Nooky and We Are Warriors receive Bronze Lion at Cannes for documentary

Nooky, and his social enterprise collective WE ARE WARRIORS, were awarded a Bronze Lion at the Cannes Entertainment Lions for Music for their documentary/music video - Through the Fire.

It was a surreal moment for the Yuin and Thunghutti rapper, "to be recognised amongst that kind of calibre, like man we were up there with Rihanna, you know what I mean? I didn't think I had a shot in the world," he said.

"Just to be there with those names was a spin out, even to get shortlisted was an achievement in itself."

WE ARE WARRIORS, created by Nooky, is a social enterprise, business, platform all centered around highlighting Indigenous excellence.

"It's all about shining a light on the achievements of our youth, along with helping to highlight different pathways and options for them too," Nooky said

The half documentary, half music video, Through the Fire, is a retelling of the "Nowra Story", The Black Cockatoo.

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"He went through the fire and experienced all the pain, but came out wiser, stronger, bigger, faster, and matured," he said.

"He was badly scarred but he was a better version of himself."

"So you know the creation of this video was honestly an easy process because the foundation was already there."

"Growing up in Nowra, and knowing of that story, it has always been something, when it comes to artistic choices, that I like to reflect on, touch on and use."

While Nooky is now brushing shoulders with some of the world's most talented musicians and creatives, he hasn't forgotten his roots, and his love for Nowra remains as strong as ever.

"I love Nowra, I'm on Triple J every Sunday screaming about Nowra, now I'm taking it to the south of France," he said.

"It's just a special place and you know growing up there you gain certain characteristics and it's that Nowra charm, cheekiness, mischievousness, you are a little rough around the edges but you have this charm."

The rapper said finding an outlet, in his case music, at a young age, helped him leaps and bounds, adding that finding what it is your passionate about can open so many doors and opportunities in one's life.

Nooky's older cousin, Ryan Selway, was the one who first introduced him to music, along with delivering the important message to the young rapper that he still holds close to his heart to this day.

When Nooky first sent Selway his first attempt at a verse, his cousin responded and said "do you want me to be honest with you? That was shithouse."

"That rocked my world, I said, 'but I worked hours on that' and 'that's where you went wrong' he said."

Selway told Nooky that music has to come from your heart, not your head.

"I'm telling you from that moment forward I knew exactly how to do it, everything clicked, I've lived my life by that ever since that moment."

"I've been able to go over to Cannes and win that award, all because of that one moment."

That is the message Nooky tries to deliver to the youth - that you have to do what your heart tells you to, and success will follow from that.

"Just speak from the heart, let the heart guide you and you'll never put a foot out of place," he said.

Nooky refers to himself as the 'Unofficial Mayor of Nowra' and said that one day he hopes to make that title an official one.

"People know me as the 'Unofficial Mayor of Nowra' and I want to make that a reality at some point, give me another couple of years and we'll see what happens."