Lightning Ridge business woman Rebel Black is testament that you can indeed bloom, where you are planted.

It’s not just a motto she believes in, but ‘blooming’ wherever you are, is something she has embodied.

For many rural and remote women across the dusty corners of the country, Rebel has become a familiar inspiration. 

A ‘human agronomist,’ she is a thought leader who wears multiple hats, from facilitator, community builder and entrepreneur, to speaker and now musician.

It’s the latter that will drive her to the Tamworth Country Music Festival this week to facilitate a gathering of buskers who will join the agenda at the annual migration to the state’s north east. 

“I performed in Tamworth last year in a couple of small gigs. But this year I’ve helped facilitate a community of buskers who will play between 11am and 2pm across the 10 days of the festival,” Rebel said.

Building community is what she does best. It makes sense that it melds with her rediscovered love of music.

From an upbringing that was infused with song and performance, Rebel picked up the ukelele a few years ago, and has now moved to guitar.She is a song-writer and a story-teller.

“There’s a community of musicians in Lightning Ridge. We’ve had open mic nights here at our property, and there are many hidden talents,” she said.

Diving wholeheartedly into music through guitar and song-writing - Rebel Black. (Image supplied).

That seed planted with the ukelele, and kept growing to the point she had a recording studio built at her home. 

“I’m definitely creating the life I dream of where I am. If you can dream it, you can do it," Rebel said.

“It’s my experience that lots of the seeds you plant come into fruition, better than expected, in a place you least expect it.”

She says she does not have a particular musical genre that she fits. 

“I’m still playing around. I like story-telling and I like learning musicology.

“I think the songs write me. It lands when it’s ready.”

Highly conscious of the power of words, she believes music is a code. 

“It strikes me that music is such an important tool. I’m really intentional in how I write. It needs to be a positive, uplifting message.”

Rebel said while her music is something that nurtures her own creativity, finding a beneficial by-product through community building, like that of ‘Edge Fest,’ in Tamworth has been a bonus.

The open mic busker’s festival that is Edge Fest is something that Rebel and a friend have spearheaded to create a safe and supportive experience. 

And it’s resonated with musicians around the globe. “We put a call out for expressions of interest for it and we had applicants from the Pilbara, Croatia and across regional NSW,” she said. 

Many of the 21 applicants will now entertain, with Rebel at Tamworth’s mecca of music. And whether it’s open mic nights at Tin Can Studios in Lightning Ridge, or playing her original songs on Peel St, you can guarantee that Rebel Black will be blooming.

*The buskers will be performing as part of ‘Edge Fest’ from January 17 through to January 26 between 11am and 2pm out the front of Local Member, Kevin Anderson’s office at 445 Peel St.