Barkaa’s debut project, Blak Matriarchy – EP, is at once a story of resilience and overcoming, and a demonstration of love, passion and unbridled fury. Across six tracks, the Malyangapa and Barkindji rapper celebrates the strength of her community’s matriarchal ancestors. Women—as figures who largely carry the stories, histories and weight of their community on their backs—are given the spotlight, and Barkaa delivers their stories with spitfire flow and relentless energy. Above all else, this is a record of empowerment. We hear it in the swagger of a song like “Bow Down” (“We ain't backing down to no patriarchal shit!/We come from strong bloodlines, we was raised equipped”) and the sheer power of the record’s title track. Brash boom-bap influences meet softer R&B threads, with each track—from the urgency of “King Brown” to the immersive, fun nature of posse cut “Groovy Remix” (feat. Briggs, Kobie Dee, Birdz & Nooky)—finding its own place to shine. A standout cut has to be “King Brown”, which has been adopted as an anthem of empowerment by many since its release; it’s a prime example of the artist Barkaa (born Chloe Quayle) is evolving into: one whose artistry is rooted in self-awareness and strength of vision, both creative and personal. The multi-faceted and multi-talented artist’s life has not been without struggle or challenge: Quayle has been open about motherhood and her matrilineal ties to country, as well as her journey in conquering addiction and experiences with discrimination and incarceration. Yet her drive to overcome rings out strong in her music, and overcome she has. With each beat and bar-spit, the urgency of Barkaa’s music tells us that this is more than a career for Quayle; it’s about building a legacy for her children and generations of First Nations women to follow.