Marlene Cummins is a jazz blues singer, saxophonist, songwriter, artist, Aboriginal Australian activist, broadcaster, dancer, and actor.
[4] Cummins is considered Australia's foremost Indigenous blues performer, and is influenced by Big Mama Thornton, Etta James, and Ray Charles.
"Whichway Up" made the top 10 Australian Blues Radio Charts and was picked up by Qantas where it aired on high rotation.
After dancing for Prince William, she gave him a copy of the song and explained the significance of the story to him, along with a petition to bring Pemulwuy's head back to his people.
She provided music for a Griffin Theatre Company production Shark Island Stories based on the work of Sally Morgan.
[11] In 2022, she was interviewed by Andrew Ford on ABC Radio National's Music Show about her Marloo's Blues band playing in Sydney International Women's Jazz Festival,[12] at which she was the headline act.
[20][21] Marlene Cummins was born in Cunnamulla, grew up in outback Queensland and Acacia Ridge, and has lived in Redfern for decades.