When the debut album by 80-year-old Kankawa Nagarra won the 2024 Australian Music Prize, it shed much-needed light on the striking voice and songs of the Walmatjarri Elder. Its title translating to “disappearing” in English, Wirlmarni blends the tradition of ancient Walmatjarri songlines with more contemporary threads of country, blues and gospel. After duetting with Victorian country singer Archer in the Kriol language on the title track, Nagarra switches to English for the creaky folk ramble “Tell You a Story”. In the background of these songs, we can hear birds and other nature sounds as she strums away on her acoustic guitar and shares passing thoughts. Wirlmarni was recorded live by veteran songwriter Darren Hanlon, who released it in Australia on his self-run label—a rare success story for such a homespun project. These songs explore life, loss and Country as Nagarra references her vast North Western Australian homeland on “Canning Basin Blues” and “Edge of the Desert”. “Dollar Sign” edges toward a protest song, and “They Are Coming” sees her ignore the guitar strings to instead perform percussion on the instrument’s body while singing overtop. And on the closing “In the Sweet By and By”, she puts her own indelible mark on that enduring gospel standard.