OKA Frontman 'DidgeriSTU' Passes Away
Respect, every time.
ATTENTION: Aboriginal and Torres Strait readers are advised that this story and the videos and links contained within may contain the name or image of the deceased
Fans have taken to social media to celebrate the life of OKA frontman 'DidgeriSTU' after the popular First Nations musician passed away over the weekend from COVID-19 complications. He contracted the illness over the holiday break and was moved to ICU in January before losing his battle on Saturday.
The popular musician fronted OKA and was its creative heart since the band's inception in 2000, founding after the original members' involvement in the Sydney 2000 Olympics. The Sunshine Coast band's blend of electronic, reggae, roots and rock quickly gathered a strong fan base, becoming festival favourites the world over with performances at Glastonbury, Montreal Jazz and of course regular appearances across Australia at the likes of Woodford and Splendour in the Grass. Independently selling over 170,000 albums, the band shared the stage with artists including Santana, Kiss, Arrested Development, Sting and many more.
The band's first album 'Elements' surfaced in 2002, a relaxing journey and accomplished listen far beyond its debut status. 'One Talk' followed in 2003, delving further into the band's First Nations roots before 2005's 'Music Makes Me Happy' brought the band out from the shadows and into the international spotlight. The album moved from the relaxation sounds of the first records and into more mainstream territory, creating beats as much at home on the dancefloor as they were in meditation rooms. The tracks 'Oka Gets You High' and 'Music Makes Me Happy' became staples for the band over the coming couple of decades, resulting in the exponential growth of their fan base both here and overseas.
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Six further albums emerged, with their final release being 2020s 'Sunset Sessions'. Not content with simply releasing music, OKA created their own community including events like the OKA Campout, a regular gathering of fans to soak up the music and culture of OKA and celebrate togetherness. Never beholden to labels or the industry, OKA forged their own path, creating a community, economy and way forward as a musical entity driven solely by their art. While travelling the globe, the band never lost sight of their home, becoming fierce ambassadors for the Sunshine Coast music scene and helping countless other local artists on their own musical journeys.
Friend, long-time supporter and Double J Stir It Up presenter Sarah Howells paid tribute to the unique musician:
"'Respect, every time.' You’d hear that pretty regularly from the stage when Oka was playing, and it’s a sentiment that sums him up pretty well. On a personal level, he had the biggest heart of anyone I know. His infectious smile was an absolute joy to see, and you can guarantee he’d grab you in a bear hug every time he saw you. He was genuine, caring, and full of so much love. He was so proud of his culture, and took every chance he could to respectfully and appropriately impart some of that knowledge to the audience at a live show. Oka’s music was unique – when I first heard them decades ago I’d never heard anything like it. How he managed to make the music that I chill out to at home the same music that saw crowds of us rush to the dancefloor, I will never know. Oka was huge in Canada, as they busked in the street and saw huge crowds come to them at festivals, and they were so well loved in Australia. The line up changed over the years, but always at the centre was DidgeriSTU with his yidaki and beats, and that grin that told you he was exactly where he was meant to be. He was a mentor to many musicians, as they will tell you, and was a huge part of the music scene on the Sunshine Coast, across Australia, and the world. He was also a fantastic visual artist, and he pioneered unique music experiences like the ‘Oka Camp Out’. He had a big impact, both musically and personally, on so many of us, and it is hard to imagine a world without him."
A GoFundMe page was set up to assist his family with the medical expenses in January, with the page reaching its $49,000 goal yesterday in the wake of the news of his passing.
Take a look back on OKA over the years with The Music:
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