Inspiration - Influence by Sarah Cvk

Ngaiire

sknowsknow — 2025-07-06 06:14:54 UTC

Ngaiire’s voice has an ancestral strength that feels grassroots and deeply connected to where she comes from.

In Papua New Guinea, people call out across steep mountain valleys to their neighbours — you can hear that same kind of projection in her singing, like a tribal gift carried forward.

She was born in PNG but built her career here in so-called Australia, which takes resilience, especially for an independent artist and a woman of colour.

She’s pursued her career in singing while raising her family, supporting her mother, and always bringing her culture forward (Ngaiire, 2021).

What stays with me is how she talks about her mother and grandmother holding so much for her to stand where she is now. She says, “I felt so proud of the moment that I’d come from these two women who just hunkered down so much and had to put up with so much to get me to the Opera House” (Ngaiire, 2021).

Meeting her and being embraced felt like being welcomed into that story — a story about spirit, connection and ancestors. When I think of Ngaiire, I feel grateful for her groundwork in the industry and for the reminder that our cultural stories and family strength can live inside the music we share.

Ngaiire. (2021, May 20). Ngaiire on her journey: The birth of her new album [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/iNjfBoQrNYU?si=9EyATf1KeiXYtWEt

ERYKAH BADU

sknowsknow — 2025-07-06 06:20:41 UTC

Erykah Badu is widely recognised for her innovative blending of hip hop, jazz, and neo-soul, supported by a vocal style that is raw, improvisational, and distinctive. Her capacity to freestyle and shift tone mid-performance demonstrates a high level of musical agility that pushes genre boundaries (US News, 2024). Badu has also cited Billie Holiday as an influence on her vocal delivery, especially in phrasing and mood (US News, 2024). In addition to her musical impact, Badu’s use of humour and playful improvisation in her performances and public persona further expands what artists can do within contemporary soul music. For artists like Ngaiire, Badu’s approach highlights the value of maintaining creative freedom, flexibility, and a multidimensional artistic identity.

US News. (2024, October 28). Erykah Badu celebrated as fashion icon at CFDA awards after years of pushing boundaries. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york/articles/2024-10-28/erykah-badu-celebrated-as-fashion-icon-at-cfda-awards-after-years-of-pushing-boundaries

DEEP FOREST

sknowsknow — 2025-07-06 06:40:08 UTC

Deep Forest are a French electronic music duo known for pioneering the blend of electronic production with traditional and Indigenous vocal samples in the 1990s. Their approach combined ambient beats with field recordings from regions such as Africa and Papua New Guinea, showing how cultural sounds could be woven into contemporary music to create new textures and atmospheres. They were also commercially successful in reaching a global audience, which brought some awareness to lesser-known language groups and musical traditions. For artists like Ngaiire — and artists like me — Deep Forest’s legacy shows both the creative potential and the responsibility of representing cultural material with care. (Harrison, 2000)

Harrison, A. (2000). Music: The Business (3rd ed.). Virgin Books.

BJÖRK

sknowsknow — 2025-07-06 06:42:08 UTC

Björk started out in Iceland’s early punk scene, making zines and playing in independent bands. She took that attitude into early electronic and trip-hop music, and she describes her work as electronic, avant-pop, and ambient instead of sticking to one genre (Pytlik, 2003). Her recent shows use design, motion graphics, and large-scale projections to make the whole performance feel like a living artwork (Pitchfork, 2023). She has also worked with David Attenborough on projects like Biophilia, showing how music and science can come together to care for nature. To me, artists like Björk show that when people pioneer something new, their legacy can reach far beyond songs — it can change how we see and respect the world.

Pytlik, M. (2003). Björk: Wow and Flutter. ECW Press.

Pitchfork. (2023, September 5). Björk’s Cornucopia show returns with new visuals and eco message. Retrieved from https://pitchfork.com/news/bjork-cornucopia-tour-2023/

MISS KANINNA

sknowsknow — 2025-07-06 06:49:23 UTC

Miss Kaninna is a proud Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Kalkadoon, and Yirendali woman from Bruny Island, off the south coast of lutruwita/Tasmania. In her mid-20s, she’s already a strong voice in anti-genocide activism in so-called Australia — recently supporting Irish rap group KNEECAP, who fight for the right to speak their language in court (Waxx Lyrical, 2024). That vital, unapologetic energy flows into her live shows and the way she backs her community. Her music spans pop, funk, R&B, and rap, and she uses novelty and controversy to make people listen for deeper truths about Land Back, reparations, and truth-telling. Her song ‘Blak Britney’ (Kaninna, 2024) draws a line between how Britney Spears was controlled and ridiculed for years and how Blak women still get policed when they speak up. I respect her willingness to stay visible — even when it’s messy — because that kind of honesty makes space for others too. It’s not neat, but it matters.

Kaninna, M. (2024). Blak Britney [Song]. Blak Label.

Waxx Lyrical. (2024, May 12). Kneecap and Miss Kaninna: A Raw, Unstoppable Force at The Triffid. Retrieved from https://www.waxxlyrical.com/post/kneecap-and-miss-kaninna-a-raw-unstoppable-force-at-the-triffid

YEBBA

sknowsknow — 2025-07-06 10:20:55 UTC

Yebba is widely recognised for her distinctive blend of soul, gospel, and pop, and is often described as a “singer’s singer” because of her exceptional live vocal ability. She gained a dedicated following through live Instagram performances, which showed the seamless reach of her voice and her reputation for delivering believable, emotionally rich performances. Much of her songwriting explores grief and emotional realism, shaped by the loss of her mother to suicide — an experience she has spoken about publicly. Yebba’s ongoing work with her pianist and musical director, James Francies Jr., shows her commitment to craft and musicianship. She has also credited Missy Elliott as a mentor, sharing how she would visit Missy in college to listen to records and learn (Vibe, 2023). For me, Yebba’s work is a lifeline, demonstrating that her clarity, discipline, and spirit create an experience that resembles a masterclass in presence and honesty for any attentive listener.

Vibe. (2023, May 15). Yebba thanks Black women in music: ‘Forever my queen for real.’ Retrieved from https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/yebba-thanks-black-women-in-music-1234628515/

MISSY ELLIOT

sknowsknow — 2025-07-06 12:47:45 UTC

Missy Elliott is one of the most innovative artists in hip hop, known for pushing genre and visual boundaries with bold, playful style. Her work with Timbaland and her iconic videos like The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) showed how sound and visuals can work together to create something new (Billboard, 2023).

Her story also shows real resilience — growing up with domestic violence shaped her drive to succeed without losing her honesty. She’s been open about mentoring young artists too, like Yebba, giving them access and encouragement to be fearless (Vibe, 2023).

Missy’s influence on the creative industries is huge: she proved you don’t have to shrink your ideas to fit in. For me, her legacy is a reminder to stay playful, experimental, and true to my own vision — and to share what I learn with others.

Billboard. (2023, June 10). Missy Elliott: The icon who changed hip hop.

Vibe. (2023, May 15). Yebba thanks Missy Elliott.

Billie Holiday

sknowsknow — 2025-07-06 13:46:03 UTC

Billie Holiday’s unique phrasing and raw honesty shaped the way I think about vocal storytelling. Her ability to bend a melody and hold back or push forward taught me that imperfection can be powerful. It reminds me to keep my delivery real and not over-polished. Like Yebba, I hear how Billie’s freedom makes space for truth in every line. (US News, 2024)

The Clark Sisters

sknowsknow — 2025-07-06 13:48:14 UTC

The Clark Sisters inspire me through the strength of their layered harmonies and gospel roots. Their fearless spirit reminds me that a voice can be a whole choir — one voice layered over itself can feel like community. I hear this same approach in Yebba’s music and it makes me want to stay connected to soulful roots, even when experimenting with modern sounds. (Vibe, 2023)