Emily Wurramara had the world at her feet. The Indigenous singer-songwriter, then based in Brisbane, had recently released her debut album Milyakburra, named after her community on Bickerton Island in the Northern Territory. It had been received with warm reviews and escalating interest. Then, one night in 2019, her life came crashing down around her.
She remembers she went to bed early, as she felt unwell. She was shaken awake by her brother, who was screaming. She opened her eyes and saw a painting made by her grandmother on the wall was burning. The unit was on fire.
