For 18-year-old artist Budjerah Slabb, making music was an inevitability.
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Raised in a home full of instruments by a family whose time was split between playing in family bands and leading worship services in the local church, Budjerah has crafted a sound that melds the formative elements of gospel and soul, with contemporary pop and R'n'B references.
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"I grew up singing Sam Cooke and listening to gospel singers like The Clark Sisters. That's the kind of music that has been around since I was little."
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He found kinship with ARIA and J Award-winning artist Matt Corby, who produced his upcoming debut EP. Corby's studio is located close to Budjerah's home in Fingal Head – traditionally the land of Bundjalung people, from which Budjerah is descended – and the two clocked countless hours comparing notes and crafting the sound that would introduce the world to what Budjerah can do.
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"I'm pushing the limits too far, I'm way out of my lane. When will my patience run out? Not everyone will break the same way," Budjerah sings on Missing You. A melancholic and sophisticated R'n'B track that melds longing lyrics with a sparse sonic palette, the single taps into the sense of isolation Budjerah knows he isn't alone in experiencing.
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We might still be in the first chapter, but it's clear Budjerah's tales will bring listeners closer together. "When people listen to my music, they'll hear my experience. A song like Missing You is honest, and I hope it brings them comfort and shows they're not alone."