fbpx

Blak & Bright First Nations Literary Festival acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the traditional custodians of the sacred lands on which we work. We pay our respects to the people of the Kulin Nations and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, past present and future.

We recognise all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the first storytellers; and that knowledge transfer through storytelling is imbedded in the very DNA of this Country.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices or names of deceased persons in photographs, film, audio recordings or printed material.

Monica Jasmine Karo

Monica Jasmine Karo, also known as MpathSoul is a Gunai and Gunditjmara multi-disciplinary artist. Monica has spent the last 10 years performing her craft as a singer-songwriter, actor, and spoken-word poet in Naarm and across Australia.

This year in 2023 Monica has performed her original music on many stages such as the Share The Spirit Festival at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Wominjeka Festival Balnarring, and Clunes Booktown Festival, Yirramboi Festival ‘Meerta’ and a touring musician for Rekindled Systems Tour 2023.

Recently Monica had audiences in stitches in her lead role in Maurial Spearim’s comedy Inside Out at Malthouse Theatre; the show premiered at this year’s Yirramboi Festival 2023 – Monica sung and acted in the “playful, fearless” lead role of Ilbijerri Theatre Company’s Green Room award-winning production of Heart is a Wasteland. The play, written by John Harvey and directed by Dr. Rachael Maza, toured sold out seasons in 2021 and 2022 including Darwin Festival 2021 and Arts Centre Melbourne 2022.

In late 2022 Monica was nominated for the Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent, and was a lead performing artist in the collaborative multidisciplinary theatre show of the The Dreaming Project at Footscray Community Arts. Monica’s working on her debut album, of which her music is soulful folk & R’n’B, with lyrics of healing, connection and spirit.