out the noise and the haters? Now Mitch, it is so wonderful to see you again.
You were one of my early guests on my podcast. How are you?
Yammy yammy Jess. Thank you for having me. I know it was so good to catch up in the early
days. And that beautiful smile that you have and that sparkle in your eye. Really what
I want to talk about though is, you know, you've endured some horrific stuff online.
How do you remain true to who you are and block that out? What's the answer Mitch?
Yeah, it's a great question. There was nothing I could do, I think, to make things easier
for myself other than having to go through it and then happening to deal with it and
acquire the tools. But that was the biggest question Jess was, do I want to do this? You
know, is it really for me? That was the early stages. It was like, if this is how it's going
to be, is it really worth it? And the thing that I kept coming back to was, well, this
is who I am. So if I'm not doing it on an online platform, I'm still going to be doing
it in my everyday life because all I've wanted to do from such a young age is be able to
share and celebrate my culture and share that with as many people as possible. So once I
sort of just kept coming back to that one thing and I call it purpose, I couldn't escape
it. And I just decided, you know, this is who I am and this is what I'm going to do.
And one of the big driving factors was also having so many parents and people reach out
to me going, you know, you are finally someone that my son or daughter looks to and they
see that visual representation of you because obviously I get a lot of abuse around the
way I look because I don't look like a stereotypical Aboriginal person, so to speak. You know,
I'm fair skinned. So to have so many parents reach out and go, you know, I'm fair skinned,
my child's fair skinned, we're proud Aboriginal people. And finally, you know, they can look
to someone that's proud of their culture and celebrating that and is of the same look,
kind of encouraged me because I realised, you know, there is people out there that are
really looking to me in a positive light. And I didn't have that person that I could
look to at my age, you know, so that kind of spurred me on as well.
Are you saying to Mitch, though, that initially when there was that horrible hate that there
was a part of you that was thinking, you know what, I don't know if I want to entertain
anymore. I don't know if I want to sing my songs and inspire people.
100% because the true reality of me and my walk is I'll never be accepted by both sides
of the fence completely. So there's people in my community that love and accept me and
there's people that just don't because of how I look. There's people on the other side
of the fence, not Aboriginal people, that love and accept me and there's people that
never will in a million years because of how I look. And obviously it goes deeper than
that to my music, to put in my music in a space where it's really never been before
how I blend contemporary sounds and rhythms with language in that high energy electronic
dance pop space. And also with my fashion, there's people from both sides that just
don't get it. The thing that hurt me the most though is when it was coming from my people
because I'd grown up such a strong cultural fellow, always painted up dancing, sharing
my culture and traditional dress that I never really in a million years, and I might have
been a bit naive, but never really anticipated it to come from that side. So when it did,
it really knocked me really down to the bottom where I was just like, wow, if I'm not going
to be accepted by my mob, my peeps that I've just always wanted to represent for, wow,
like, damn, maybe it's not meant to be for me. Because the harsh reality is you expect
to cop racism and you expect to cop it all from the other side of the fence. That's just
you grow up with it. It just is what it is. I just didn't expect it coming from the other
side. And it just really annihilated me for a bit there. And then I realised, hey, get
yourself together. One in a hundred comments, there's that kind of one. Or you mob basically
behind you, you know what I mean? But it's always that one comment, Jess, that can take
you out. And that was the thing. My wife would be like, Mitch, you realise how many comments
you got and you're going to sit here and dwell on that one comment? And I would. It would
keep me awake. I'd be like, I know, but I can't believe they said that. That's not even
me. I'm not like, that's not my intent. Like, I grew up like this. What do you mean? Yeah,
it was a rude shock for sure. And it was a harsh one. But I feel like it was one that
I needed because moving forward, I feel so much centered in who I am and where I'm going
and what my purpose is. Because, you know, if that couldn't break me, I don't think anything
will. I know who I am and where I'm going. And that's all that matters. And all that
matters is that I stayed true to my purpose and set a good example for my daughters and
that they truly see what it's like to chase your dream and stay true to who you are and
what you believe in. Which is what you've done. Isn't it fascinating though, and I think
we all do it, that we hone in on that one negative or that handful of negative comments.
We ignore the hundreds of really positive things that lift us up. What do you think
it is within our human spirit that means we look to the negative when you are someone
who I think is such a positive person and you make deliberate choices to look for the
positive, Mitch? Is it perfectionism? Is it this thing of just wanting to be accepted
and wanting everyone to just think, hey, you're doing a good job? Have we been conditioned
to just need everyone's acceptance? Because that's not the reality. I don't accept just
about everything that's thrown my way, but that doesn't mean that wherever it's coming
from isn't the right thing. It just means it's just not for me. You know, with me, I
think it was because my heart's in this place where I just really want to do good and put
good out into the world and really celebrate my identity. I think that it just really hurt
me on a deeper level and I had to just go through it to even realise, you know, it's
probably not even coming at a hateful place towards me. Maybe it's someone else's own
issues with themselves and I'm just triggering a sense of trauma or a response where it's
just like, you know, spewed out on the keyboard. But one thing that through the experience
that I really become cautious of was, you know, there's so many young people out there
that don't have any tools that are trying to find their place in the world and are really
grappling with their identity and sense of belonging, no matter if you're Aboriginal
or wherever you're from. It could be with your gender or sexuality. And, you know, there's
so many kids that have taken their life to online bullying and to people just spewing
out these senseless words that are unthought out with just a spare of the moment thing.
And unfortunately, we're losing people to that because, you know, it really did affect
my mental health and I had to do a lot of work. But here I am, someone that knew what
he was in for when he stepped foot on the stage, has a team around him, a really supportive
wife and family, and it still had that impact. And there's so many kids out there that just
don't have that. So I've become mindful of that and that also made me want to just stand
up and continue to just walk in my purpose and to put a message out there.
And that is so empowering, the fact that you were able, as you said, you had to go through
and I'm so sorry that you had to go through that terrible place, but that you have flipped
it. And in terms of, I suppose, people who are listening, who themselves might be worried
about their kids, because I think for a lot of young people, even as grownups, it hurts,
as you were saying, but I think for young people, they have less tools, less life experience
to block out the haters. What would you tell them? How would you say this is how you can
block out the hate? You know, my thing is you can't block out
the hate when it comes in because when it comes in, you cite it and read it, but you
have to stay true to you and you have to know in your heart that for the most part,
it's not really anything to do with you. And it's not even really directed at you.
You've just triggered someone in a way because of whatever it is you're doing.
And you just have to stay true to yourself and never give up. And honestly, not let
someone's shallow comments and hate speech determine where you're going in life.
You don't let other people determine where you go.
You know, if you've got a dream or a hope and you want to truly get there, you just
got to believe and do it. And sometimes it's the closest people around us that actually
want to hold us back as well. And you've just got to let it go and move forward.
You know, unfortunately, hate and negativity and we live in this world that's full of
critiques. The online realm is full of critiques and you can't escape it, but you can learn
to not dive into it. Like even now, half the time I barely read comments anymore because
it's just not worth it. You know, you just got to let it go and know that you also have
to know it's the old saying, wherever you're ruffling feathers, you're probably doing the
right thing. Unfortunately, that's just how it rolls, you know.
And you wear a great feather.
I wear a great feather and I'm ruffling feathers, wearing feathers, just one feather
party with a dash of sequins.
And listening to you, I almost think that is the key that it's about remaining true
to who you are and celebrating who you are and your sense of self and not feeling like
you have to explain or justify it to people who you don't even respect or know or any
Totally. And I mean, look, it's funny because with me and my journey, it's been really
interesting because, you know, I think we have this idea that if a fella is in bright
sequence and is very bright and out there, that he's a part of the LGBTQI plus community.
And I'm a massive ally for that incredible diverse community.
I have been from day one, but it's been really interesting for me being out there and what
I wear and stuff, the amount of people that just assume I'm gay and treat me in that way
around sensitivities and things, because we've boxed in that kind of flamboyance and
whatever you want to call it to just a certain demographic.
So it's been really interesting because here I am rocking my culture in all these colours
and I'm just getting chucked in all these boxes left, right and centre that I don't even
fit, you know, but that's how we've all been conditioned.
So it's just such a funny journey to be on.
Isn't it? And none of us fit in a box.
We're complex, complicated, wonderful creatures, aren't we?
Yes, a hundred percent. And, you know, that's part of our message is you weren't born to,
you know, fit this certain mould.
You were just born to be you and to discover you.
And that's a life long journey.
And you should be free and safe to do that.
You've got a wonderful new song out.
Tell us about the song.
I do. I've got an original song out.
Yugo Yulegi just went number one on iTunes World Music Charts, which is incredible because
it just become my tenth number one on there.
So I'm really, really, really blessed and humbled by that.
And this song is just all about being out under the open night sky with your loved ones,
your village, your tribe, your community, just celebrating under the stars and letting go
of all the pressures and weight of the world.
But with the posing question, Jess, that when the sun rises tomorrow, will you choose to walk
in that newfound freedom or will you carry the weight of the world back into your future?
So it's a song that's about getting free, but also realising and remembering that our
freedom is really in the palm of our hands.
And no matter how tough you are or what situation you're in, it's those small little positive
choices that roll into that big snowball that end up in you just flipping your life 360
and having the best possible life you can have.
And really, through your music, to me that is very much how you are remaining true to who
And you're blocking out the noise and the haters because you're there standing in your
power and your talent and just your Eunice, even if I don't know if Eunice is a word,
I'm standing in my Eunice.
Amidst your sequence now, do you reckon you could just sing a few little bars for us to
finish up our chat?
Because every time I see you, I feel invigorated.
There's something incredible, I think, about your energy.
Look, I'll sing a few.
I hope it's not going to be too loud.
But if you're out there, this is Yugo Yuligi.
You know, whatever you're going through in this world, wherever that sun rises tomorrow,
you've got that choice to flip it around.
And I just really believe everyone has that much greater purpose for their life.
And, you know, no matter what you go through, you can always just make those micro positive
choices to just slowly, slowly flip it around.
So this is called Yugo Yuligi.
This is the hook.
And there's this nice bit where you can just na na.
And we just do it all together and it just goes...
It's just a song I just want people to just get free to, you know.
And my daughter, she's 20 months old and she's humming it.
So there's no excuses, all right?
Oh, I'm going to be humming it too.
And I tell you, just hearing you sing that, I just go, ah, it makes me exhale.
And it makes me think of that big, beautiful, open night sky.
Mitch, thank you for sharing your joy, your purpose and your Eunice with us.
You are such a special, extraordinary man.
Thanks, Jess, for having me.
I know that you've had me on in the early days.
So to bring me back with Listener, I'm feeling blessed, I'm feeling pumped.
And I hope we get to do it all again in studio because, you know, COVID's done.
A brother's ready to see people in the flesh.
Well, next time you're in Sydney, it is a deal, banana peel.
It's a deal, banana peel, sequence, squeal.
If you can say Eunice, I can say sequence, squeal.
Oh, Mitch, thank you.
That was just wonderful.
No worries, thank you.
Oh, Mitch, isn't he just the best sequining squeal
that is going to be going into my vocab?
And do you know you can stream or download Mitch's latest song
wherever you get your music
and you can keep up to date with everything that Mitch is doing
by following him at Mitch Tambo on Instagram.
Also, you can be seeing Mitch in the national production of Burn the Floor.
We're going to have some information about tickets at a link in our show notes.
Now, I'm going to be back next week with another beautiful, big conversation.
And if you like this chat with Mitch, share it with a friend
and check out my full episode with him that's in the feed.
He is, as I said, such a remarkable man.
I reckon you're going to love that full conversation.
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