"In the past, the Australian music industry felt very white, very male-dominated, very rock-oriented.
"Because GRID (Grassroots in Development) is open-minded, it supports diverse artists and genres. Their music tells stories of people coming from other countries, particularly from war-torn countries and places where life is a struggle," Ma said.
For Baraka, who quit a full-time job in construction to chase his music dream, recent success is sweet, but his goal is to touch people through his songs.
How Fiston beat the odds to crack an $8bn Aussie industry and go global. By Sandra Fulloon, SBS News