Kutcha Edwards

Kutcha Edwards's Biography

2023 Music Victoria Award Winner inducted into the Music Victoria Hall of Fame

Kutcha Edwards has been prolifically combining songwriting and activism since 1991, when he joined Koori group Watbalimba and began the remarkable journey that has taken him from the tiny Riverina town of Balranald to tours of Australia and the world. It is his experiences as a survivor of the Stolen Generations and his proud Mutti Mutti heritage that has shaped his diverse creative output in groups like Blackfire and The Black Arm Band. At the same time he's also been able to forge a successful solo career combining his ‘Bidgee’ blues with traditional songs of
people and country.

Beginning in 2002 with his friends Paul Kelly and Paul Hester (Crowded House) he created his first solo album, Cooinda. In 2007, he released his second solo CD titled Hope, co-produced with Richard Pleasance. Inspired by the Songlines told on the albums, Kutcha wrote, produced and performed his first theatre-based and VIPA award winning show, Songlines of a Mutti Mutti Man, to full houses at the Arts Centre Melbourne’s George Fairfax Studio.

Kutcha created a one-man version of his story called yuyukatha and toured it throughout Victoria. He went on to produce two further solo albums blak n blu and Beneath the Surface.

Kutcha says music chose him and the same can be said for his work in radio and prisons. He has produced Beyond the Bars Live Prison Radio broadcasts with 3CR in Fitzroy for the last 20 years. The broadcast received a Human Rights award for the work of giving voice to the voiceless.

Kutcha created a successful Screen Australia web series Kutcha’s Koorioke at Yirramboi Arts Festival 2019, featuring Archie Roach, Dan Sultan, Alice Skye, and Emily Wurramara to name a few.

The second series was televised through NITV and SBS on Demand over the summer of 2022/2023 featuring artists including Emma Donovon, Mo’ju, Allara, Bumpy and local legend and regular passenger Uncle Jack Charles.

Kutcha’s latest album, ‘Circling Time’, recorded during the lock downs of 2020 and 2021 was launched at the Arts Centre in Melbourne. The album features some of Kutcha’s most brilliant work receiving wide acclaim. The chorus for first single ‘We Sing’ features a choir of 70 voices that include Archie Roach, Paul Kelly, Judith Durham, Joe Geia, Emily Wurramara, Emma Donovan, Rebecca Barnard and many, many more. We Sing is a moving anthem that sings for Love, Justice, Freedom and Peace produced by Andy Stewart.

Another featured release Mrs Edwards, is deeply moving tribute to Kutcha’s mother. Music videos were also released for Mrs Edwards and Singing Up Country, Kutcha sings ‘Always been here, Nothing to fear, Make’n it Clear, Never gonna disappear..We’ve done nothing wrong, It’s where we belong’ ‘Circling Time’ was a defining release for Kutcha nominated for both the Australian Music Prize and a Music Victoria Award, it was beautifully reviewed and revered by a plethora of media and tastemakers. Kutcha released the album during the tumultuous times of COVID. Last year he managed to pick up some of the lost touring opportunities heading out with the theatre show Kutcha and his wife Fiona Dean co-wrote and produced titled ‘Circling Time Songs & Stories’, to regional Victoria, parts of NSW and WA on runs of shows. Kutcha played at festivals including WOMAD- SA, Port Fairy Festival (where is was named Artist of the Festival), and BIGSOUND in Brisbane where he opened the festival at the Fortitude Music Hall to a standing ovation.

He has delivered Keynote Speaker addresses for a plethora of institutions and companies ranging from, Caulfield Grammar School, PHN in Gippsland and the Aboriginal Health Conference in Perth. He was also invited to speak at Parliament while he was in WA.

In amongst this activity Kutcha has played at events for The Melbourne Fringe, Triple R, and he took a primary role at the intercultural song writing exchange with Songs for Peace ( Big hART) in September 2022 that culminated in a prison concert in Roebourne WA. These productions will go on to be showcased across Australia in 2023/2024 in various locations including, Mona Foma- TAS (2022), Canberra Festival, and in Sydney, Darwin, and Brisbane.

Kutcha uses music to create connections across cultures, generations, and spaces. With an innate ability to communicate, he uses his unique, diverse talents to nurture understanding and self-knowledge amongst all those with whom he has contact. Kutcha is a Songman, not simply a songwriter. He draws on a profound sense of all those who have gone before him on this land, along with his own life experiences, to help his audiences understand themselves, reconnect with their culture and promote cultural understanding. His music touches the soul and through his humour and insights we realise that with recognition of the true Aboriginal history, there can be hope of reconciliation.