Miss Kaninna brought her BLACKPRINT tour to Magandjin (Brisbane) on Friday night, delivering the biggest show of the national run so far to a sold-out crowd at The Brightside Outdoors.
The proud Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Kalkadoon and Yirendali Aboriginal sovereign artist arrived in Magandjin with the local show upgraded to The Brightside's outdoor space before selling out.
The tour follows the release of Miss Kaninna's debut mixtape 'BLACKPRINT', a six-track project spanning hip-hop, funk, soul, R&B, rock, punk and club music.
The project was built around identity, self-determination, rage and joy, with appearances from Gomeroi rapper Kobie Dee and Waanyi and Gangaliida artist Jamahl Yami.
For Miss Kaninna, the project also challenges the way Aboriginal people are viewed in Australia.
She explained the meaning behind the mixtape before the Magandjin show.
"'BLACKPRINT' is a reflection of how I see my community," Miss Kaninna told National Indigenous Times.
"I feel like Australia doesn't really respect or acknowledge that Aboriginal people have been here since the beginning of time.
"We need to be respected as not only owners and traditional custodians of this land, but also as people who have so much to offer, so much to give, and so much more than this deficit tone that these people look at us with."
Proud Timor Oan (Person of Timor) rapper, Mali Jo$e opened the night with a high-energy set built around story-focused hip-hop, warming up the crowd before Miss Kaninna took the stage.
From there, Miss Kaninna showed why her live performances have become a central part of her rise to stardom.
She is the whole package as a performer, moving between rapping, singing and commanding the stage without appearing to lose energy as the set progressed.
Tracks from 'BLACKPRINT', including 'MOB TIES', 'HANDOUT' and 'STOLEN WAGES', gave the show its heavier moments, while her ability to shift between sounds helped keep the performance moving.
Between songs, Miss Kaninna also gave the crowd insight into the stories behind the music and what it means to her to be a proud Black woman working in the music industry and living in Australia.
Those moments made the show more than a straight run through the mixtape, giving context to music that is already direct in its treatment of identity, politics and Black pride.
The reaction to the new material has been noticeable across the tour.
Miss Kaninna reflected on how audiences have responded to the new era.
"I think people are really f*cking with this kind of sound," she said.
"I'm enjoying the music, and I enjoy playing it live.
"The shows so far have been really energetic and people are really down for the theme and this new era."
Miss Kaninna still has several shows remaining on the BLACKPRINT tour:
September 18 - Northcote Theatre, Melbourne, VIC - SOLD OUT
September 19 - Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, VIC - SOLD OUT
October 3 - UniBar, Adelaide, SA
October 9 - Odeon Theatre, Hobart, TAS
