With an irresistible blend of soul and hip hop, First Nations duo MARLON X RULLA make a strong statement with their new single “Trauma Patient.”
“‘Trauma Patient’ is a thought provoking expression of one of the many anxieties of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person in Australia. It places responsibility on listeners to challenge the behaviors and values of the term “Allie” and define what that title means in its truest form,” explained Marlon Motlop, who provides the soulful vocals you hear on this track. “’Trauma Patient’ in its essence, is a challenge of today’s societal WorldView of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and the narrative that our successes are formed or created, and actioned from a deficit model-based origin.”
“‘Trauma Patient’ provokes the very irony of our trauma being exploited by those who created it, for profit,” added the other half of this dynamic duo, Rulla Kelly-Mansell. “Challenging the structure of allies, industries, and people in positions of power and their priorities of analytics. Asking them the question, are we talented? Or are we ourselves shining a microscope on our experiences of trauma? What level of comprehension do those people see that in?”
This is such a timely release as we edge closer to the vote on the Voice. Listen to the lyrics, think about your own allyship, and remember this track as you go to the polls on October 14.
Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Jack Fenby