About

About Jungaji

Jungaji (formerly Troy Brady) is a First Nations Gu Gu Yalanji songman, visual artist, playwright, and activist hailing from Australia. He has embarked on a new creative path, fusing RnB/Soul to create a unique and authentic sound that showcases his cultural roots.

After undergoing a deep cultural transformation, Jungaji has found a profound understanding of his identity and is now dedicated to sharing his authentic voice and artistic testimony with the world. His music will be available on all streaming platforms from August 2023, and he has an extensive tour planned across Australia and beyond.

Jungaji has recently performed at prestigious events such as the St Kilda Festival 2023, Adelaide Fringe Festival 2023 (Award for Best Music Performance) and the Yonder Festival 2022, where he wowed audiences with his dynamic performances. With his multi-talented artistic abilities, Jungaji is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry and beyond. Keep an eye out for him as he heads to a city or town near you in 2023/24.

He is responsible for continuing the ancient law by documenting the stories of his people through art, theatre, music, and storytelling. Jungaji has learned these traditions over the past 20 years from his elder, Qawanji Brady, and from Babi Wawu, a 106-year-old bush man, with whom Jungaji had a life-changing spiritual initiation in 1991. Jungaji is passionate about preserving these traditions for future generations and is in the process of  making new recordings, songs, and film clips available digitally.

In addition to his cultural work, Jungaji is also an advocate for those living with Lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that he has battled for 23 years. He has survived two strokes, two heart attacks, and multiple open heart surgeries. Tragically, Jungaji lost his 21-year-old son in September 2021, which has only increased the importance of traditional teachings in helping him navigate grief and find deeper understanding and purpose.

Jungaji has made the choice to abstain from alcohol, smoking, drugs, and gambling since 2017, thanks in part to the guidance of his traditional teachers and mentors. He uses his art, music, theater, cultural workshops, and social activism to inspire others to live a full and purposeful life.

In addition to his cultural and personal pursuits, Jungaji is also the Chair of the Dhadjowa Foundation, a national grassroots organisation that provides support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families whose loved ones have died in custody. The Dhadjowa Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that is independent from government funding and relies on donations, fundraising, and philanthropy. It offers peer support, financial assistance, and campaign capacity building, all of which are family-led and based on self-determination.

For a brief history of Jungaji’s three decade musical evolution, have a read here.