One of the universal qualities of hip-hop is how artists use the genre to express where they come from and the needs, fears, frustrations, and successes they experience along the way. This has set the stage for Australia's A.GIRL-real name Hinenuiterangi Tairua-a 22-year-old rapper who is putting western Sydney on the map.
Over the last two years, she has gained national recognition thanks to her raw style and distinct sing-rap mix that yields attention-grabbing moments of musical brilliance.
On the strength of tracks like We Them Boyz (featuring Jaecy)-her first to be featured on Spotify's flagship A1 hip-hop playlist-A.GIRL has enjoyed a rapid rise. She's won both the Next Big Thing award at the FBi SMAC Awards and triple j's Unearthed competition, which netted her a slot at the dance music festival Listen Out. She's even been tipped as a rising star by U.K. publication Wonderland Mag and was named one to watch by Ticketmaster. Building on this momentum, she's since joined Aussie grime icon Chillinit on his sold-out national tour, has shows coming up with the billion-stream rapper Masked Wolf, and will headline Sydney's Spilt Milk festival in September.
Most recently, Spotify's A1 playlist brought A.GIRL together with Chillinit and another homegrown hip-hop artist, Day1, to launch a limited-edition menu with BUTTER, a hybrid fried chicken, hip-hop, champagne, and sneaker venue. (Fans can indulge in the custom menu's offerings through the end of June at BUTTER's four Sydney locations.) A.GIRL's creation for this menu is the A.GIRL Nashville Sandwich, a spicy fried chicken sandwich with buttermilk ranch, a fried runny egg, and lettuce.
I had a long think about it, and I was like, what is missing from burgers that I always add when I go home? she told For the Record. Like, how do I personalize? The runny egg. I don't know if it's a Maori thing, a Pacific Islander thing, but we always put runny eggs on everything. So I was just like, chicken sandwich with a runny egg-that's a wrap!
NEXT
Photo credit: @dreamsyndicator
Her sandwich isn't the only thing she's personalizing these days-A.GIRL has big dreams to export Aussie rap to the world in her own unique way.
What is unique about the rap and hip-hop scene in Sydney? In Sydney, I think we bring our own culture to hip-hop, but it took a while for us to develop our own culture. We were sheep following America and London for a bit, but we have this whole eshay culture about us; we've got this whole brand that we can stand solid on. And it's taken us a minute to get there. But people like Chillinit, people like A1, people like ONEFOUR, 100%. Australian hip-hop is a full thing now that other people can jump on and be like, oh, I support. I can't get this anywhere else in the world but Australia. It's pretty unique how we've kind of come into our own and then we all kind of did this like 360. But you know what? Our accent is hectic, the way we dress is hectic, our tn's are cool, everything that we've done back in the day and brought back to life, times ten.
Why should people from around the world tune into the music coming out of the area? Because of American hip-hop, we know there's food stamps over in America; we know that there's Section 8 housing; we know all of those like little things from rap culture in different places. I feel like it's time for others to learn about the things that we have to deal with, Centrelink, houses-things that are in Australian culture that Australian people can relate to. But it might take the world a minute to get onto what we're saying.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences? Definitely The Weeknd. Love Him. I'm not sure if I adapt that into my own sound or music, but his demeanor, his presence, how he carries himself as an artist, for sure. Freddie Mercury, weird one, but bro, he's just him. No matter what he does-getting people to sing weird ad-libs back to him? But he's just so undeniable wherever he goes. And I think he had the whole world against him at one point. It must have felt like it, you know? And he was like, f it, you know? And I just love him for being that. Also Doja Cat. Obviously.
How did you find your voice in hip-hop? What role did music play in your upbringing? I think by pushing through the noise and just kind of disregarding everyone, even if they had something good to say about me. I was just like, for now, while I'm trying to find myself in this male-dominated hip-hop realm, I literally only should listen to me. And that's why I did songs like Vision, where I spoke about the differences in areas and area beef.
When I first started coming out as a rapper, I was touching on topics that I felt needed to be addressed. And topics that I feel like other rappers were shying away from. And I know that if I listened to anybody outside of my own brain, I would have just steered left and done some commercial sh*t, and I wouldn't have stuck to what felt true. But it took me a minute to find my voice in hip-hop, because as much as I say that I didn't listen to anybody, I did. You know, I let people get into my head and it was very f hard.
What is your biggest piece of advice to aspiring artists? Stay true to yourself. It's really easy to get caught up in all the high pressure, easy to get caught up in the hype. No one prepares you for when you get to that point. The lights and cameras are in your face. Everybody wants to know your name. Everybody wants to get a picture. Nobody ever really keeps an 100 with you about how overwhelming that can be, about how easy it is to kind of just fall into that trap of pushing everyone that's close out of the way.
So stay true to yourself, remember who your day ones are, reme
Most recent headlines
04/11/2022
The best gamers know DTS Headphone:X technology ups their play. Now major magazines have caught on, too.
DTS Headphone:X technology creates immersive soundsc...
01/07/2022
MELBOURNE, Fla. - A L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) infrared instrument set to ...
01/07/2022
IBC is back for its first in-person gathering in three years, and so too is Future's annual IBC Best of Show awards program which celebrates the innovation ...
01/07/2022
ATLANTA Gray Television Inc. appointed Brad Moses the general manager of WTVG-TV (ABC) in Toledo, Ohio, effective July 25....
01/07/2022
National Geographic has tapped Karen Greenfield to fill the newly created position of senior VP of content, diversity and inclusion....
01/07/2022
STAMFORD CONN. The LPTV Broadcasters Association has appointed Peter Saad as the organization's new executive director. He is a seasoned attorney who has be...
01/07/2022
PlayBox Neo HD Playout with eMAM Go Live at TV5HD Thailand
Brie Clayton July 1, 2022
0 Comments
Accompanying diagram shows the MAM and playout workflow...
01/07/2022
Quidich Innovates Game-Changing Camera Solutions for Live Sports Broadcasts with...
01/07/2022
Phil Harrelson to Lead DI and New Dailies Services at Nice Shoes
Brie Clayton July 1, 2022
0 Comments
Nice Shoes has hired post-production veteran Phil...
01/07/2022
Center for Music Therapy to Partner with Underserved Communities in Berklees Bac...
01/07/2022
Berklee's Two Track Series Celebrates Pride' to Kick off Summer The popular YouTube series features students performing original music and exploring ...
01/07/2022
Esin Aydingoz Named Assistant Chair of Berklees Film Scoring Department An acclaimed TV, film, and video game composer from Istanbul, Turkey, Aydingoz starts ...
01/07/2022
DENVER Imagine Communications has appointed Diana Horowitz the company's vice president, strategic sales, advertising technology. In the newly created posit...
01/07/2022
Eurofins Digital Testing (EDT), in partnership with the Consumer Technology Association and National Association of Broadcasters, has announced the release of t...
01/07/2022
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. SES announced the successful launch of its SES-22 satellite onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX's Space Launch Complex 40 at C...
01/07/2022
LOS ANGELES TV and film production personnel in Los Angeles have been told by public health authorities to wear masks while indoors due to rising Covid cases....
01/07/2022
iWedias J r me Vial takes a look at the OTT landscape
By Contributor
Published: July 1, 2022
iWedia's J r me Vial takes a look at the OTT landscape
t...
01/07/2022
Amazon has won the rights to Tuesday night games, with BT Sport airing Champions League matches on Wednesday
By Jenny Priestley
Published: June 30, 2022 Upd...
01/07/2022
Organisation also appoints two new members to its executive board
By Jenny Priestley
Published: July 1, 2022
Organisation also appoints two new members to ...
01/07/2022
Co-founders Peter Thum and Hanno Mahr will become advisors to the company, which will remain in Monheim an Rhein
By Jenny Priestley
Published: July 1, 2022
...
01/07/2022
Awards celebrate the innovation and craft of the industry's R&D teams by recognising some of the standout products and solutions on display in Amsterdam
By...
01/07/2022
The Society of Broadcast Engineers has announced the wrapup of another successful membership recruitment drive, adding 68 new members to the professional societ...
01/07/2022
MIAMI In news that will dramatically expand Spanish-language SVOD streaming content in the Americas, TelevisaUnivision has announced that its ViX+ service will ...
01/07/2022
BAD HOMBURG, Germany Maxon has released an update of its Maxon One Toolset, including new features, enhanced performance and various fixes....
01/07/2022
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Five months after debuting the only locally-produced Spanish-language newscasts in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe market, Telemundo Nuevo M xico / K...
01/07/2022
IRVING, Texas Nexstar Media Group is close to acquiring a majority stake in the CW broadcast network, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal (opens in...
01/07/2022
PHILADELPHIA Comcast has launched the Xfinity Stream app on Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD, giving Xfinity TV customers another way to access their pay TV subscrip...
01/07/2022
As Top Gun Maverick dazzles audiences worldwide this summer, with its advanced camera work displaying dizzying hypersonic flying visuals, a new Disney+ series...
01/07/2022
OTTAWA, Canada As part of a new strategic plan to better serve audiences across Canada on both television and digital platforms, CBC News has announced plans to...
01/07/2022
DENVER Imagine Communications has appointed Diana Horowitz the company's vice president, strategic sales, advertising technology. In the newly created posit...
01/07/2022
iFIT Energizes Interactive Health and Fitness with Ikegami HDK-99 Cameras
Brie Clayton June 30, 2022
0 Comments
6.4 million member subscriber base expe...
01/07/2022
Ikegami Europe Announces Unicam UHK-X750 4K-UHD HDR Studio Camera
Brie Clayton June 30, 2022
0 Comments
Accompanying image shows a perspective view of ...
01/07/2022
Crystal Vision and Singular Become Technology Partners
Brie Clayton June 30, 2022
0 Comments
Crystal Vision has become an official member of the Singul...
01/07/2022
HMS Industrial Networks AB, a wholly owned subsidiary of HMS Networks AB (publ), has today acquired all shares in Global M2M Pty Ltd, located in Melbourne, Aust...
01/07/2022
Fujifilm announces price increase for select Fujifilm-manufactured LTO Ultrium d...
01/07/2022
01
July
2022
UNSTOPPABLE ENTERTAINMENT WITH OVER 135 CHANNELS FOR ONLY RM99.99*
KUALA LUMPUR, 1 July 2022 Stream endless entertainment with over 135 channe...
01/07/2022
Bloke and his American Bantu' hits State Theatre with stellar cast Bloke and his American Bantu' is directed by local actor and writer Sello Maake kaNcu...
01/07/2022
All-inclusive AEW celebrates Pride month in styleAs a company All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has embraced the notion of making space for people from all walks of lif...
01/07/2022
Jumped for joy': #HouseofZwide celebrates Funani stealing Ona's DNA House of Zwide' viewers are applauding Funani's investigative skills and loo...
01/07/2022
WATCH: Muvhango - Tonight's teaser E389 S22Don't miss out on the latest drama in Muvhango!
by SA TV and Soapies
01-07-2022 16:02
in Muvhango
Frida...
01/07/2022
WATCH: Scandal - Tonight's teaser E66 S14Get to know what's happening on tonight's episode!
by SA TV and Soapies
01-07-2022 16:04
in Scandal
F...
01/07/2022
WATCH: Uzalo- Tonight's teaser E85 S8Don't get left behind, catch up on Uzalo now!
by SA TV and Soapies
01-07-2022 16:06
in Soapies
Friday's E...
01/07/2022
WATCH: The River - Tonight's teaser E105 S5Watch tonight's episode of The River and catch the latest episode every weekday at 20:00 on 1 Magic, don'...
01/07/2022
WATCH: Gomora - Tonight's teaser E50 S3Don't miss out on what's happening on tonight's episode of Gomora, and watch the latest episode every wee...
01/07/2022
WATCH: Generations - The Legacy, tonight's teaser E160 S8Keen to know what's happening on the latest episode of Generations: The Legacy?
by SA TV and ...
01/07/2022
WATCH: Skeem Saam - Tonight's teaser E259 S10Find out what's going on tonight on Skeem Saam!
by SA TV and Soapies
01-07-2022 16:14
in SkeemSaam
Fr...
01/07/2022
How EBU Members rallied to help keep Ukrainian broadcaster UA:PBC on air...
01/07/2022
Soapie teasers: What's happening in 7de Laan in July 2022?Another great month ahead.
by SA TV and Soapies
01-07-2022 08:03
in Soapies
7de Laan Soapie ...
01/07/2022
Soapie teasers: What's happening in The River this July 2022?This month is dramatic in The River.
by SA TV and Soapies
01-07-2022 08:15
in Soapies
The...
One of the universal qualities of hip-hop is how artists use the genre to express where they come from and the needs, fears, frustrations, and successes they experience along the way. This has set the stage for Australia's A.GIRL-real name Hinenuiterangi Tairua-a 22-year-old rapper who is putting western Sydney on the map. 
