Announcing Shauntai Abdul-Rahman – 2026/27 First Nations Artist Residency program leader

Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF), together with the Australian Art Orchestra (AAO) and Songlines Aboriginal Music Corporation, is excited to announce that Shauntai Abdul-Rahman has been selected as program leader of the 2026/27 First Nations Artist Residency.

Shauntai Abdul-Rahman is an award-winning Wiradjuri soprano renowned for her versatility, artistry, and commanding stage presence. A vocalist and composer with a multifaceted practice, she moves seamlessly across opera, gospel, First Nations storytelling, classical composition, and theatre-making. Her warm, grounded, and richly expressive soprano voice captivates audiences and fellow artists alike.

Abdul-Rahman has collaborated with leading organisations including Opera Australia, QPAC, Short Black Opera, Victorian Opera, ILBIJERRI Theatre Company, and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. She is also the founder of Blak Opal Creative, an exciting new initiative dedicated to showcasing First Nations excellence through artistry.

Abdul-Rahman says of the program: “I am deeply honoured to be selected for the MIJF FNAR program with the generous support of AAO, MIJF and Songlines. This year is an invitation to weave together classical form, jazz improvisation, and First Nations storytelling as the core of my practice. I am so excited to present this through new musical works and a song cycle reclaiming the European art song form through First Nations language, musical values, and spiritual worldview. I look forward to collaborating with exceptional artists, returning to Country, and exploring uncharted musical territory while honouring the depth and nuance of language and story”.

Delivered in partnership between MIJF, AAO and Songlines, the First Nations Artist Residency program was launched in 2021 to support the career development of a First Nations musician. As part of her residency, Abdul-Rahman will be supported to develop an ambitious new work, to be premiered at the 2027 Melbourne International Jazz Festival.

Read more about the program here.

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