Video Transcription

Rebecca Hatch on her culture and music

Hi, my name is Rebecca Hatch. I’m 18 years old and I’m a singer-songwriter from Western Sydney. When I was 16, I went to Blue Jays on a TIE Indigenous initiative at the National Indigenous Music Awards.

I’ve always had, like, two cultures that I’ve kind of been split between, which is being my mom’s Samoan, like Polynesian, and then I’ve had my dad, who’s Aboriginal, like Kamilaroi.

Seeing Rebecca being a role model for a lot of young people, especially Indigenous and Pacific Islanders, I’m very proud of her.

I didn’t realize until now how much it meant, like, when I get played on stuff. It’s a big deal because it’s kind of like, I’m the underdog from Western Sydney. I’m like LeBron from Western Sydney. She’s a proud Campbelltown girl, like, she won’t trade it in for anybody. She will fight to lift that area up.

I feel like it feels really good to be able to do good things for your culture and for your people and, like, kind of be that role model. People look up to me like, “Ah, like, I didn’t have to turn into these stereotypes that people want us to be.” If she can help another young person, then my job is done.

Video by Reach Out