WEARING a headdress made of Dhinawan feathers and the crest of the Murray [white cockatoo], Gamilaraay and Birri Gubba man Mitch Tambo left a mark on Australia's Got Talent judges.
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He grew up in Tamworth and learned his craft in the Gomeroi Dance Company, and on Sunday night his last audition before the semi-finals will broadcast nationwide.
"I really decided to enter the show because I felt like it's such a big platform and I wanted to show Australia that our culture is alive, well and relevant in 2019," Tambo said.
"I wanted to blend ancient traditions with the contemporary world and tell our stories.
"That was the driving purpose, to show Aboriginal youth that you can be proud of your culture and celebrate it in a contemporary setting."
A triple threat, Tambo's performance combines didgeridoo, Indigenous dance and language with modern beats and cutting-edge multimedia.
Judges Manu Fieldel , Shane Jacobson, Lucy Durack, and Nicole Scherzinger will decide on Sunday whether Tambo's performance makes the cut for the semi-finals.
Tambo sings in the Gamilaraay language he learned in his community, with particular help from Aunty Bernadette Duncan.
Before every performance he takes the time to remind himself how he got there in the first place.
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"Where there's big nerves I tend to bring myself back to that young 14 or 15-year-old jumping into his identity," Tambo said.
"The feeling I felt then is still with me now, and it brings me back to my why.
"I think everyday it's important for me personally to represent my people."