Better in Blak (song) explained

Better in Blak
Cover:Better in Blak (song) by Thelma Plum.png
Type:single
Artist:Thelma Plum
Album:Better in Blak
Released:26 April 2019
Length:3:12
Label:Mosy Recordings, Sony Music Australia
Prev Title:Not Angry Anymore
Prev Year:2019
Next Title:Homecoming Queen
Next Year:2019

"Better in Blak" is a song by Australian singer/songwriter Thelma Plum, released on 26 April 2019 as the third single from her debut studio album of the same name.

In July 2019, "Better in Blak" was nominated for Film Clip of the Year at the National Indigenous Music Awards.[1] [2]

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2019, "Better in Blak" was nominated for Best Videos.[3]

At the J Awards of 2019, the song was nominated for Australian Video of the Year.[4]

At the APRA Music Awards of 2020, "Better in Blak" was nominated for Song of the Year.[5] [6]

The song won the 2020 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition.[7]

Background

Upon release, Plum said: "I wrote 'Better in Blak' about my experiences with people trying to take the colour from the conversation. My colour is an important part of who I am, and over the last couple of years I've had people try and tell me 'it's not about colour' when obviously to me it is."[8]

Reception

Laura English from Music Feeds wrote: "The track is all about the frustrating experiences Plum faces as a Gamilaraay woman and musician", describing it as "an emotional, cathartic song that sees honest lyrics coupled with upbeat, danceable beats".[8]

Music video

The music video was directed by Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore and released on 28 May 2019.[9] It was nominated for Best Video at the ARIA Music Awards of 2019.[10]

Charts

Chart (2020)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[11] 89

Notes and References

  1. Web site: National Indigenous Music Awards unveils 2019 nominations . . 18 July 2019 . 19 August 2019.
  2. Web site: Record breaking crowd for the 2019 National Indigenous Music Awards! . . 13 August 2019 . 16 April 2019.
  3. Web site: ARIA Awards: 2019 ARIA Awards nominated artists revealed . . 10 October 2019 . 10 October 2019.
  4. Web site: The J Award 2019. Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2019. 15 August 2020.
  5. Web site: Tones and I leads nominations for 2020 virtual APRA Awards . Noise11 . 7 April 2020 . 11 April 2020 . Cashmere, Paul.
  6. Web site: 2020 Awards . . 7 April 2020 . 11 April 2020 . 9 April 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200409145024/https://apraamcos.com.au/awards/2020-awards/apra-music-awards/ . dead .
  7. Web site: Thelma Plum's "Better in Blak" Wins Vanda & Young Songwriting Comp. Billboard. 12 March 2021. 13 March 2021.
  8. Web site: Thelma Plum returns with new single "Better in Blak" . . 26 April 2019 . 16 June 2019 . English, Laura.
  9. Web site: Thelma Plum - Better In Blak (Official Video) . YouTube. 28 May 2019. 29 September 2019.
  10. ARIA Award previous winners. Web site: Winners by Award – Artisan Awards – Best Video . Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 12 December 2019 .
  11. Web site: ARIA Chart Watch #562 . auspOp . 1 February 2020 . 1 February 2020 . 1 February 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200201062337/https://www.auspop.com.au/2020/2/aria-chart-watch-562/ . dead .