Ben Lee and Ione Skye join this episode of LaunchLeft. They discuss how a couple can work together and thrive, activism, and quantifying success. Later in the show, Ben and Ione Skye launch Emily Wurramara, an Australian songwriter who composes her music in English and her native indigenous language. She performs her song “Stay the Fuck Away from Me” acoustic to close this genuinely inspiring episode. 

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LAUNCHLEFT OFFICIAL WEBSITEhttps://www.launchleft.com 

LAUNCHLEFT PATREON https://www.patreon.com/LaunchLeft 

TWITTER https://twitter.com/LaunchLeft 

INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/launchleft/ 

FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/LaunchLeft 

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LaunchLeft Podcast hosted by Rain Phoenix is an intentional space for Art and Activism where famed creatives launch new artists. LaunchLeft is an alliance of left-of-center artists, a curated ecosystem that includes a podcast, label and NFT gallery.

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IN THIS EPISODE:

• [01:34] Rain, Ben, and Ione catch up on New Year’s activities and how going through the pandemic has made them appreciate being able to socialize once more. 
• [05:32] Ben and Ione discuss how they decided to make their podcast called Weirder Together. 
• [15:03] The couple shares their beliefs on what success looks like. 
• [27:20] What brought Ben and Ione together as a couple, and with what topics are they socially active? How can those topics impact you negatively on social media? 
• [36:41] Why Ben feels responsible for young artists giving them a hand up, as was done for him. 
• 40:05] Ben introduces Emily Wurramara. Emily performs a song at the end of the episode. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

• LaunchLeft’s mission is to highlight and empower artists and give them a platform to launch their careers.
• There is a cultural brainwashing that holds to the tenant that if you are rich, you are successful.  However, the flip side of that coin is, are you happy and enjoying life?  Shouldn’t you enjoy the process and not only concentrate on the reward?
• Collaboration can be painful, but it can produce a better product when people from diverse situations and ideas come together to form an exciting product better than one person could do alone. 

RESOURCE LINKS

Podcast - LaunchLeft

Website - Emily Wurramara

Facebook - Emily Wurramara

Instagram - Emily Wurramara

BIO: 

Originating from Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory, the AIR award-winning and ARIA-nominated artist released an 11-track album Milyakburra, educating and informing in both English and Anindilyakwa languages. The critically acclaimed 2018 album features the emotive Lady Blue (over 6.5 million Spotify streams) and Black Smoke, amassing over 1.2 million Spotify streams and rotation on Triple J, ABC Local, and ten weeks in the AMRAP charts.

Emily has performed on many global stages, including Woodford Folk Festival, Bluesfest, TEDX Sydney, GARMA, Port Fairy Folk Festival, BIGSOUND, and International Folk Alliance showcase in Kansas, Canada, and New Orleans, as well as shows in Chicago, New York, Paris and across so-called Australia.

She has toured and played with iconic artists, including Archie Roach, Mavis Staples, John Farnham, Busby Marou, Coloured Stones, Missy Higgins, Shellie Morris, Jessica Mauboy, Cat empire, and John butler, just to name a few!

Emily is a six-time Queensland Music Award winner; she was selected for the AMP Tomorrow Maker Award and won the AIR Awards Best Blues and Roots Album of the Year.

What's next?

Emily recently signed to the record label ABC Music and is currently in the studio working on her new album, set for release in 2022.

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