We are so excited to have the exclusive premiere of Matt Hsu’s Obscure Orchestra‘s new single “Welcome To The Neighbourhood”. The song addresses significant social issues which need urgent attention – refugee rights, black lives and racial injustice. “Welcome To The Neighbourhood” demonstrates that songs with big topics don’t need to be solemn. This has a 70’s soul groove to it and features a brilliantly diverse collaboration of artists from First Nations, recent refugees and gender diverse backgrounds. It really is a glorious melting pot of culture and identity.
Matt was a winner at the 2020 Queensland Music Awards and has jumped out of the blocks with this song. He has played most of the instruments himself and directed the video with the support of La Boite Theatre Company and Aleea Monsour. If you watch the video closely, you’ll get a feel for how many instruments he plays. It’s mind-boggling.
The song features vocals by Solchld (aka Aurora Liddle-Christie, a Jamaican/Indigenous-Australian activist-artist), spoken word by Anisa Nandaula (Ugandan-Australian award-winning poet and author) and Naavikaran (Indian-born LGBTIQ+ activist and body-movement artist), rap by Nima Doostkhah (Iranian-Australian hip-hop artist), vocals and instruments by Cieavash Arean (Iranian-Australian refugee and multi-instrumentalist), and baby sounds by Mira and her father Amer Thabet (Syrian actor).
Check out the video and song. It’s moving, uplifting and good for your soul.
You can follow Matt Hsu’s Obscure Orchestra on Facebook, Instagram and his Website
