Nardi Simpson (she/her) is a Yuwaalaraay storyteller from NSW’s north west freshwater plains. As a member of Indigenous duo Stiff Gins, Nardi has travelled nationally and internationally for the past 22 years. She is also a founding member of ‘Freshwater,’ an all-female vocal ensemble formed to revive the language and singing traditions of New South Wales river communities.
Nardi is a graduate of Ngarra Burria First People’s Composers and is currently undertaking a PhD through ANU School of Music in Composition. Nardi is the current musical director of Barayagal, a cross cultural choir based at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and The Conservatorium’s and Ensemble Offspring’s First Nations artist in residence for 2021.
Nardi’s debut novel ‘Song of the Crocodile’ was winner of the 2017 Black&Write! Fellowship, the 2021 ALS Gold Medal and 2021 QLD Literary Award Fiction Book of the Year. It was also longlisted for the 2021 Stella Prize and Miles Franklin Awards. Nardi currently lives in Sydney and continues to be heavily involved in the teaching and sharing of culture in both her Sydney and Yuwaalaraay communities.
