Mauboy’s tribute to Dr G Jess’s last collaboration with Yunupingu to appear in Secret Daughter
THERE are few challenges Jessica Mauboy has not conquered in her young, but wildly successful, career.
Ask her to nominate the most recent highlight and the star of Seven’s returning season The Secret Daughter talks reverently about the “privilege” of recording a haunting new version in language of Amazing Grace with the late Dr G. Yunupingu.
Mauboy and the internationally renowned Indigenous artist, intended to work more together – but their only opportunity came just weeks before his death in July. The 46-year-old suffered years of ill health, having contracted hepatitis B as a child, leaving him with liver and kidney disease.
Born blind, Dr Yunupingu’s musical talent for mixing Indigenous sounds with the rock, gospel and soul genres saw him perform for audiences around the world including the Queen and former US president Barack Obama.
His death rocked the community and sent the Territory into mourning.
In September, friends, family, colleagues and leaders paid tribute to him at a state memorial service at the Darwin Convention Centre.
The Queen was among those who paid their respects to the famous 46-year-old musician.
Friend and Skinnyfish managing director Mark Grose said at the memorial that his friend was a “quiet, humble person with an incredible sense of humour”.
“The country has lost the greatest voice this country has ever recorded,” he said.
Now, one of Dr Yunupingu’s final collaborations will be showcased in The Secret Daughter’s season two launch episode, to air this Wednesday night – with Mauboy singing the song as a lullaby to a long lost baby cousin of her character, Billie Carter.
The actor and show’s coproducer said the experience of recording the track with Dr. G is a memory she treasure.
“It was a privilege I’ll forever keep in my heart and my mind,” she told NewsCorp Australia.
“It will take me a really long way, for sure.
“He was down the line on the phone and I was in the studio. I was doing a cover of his version that he had made in will Yolngu (language). He helped me through with the dialect and the pronunciation of the song and how to sing it.
“I was moved, kind of more speechless that I was in that moment with him, talking down the line. It was all very surreal to me that it was finally happening.
“And then we got the sad news (he’d died). But with that track we’re able to honour him, one of his last recordings.”
Mauboy’s vocal artistry has proved an essential part of the TV drama’s success, with the show’s season one soundtrack debuting at number one on the ARIA charts.
A third season of the series was confirmed by Seven last week, at the network’s programming reveal for 2018.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Channel 7 has delayed broadcast of its planned season return of drama series, The Secret Daughter. The scheduling change was made after TV guide’s printing deadlines.
It will now air on Wednesday instead of the advertised Tuesday start time.
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