Nola Lauch is a Kirrae-wurrung/Bundjalung woman who lives on the Mornington Peninsula. Nola is an visual artist, singer and songwriter who is committed to celebrating and sharing Aboriginal music, art and culture - in 2017 Nola received a regional NAIDOC Artist of the Year award in recognition of her songwriting and live performances.
Nola fronts JALGANY, entertaining audiences with her powerful and soulful vocal style. ‘Jalgany’ is a Yugambeh language word meaning Aboriginal woman.
The story of Archibald ‘Snowball’ Roach – the father of the late, legendary Archie Roach - has been captured in a powerful and very personal musical tribute by his grand-daughter Nola Lauch and her band Jalgany.
‘Snowball’ is the story of Snowball Roach, a Bundjalung man and tent boxer who toured on Jimmy Sharman’s Aboriginal boxing circuit, something his son Archie also did for a time.
It is Snowball who Archie immortalised in his iconic song ‘Took the Children Away’ in the line “you touch my kids and you fight me, and they took us from our family.” For Nola, a Kirrae-wurrung/Bundjalung woman, writing about a man she only heard about in family stories has been a way to feel closer to her grandfather, and also carry a musical lineage passed on by her beloved Uncle Archie.
"My grandfather Archibald Roach, known as Snowball, well, what can I say, I would have loved to have met him. I have amazing photos, which speak a thousand words, his beautiful smile just lights me up. I've got amazing stories too, from my late Uncle Archie Roach, his son, so much love and loss in one life.” – Nola Lauch ‘Snowball’ is both a beautiful homage and a sobering acknowledgement of black lives cut short. According to family, Snowball Roach died in police cells in Fitzroy and is buried in Frankston cemetery (south of Melbourne) without a gravestone.
"The song, Snowball, is deeply meaningful for me, as it would be for many others all over the world, how deaths in custody should never happen. It's time to express my emotions through powerful words, through my song, so that people can listen and feel as strongly as I do. My beautiful band, Jalgany, and I are so very proud of this song.
We hope it will help give people strength to keep fighting.
In loving memory of my grandfather Snowball, the fighting man." – Nola Lauch ‘Snowball’ – released on January 26th 2024 - is the first single from upcoming EP timed to coincide with Jalgany playing the Archie Roach stage at Port Fairy Folk Festival 2024.
SNOWBALL CREDITS Written by Nola Lauch and Pete Dawson, arranged by Jalgany. Mixed by Simon Dodd and Greg Jay Walker
