WASO and Drapht drop video collabs

The videos show a whole new side to some of the Perth hip-hop artist’s biggest hits; Jimmy Recard and Where Ya From, with Drapht backed by over 50 WASO musicians on stage to create a fully-orchestrated spectacle.

The video releases come ahead of two world premiere shows in November that will see the MC front the Orchestra in WASO’s latest contemporary collaboration, conducted by local rising star and WASO Assistant Conductor Jen Winley.

Drapht is the most recent iconic West Australian act to collaborate with WASO. In the last two years the orchestra have played two sold-out performances with Perth-raised superstar Tim Minchin, four sold-out performances with rock royalty Birds of Tokyo, and fronted the 2021 AFL Grand Final half-time show with Birds of Tokyo. Previous WA collaborations also include shows with Eskimo Joe and The Panics.

Drapht now joins the ranks, adding to WASO’s legacy of orchestrating beloved local hits. 20 years on since his first single, the hip-hop MC has conquered Australia with double platinum songs including Jimmy Recard and Rapunzel, toured with international acts, and completed national festival circuits with Big Day Out and Groovin’ the Moo.

With seven albums under his belt, two ARIA awards and a triple j J Award nomination for Album of the Year, the Australian great is celebrating his 20-year milestone behind the mic by playing with the biggest band in WA.

“My biggest band previous to this was a 7 piece. So having 55 people on the stage is a pretty overwhelming step up! There is definitely not as much room up there as I'm used to, but I'm very much looking forward to a different experience and change of pace with the show this time around.

“I am still pinching myself that this is even a possibility, especially ‘post-pandemic’. So I'm feeling grateful, not only to be playing alongside WASO, but also just to be playing again after not really knowing what the future of our industry looked like over the last few years.

“We have 20 years worth of back-catalogue we'll be walking through. Lots of highs and lots of lows, obviously a lot of the fan favourites, but also a lot of album songs that I am yet to play live myself until this point. It's shaping up to be a really exciting one.” – Drapht

Drapht and WASO: How The West Was Won is on at Perth Concert Hall, Friday 18 & Saturday 19 November 2022.

A WASO COMMISSION – Musical arrangements performed in this world premiere season commissioned by West Australian Symphony Orchestra in collaboration with Drapht.

WASO Assistant Conductor, Jen Winley is supported by the Simon Lee Foundation.