Thelma Plum: Better In Blak [2019].

When 'Better in Blak' was released in 2019, it felt less like a debut album and more like a declaration — a bold, unflinching statement from an artist who had already found her voice and was ready to use it. Thelma Plum, a proud Gamilaraay woman from Brisbane, delivered one of the most powerful and emotionally honest records in recent Australian music history — a work that seamlessly threads together vulnerability, defiance, and self-discovery, all wrapped in shimmering pop production.

From the opening track, “Clumsy Love,” Plum invites listeners into her world with a disarming openness. It’s catchy, yes — but behind the infectious hook lies a confession of human imperfection and longing that cuts deep. The album’s title track, Better in Blak, serves as the heart of the record: a razor-sharp, cathartic anthem that confronts racism, tokenism, and identity politics head-on. When Plum sings, “Do you know what it’s like to always feel like you’re not good enough?” she transforms personal pain into a universal cry for understanding and respect. It’s pop music with purpose — urgent, eloquent, and utterly fearless.

Sonically, Better in Blak is polished yet richly textured, blending indie-pop, folk, and R&B influences without ever feeling contrived. Tracks like “Homecoming Queen” and “Woke Blokes” showcase Plum’s gift for marrying sharp lyricism with irresistible melody. The former is tender and nostalgic, a reflection on self-image and belonging; the latter is biting and witty, taking aim at performative masculinity with the precision of a poet.

But for all its social commentary, this is also an album about healing — about reclaiming joy in the aftermath of trauma. “Not Angry Anymore” and “Made for You” shimmer with quiet resilience, while “Nick Cave” (a standout duet with the man himself) underscores Plum’s knack for blending the personal and mythical. Her vocals throughout are warm, assured, and intimately human — carrying both strength and fragility in perfect balance.

What makes Better in Blak extraordinary is how it bridges worlds: it’s at once deeply personal and unmistakably political, grounded in the lived experience of an Indigenous woman navigating modern Australia. Yet, it never preaches. Instead, it invites empathy through honesty, laughter, and melody.

In the landscape of Australian music, Thelma Plum’s Better in Blak stands as a milestone — not just for its craft, but for its courage. It’s a record that wears its heart, heritage, and hard-won pride on its sleeve, reshaping what Australian pop can be: vibrant, inclusive, and deeply, unapologetically real.