Now Sounds

Shenali is an artist, producer, and community development professional working at the intersection of community arts and systems change.

She brings with her a range of experiences working in community education, social arts, and equity & inclusion across Australia’s university, not-for-profit and private sectors. Internationally, she has produced work for the Presencing Institute (MIT), United in Diversity (Indonesia), and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Labs in the Asia Pacific region.

At CAN, Shenali supports project producers and artists with community engagement and in ensuring CAN’s work is guided by best practice of community arts and cultural development. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hon) in Asian Studies from the University of Western Australia and completed her postgrad study at the Curtin University Centre for Human Rights Education.

Shenali loves food! The ocean, language and dancing.

Elisha is a second generation Iranian-Australian, who is passionate about the role of the arts in giving voice to the stories of people, communities and cultures in creating meaningful social change. Elisha has a rich background in the arts and community development across regional and remote WA, and is currently based in Broome where she also works for the Kimberley Aboriginal Health Research Alliance.

Elisha is producing the Now Sounds project in Port Hedland - a project that has youth empowerment and intercultural connection at its heart.

Elisha loves nature, singing and a good book. She’s a big foodie, always up for good chats and adores her friends and family.

Josh “Flewnt” Eggington a Noongar and Wongi man, activist and hip-hop artist is empowering and educating Indigenous youth and the wider Australian community on culture and truth-telling through hip-hop music.

Flewnt comes from a politically strong family who fought for Aboriginal rights. In particular, his Uncle Robert who was always on the frontline at a grassroots level and believed that the strength of their people lies in culture.

This influence has been instrumental in the forging of Flewnt’s identity as a proud Noongar Wongi man and the inspiration for his song “Kya Kyana”, which won the 2018 WA NAIDOC Music Awards for Best Song and Best Hip-Hop Song.

A renowned music producer, youth worker, and award-winning rapper who is part of beloved hip-hop group Downsyde, Scott will be the lead artist and producer in the Now Sounds Initiative.

Scott has 17-years’ experience working in youth centres, prisons, schools and remote communities in Australia.

Scott practices hip-hop pedagogy within workshops – a proven method of utilising the elements of hip hop and technology to engage students who are disengaged or in challenging environments. Scott runs regular workshops at Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre.

In consultation with CAN, Scott will mentor, brief and coordinate all artists involved in the project, and co-design workshop plans with the artists. He will also deliver beat-making workshops and mentor participants to photograph and film their experiences. With years of experience as a music producer, Scott will produce and engineer the final creative outcomes of the project, including songs by participants.

Mubanga is a Zambian-born dance teacher, choreographer and youth worker who teaches ‘Afro-fusion’ – a unique style of African dance that blends various tradition.

As a leader in the Australian Afro-dance community, Mubanga has taught dance across Australia and delivered numerous dance projects, including the sold-out ALKEBULAN at the State Theatre Centre in 2015. In 2015 was crowned the first Dancehall King of Australia and after extensive teaching in his hometown Lusaka, he created a unique African dance move called ‘Shatta’ (2016) or otherwise known as ‘Chimwemwe dance’ that became one of the most popular dance steps celebrated in Zambia and many parts of Africa. He has appeared on ABC TV, promoting his passion for dance and youth and dance workshops across Perth and Africa.

Mubanga has worked in the remote Spinifex Aboriginal community, introducing African dance to students at the Tjuntjuntjara community school. He previously worked with the Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre on their Star Search program helping culturally and linguistically diverse young people to settle into Australia. Mubanga is passionate about promoting health, wellness and community through dance.

Shakara Walley comes from the Bunuba and Jaru (Kimberley) from her mother’s side and Bindjareb (Nyoongar) from her father’s side. She graduated from the Aboriginal Theatre course at the WA Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in 2007. In 2013 she graduated from SAE Institute with a Bachelor of Arts in Film Production. Shakara worked in theatre, ranging from acting, writing, directing and producing from 2007 through to 2016. She was the indigenous producer for the opening productions The Giants, 2015 and Home, 2016 for the Perth International Arts Festival.

Shakara participated in the Indigenous Producers Initiative with Screen Australia in 2016 and also worked as the Producer’s attachment on the feature film Jasper Jones. Shakara is the producer, co-writer and creator of the web series ‘Aussie Rangers’ through ABC and Screenwest initiative Screenshots. Shakara has co-produced the documentary series, Nyoongar Footy Magic, about 24 Nyoongar Australian football players. She is the WA co-producer on the Mystery Road TV series. She is a recipient of the Screenwest Emerging Producers Initiative. In 2018 Shakara completed a 3-month internship at Matchbox Pictures.

In 2018 she was successful in the Black Space Web Series Initiative with Screen Australia, in which she developed a web series. In 2020 Shakara was an indigenous consultant on the web series development/writers room for Gold Diggers with Kojo Productions. Shakara was also a writer for the development/writers room of Return to Country, a web series for ABC.

Amelia is a multidisciplinary emerging artist based in Port Hedland, Western Australia with a Cocos- Malay heritage.Amelia's work is influenced by her experience living in Port Hedland and her concerns for the future of her community. In a place wholly driven by the mining and export of iron ore for steel production, Amelia perceives both the opportunities and limitations that exist for young people.

Amelia overcame these barriers by pursuing education and work in other places before returning to Port Hedland to be with her multi-generational family, and also, in the hope to influence other young people to discover the wider opportunities available to them outside the mining industry. She takes inspiration for her three simultaneous careers - in videography and photographer, lighting design for events and as a mechanic. She enjoys drawing on all three skill sets in her art, mostly focussing on movement, light and shadow.

Jacob Gregory, AKA, Lyrical Instinct has been rapping for 10 years and is ambitious to spread his music. Originally born and raised in Broome, his music has taken him to communities and cities in the region to perform and teach.