Orchestral Version Of 'Amazing Grace' From Posthumous Gurrumul Album Drops

Banbirrngu—The Orchestral Sessions, Gurrumul's second posthumous collection of songs, will be released in a few weeks. Until then, we can feast our ears on his orchestral rendition of Amazing Grace.

Gurrumul’s version of Amazing Grace is out now and hints at the stunning music we’ll hear on the forthcoming album.

The album contains reworked renditions of Gurrumul’s most-loved tracks, delicately blending sparse arrangements with luscious orchestration, a musical theme that’s clear on Amazing Grace.

Gurrumul’s Amazing Grace is sung entirely in Yolngu languages and tracks his relationship with spirituality. He worked with another Australian music legend, Paul Kelly, on a separate version of Amazing Grace, which they recorded together in 2015 for The Gospel Album.

In a statement, Kelly said of working on the previous version of the song with Gurrumul, “It was hard for me to match that matchless voice, like a park footballer trying to hold his own at the MCG on AFL grand final day. But I loved the challenge and persevered…. G was right there with me, in my headphones, in my head, singing with me and around me, a spirit guide singing me home.”

You can listen to Gurrumul’s latest cut of Amazing Grace below.

Banbirrngu - The Orchestral Sessions will be released on Friday, 8 November, via Skinnyfish Music and Universal Music Australia.

Produced by Michael Hohnen, with arrangements by Erkki Veltheim, the album was recorded in Prague by the Prague Metropolitan Orchestra, with Jan Chalupecky conducting.

For the first time in the singer’s discography, Banbirrngu - The Orchestral Sessions has been mixed in Spatial Audio, offering a new dimension to the stunning recordings that deliver an unforgettable listening experience to his fans.

You can pre-order Banbirrngu - The Orchestral Sessions on digital, vinyl and CD formats here.

Gurrumul was a blind Gumatj man from Arnhem Land. He was one of the most famous, critically acclaimed Indigenous performers in Australian music history, with his music providing a rich legacy on musical and cultural levels. He passed away in 2017.

Gurrumul possessed a voice like no other singer and performed predominantly in his native Yolngu languages. In 2022, he was inducted into the National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA) Hall of Fame.

Banbirrngu - The Orchestral Sessions Tracklist

1. Banbirrngu

2. Baru

3. Amazing Grace

4. Bapa

5. Wiyathul

6. Djilawurr

7. Djarrimirri

8. Gurrumul History

9. Wukun

10. Gathu Mawula