Hailing from Maningrida in West Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, the groundbreaking all-woman act have garnered praise from across the country for their music, singing in the languages of their people, Ndjébbana, Burarra, Na-kara and Kune, and telling stories about their land, their languages, and their culture.

Ripple Effect Band have garnered widespread acclaim for their work forging new ground and sound, as the first women from their community to play instruments and form their own band. After kick-starting their career together with tours to Arnhem Land Bak’bididi and Gattjirrk Festivals in 2017, they soon travelled to Eora/Sydney to record their debut EP, Wárrwarra, alongside producers Paul Mac, Clint Bracknell and long-term collaborator, Jodie Kell. Independently released in 2018, the 4-track project included the first song to be recorded in the highly endangered Na-Kara language, “Hunting Song”, alongside the moving “Diyama (Mermaid Song)”. Since, the band has embarked on national tours to festivals such as Barunga (2018, 2021), Garma (2018, 2022), Nannup (2019), Mona Foma (2020), Darwin Festival (2020, 2021, 2023), East Arnhem Live (supporting Regurgitator, 2023) and WOMADelaide (2023), while selling out their own headline shows in Sydney, Darwin and Melbourne. 

Come 2023, the band released their first singles since their 2018 debut EP, titled “Walaya” and “Loving and Caring”. They have graced the cover of Spotify’s Local Noise playlist, been featured with AMRAP, Music Feeds, triple j Unearthed, ABC and seen multiple community radio additions for their songs. During a busy year, the band also spent time at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music mentoring the Kintore Kungka Band, an emerging all-women’s rock band from west of Alice Springs. They were finalists for the 2023 Australian Women in Music Awards’ Diversity in Music Award, and most recently, drummer Jolene Lawrence has also been honoured as a finalist for the APRA Professional Development Awards.

Ripple Effect Band’s growing praise continues to be felt across various collaborations, including the Na-kara children's song “Nabárrdja - the Little Crab” as part of the ARIA-nominated New Indigenous Lullabies album, The Moon, the Mouse and the Frog: Lullabies from Northern Australia, as well as music syncs across SBS program A Taste of the Territory, Stan drama BUMP, and the ICTV award winning documentary Yókkarra. Making waves not just as a collective, the band’s members have also made an impact across various fellow projects. In 2021, Rachel Thomas, Rona Lawrence and Jodie Kell collaborated with Kuníbidji elders and composer Alex Turley to create the orchestral piece “Barra-róddjiba” performed with the Darwin Symphony Orchestra as part of Darwin Festival. Further, in 2022 Tara Rostron and Jodie Kell toured Victoria and NSW as the folk duo Yabok, while drummers Jolene Lawrence and Harriet Fraser-Barbour featured in Hey Drums Series, 'Interviews with Australian Drummers'. Patricia Gibson and Jodie Kell's song “Ngúddja” was also remixed with producer Papertoy - a song that opened the 2022 Country to Couture Indigenous Fashion Show with Gapuwiyak Arts Centre.

The band continues their mission to encourage Indigenous women, among all people, to take pride in who they are and where they come from. Through their beautifully composed songs, important lyrics and talented lineup of musicians - the band embody their belief in the power of music to make a difference. Watch “Loving and Caring” now, and watch this space for more to come.