YouTube launches new social series ‘BlakStage’ to celebrate First Nations music via Going North

Indigenous-owned Northern Territory creative agency Going North has partnered with YouTube to launch BlakStage, a bespoke social-first content series starring Jessica Mauboy and rising First Nations female talent, timed to coincide with YouTube’s sponsorship of the 2025 National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs).

Celebrating Mauboy’s induction into the NIMAs Hall of Fame and the release of her new single While I Got Time, the content series follows her collaboration with emerging talent – Kulkalgal artist Pele Savage based in Darwin and Yolngu artist Maggie Garawirrtja from Elcho Island – as they rehearse the track for a live NIMAs performance, with both artists featuring in the series and joining Mauboy on stage for the powerful performance, now streaming on the YouTube ANZ page.

From the first note in rehearsal to the final applause on stage, BlakStage takes viewers inside the heartbeat of the creative process – the candid conversations, the deep cultural threads, and the artistry that shape a powerful, intergenerational Blak performance. It’s part celebration of Mauboy’s legacy, part passing of the mic to the next wave of First Nations music voices.

Commenting on what the campaign means to her and the wider community, Mauboy says: “Being part of BlakStage has been such a special experience for me. It’s not just about celebrating my own journey, but about shining a light on the next wave of incredible First Nations talent. Pele Savage brings raw lyricism and soulful storytelling, while Maggie Garawirrtja blends her emerging music career with her role as a community teacher. Together, their voices joined mine in a unique live performance that bridges generations and genres. Sharing the stage with them at the NIMAs was a proud moment – they inspire me as much as I hope I inspire them.”

Says Leah Ferris, Head of YouTube Marketing AUNZ: “Our mission at YouTube is to give everyone a voice and to show them the world. That’s why we’re so excited and proud to partner with Australian music icon Jess Mauboy on this campaign. Viewers will get a behind-the-scenes look at the journey of Jess mentoring two incredible up-and-coming female Indigenous artists, which culminated in the joint performance of her new single at the NIMAs. For the first time, Music NT – the peak body for music in the Northern Territory – also live-streamed the NIMAs on YouTube to share some of this incredible First Nations talent with the world.”

This is the third year Going North has collaborated with YouTube to create a campaign platforming First Nations artistry, with an all NT-based cast and crew reflecting the deep local roots of the production. Jack Ryan, Agency Lead at Going North, said: “BlakStage is about more than music, it’s about cultural expression, legacy, and connection. We wanted to show a side of Jess and these emerging artists that audiences don’t usually get to see, and working with YouTube again was the perfect way to share that story with the world.”

Client:
Leah Ferris, Head of YouTube Marketing AUNZ
Charlie Jordan, Product Marketing Manager YouTube AUNZ

Talent:
Jessica Mauboy
Pele Savage
Maggie Garawirrtja

Going North:
Jack Ryan, Agency Lead
Nina Fitzgerald, Creative Director
Mikaela Ellis, Director
Tully Hemsley, DoP

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