At just 16 years of age Narrandera’s Xavier Beauchamp is a young talented up-and-coming professional rap artist from the Western Riverina who goes by Beacho2700 and whose original tracks are available through Spotify, Apple Music, Instagram, Youtube and Sound Cloud.

Beacho2700 is a combination of Xavier Beauchamp’s nickname and the postcode for Narrandera NSW where he comes from. He works hard to carve out his own future in the music industry and said he was drawn to music and songwriting from an early age:

He said as a child he decided for himself that he would change his future.

“It came to one point where I decided, and I was good at music, so I took that opportunity.” He says one day he was in a recording studio at Tirkandi Inaburra Cultural and Development Centre in Coleambally.

It was only a couple of months later that he officially released ‘Make It Out’ with fellow rapper Jacky Sergi.

He says what draws him to it is the lifestyle, the stories, and how they live – he feels a cultural connection.

Xavier says that arts organisations in rural areas play a big role if someone wants to grow their career in the arts.

He said he has received a lot of support from cultural organisations who work in regional areas, like Western Riverina Arts and the team from Heaps Decent who are based in Sydney but do outreach programs across NSW. Xavier is also a regular collaborator with Narrandera-based The Cad Factory.

“In 2021 we did a presentation show called ‘Wirramarri: Long Way From Home’. It was about the fish up at Menindee that started passing away from the big drought we had. We worked on them with that”. Xavier was part of the Wiradjuri dance performance which it brought the whole Narrandera community together at Koori Beach. Part of the night was a moment when the fish larva that came from rescued fish from the Menindee Lakes were set free into the Marrambidya Bila (Murrumbidgee River) and participants ended up dancing in the river”.

This proved to be a historic and significant event both culturally and environmentally. The evening’s performance was created through a partnership between the Wiradjuri Elders, Barkindji Elders, Clontarf Academy at Narrandera High School, the Narrandera Fisheries Centre and The Cad Factory.

Xavier said his musical journey extended from there and he won a recording session with Western Riverina Arts and The Cad Factory.

“That’s when I was doing a lot of country music so I started working with The Cad Factory doing a lot of singing”.

In 2022 he worked with them on his song ‘Struggles’, “that was about things that happened in the past and how to go into the future.

“I made all the parts of the beat and the vocals and worked with Vic McEwan, so shout out to Vic and Sarah McEwan at The Cad Factory. Sarah McEwan, a Creative Producer and Founder of The Cad Factory, said Xavier was an amazing young person dedicated to his practice and had so much to share through his music and performing.

The Cad Factory has worked with him on different projects over the years and said it’s been great to witness his creative growth.

Xavier also received an opportunity to attend the 2022 SongMakers regional outreach workshops in Leeton that run a mentorship program for Next-Gen Hitmakers in Australian schools. Here he got to collaborate with other young artists on original material.

Xavier described how important his Wiradjuri Culture is to his art:

“It’s everything, it’s good being On Country, learning everything… NDA (a local term for Narrandera) it means everything to me…all the local kids all know me. It’s the place we rap about. It’s where we come from, being on Wiradjuri Land, I pay respect to the Elders, where we are doing stuff On Country, they are the ones before us.”

He says that the most important song that he has written and the one that means the most to him was ‘Cultural Proud’.

“It’s about Aboriginal culture and all the things that have happened over the years, like back into the past coming into the future, and what’s getting changed.”

Important figures for him include Narrandera Aboriginal Elder Uncle Michael Lyons. Fundamental to Xavier’s musical career is the support of his family and community:

“I really look up to my mother and all the things she’s done for me” and he stresses that it’s important for him to support his family and that his music is connected to his family’s story.

He respects this with regular visits to the cemetery to honour his two Nans who have passed away. Xavier also performs with singer songwriter Damian Thorne:

“Dookie” from Griffith and NDA, who was the one that got him into Tirkandi to learn about his culture and the one who gave him his first professional gig.

Narrandera Clontarf Academy supports Xavier’s creative achievements in his education. Neville Bamblett from Clontarf said:

“Every day Xavier would practise guitar and sing at recess and lunchtimes. He would always perform at our award nights and is very confident doing so.

This year Xavier has won our Academy Member of the Year 2022. This is because he has worked hard at everything… he is always happy to help out wherever he can and carries Clontarf Values with him every day.

Xavier is very proud of his culture and is a great role model for our Aboriginal people and community. The love he has for song and dance is incredible.”

Beacho2700 has been offered major opportunities to perform alongside nationally recognised artists. Burrundi Theatre of Performing Arts has confirmed him for the line-up of the Warangesda Festival where he joins Philly, Dizzy Doolan and others on Friday and Saturday February 17-18 2023.

Xavier’s other talents include painting and making and playing didgeridoos.

This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 24 November 2022.