An award-winning musician and producer of Wik and Solomon Islander heritage, rapper and change maker Ziggy Ramo holds an artistry that challenges you to the issues that matter to the forefront.
‘Sugar Coated Lies’ is Ziggy Ramo’s second album. If Ramo’s debut album, the phenomenally important Black Thoughts was a manifesto, ‘Sugar Coated Lies’ is a diary entry. The album dives into the ways in which intergenerational trauma can manifest. Ramo, an Australian South Sea Islander gives a voice to the forgotten people. An offering of vulnerability that can radiate through house party speakers, this album offers an introspective reckoning with what it means to live with depth and nuance on stolen land.
The album starts and ends with his hospitalisation for suicidal ideation. It was a moment that required him to deal with the compounding traumas of being disposed of Country, and the weight of descending from enslaved people. The effects of settler colonialism and institutional racism are felt in every sphere of reality, including the body. It’s not a theoretical concept subject to debate, but a lived reality taxing mental health, relationships and the ability to dream big.
The album features some special guests across the tracks including Alice Skye, vonn, Ladi6 and Jantine.
Ziggy talks through ‘Sugar Coated Lies’; “On the surface, this album is made up of journal entries, starting and ending with my hospitalization after being on suicide watch. Beneath that lies heavy intergenerational trauma that has sunk its hooks into my every thought and action. I had to go through a lot of therapy to deal with the all- encompassing weight of this intergeneration trauma, and putting it in an album became incredibly therapeutic.“
The underlying themes of the album have been mirrored on the small screen, with Ziggy making his acting and composer debut, starring in the Stan original series Black Snow, produced by Goalpost Pictures. Black Snow is a gripping six-part mystery drama set in North Queensland, with deep ties to the Australian South Sea Islander community. Not only is Ziggy starring in a breakthrough role, he has also scored the series alongside Jed Palmer.
With the release of his phenomenally important album ‘Black Thoughts’ in 2020, Ziggy floored the industry with his vital and powerful messages, commanding the attention of listeners and commentators around the country. The album was awarded the FBI Album of the Year and April 25th took home FBI Single of Year.
Not one to curb his creativity, Ziggy is throwing everything at 2023. He is in the midst of writing his debut book “Human” – a reflection on his personal experiences and how they related to history, with an accompanying album and exhibition to be unveiled toward the end of the year.
‘Sugar Coated Lies’ is available globally now
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With thanks to Morse Code PR
