40 years ago the world's biggest rock star gave this young Aboriginal performer a shot at fame

Joelene King still remembers her shock when the rock star asked her to perform in the film clip for one of his greatest songs.

'I am humbled to have had my fifteen minutes of fame with him,' said Joelene King of her work with David Bowie. Source: Supplied

Maybe the most shocking thing about the video clip that accompanied David Bowie's 1983 single 'Let's Dance' is just how relevant it remains four decades later.

Set against the pop anthem's upbeat tempo and seemingly positive lyrics, the film clip portrays a young Aboriginal couple struggling to exist in modern-day Sydney.

Made at a time when Bowie could have claimed the mantle of 'world's biggest rock star', it was a more stark representation of racial relations in this country than anything produced by mainstream culture here.

David Bowie, Terry Roberts and Joelene King in the video clip for 'Let's Dance'. Source: Supplied

At its heart were two young Aboriginal performers who caught Bowie's eye, Joelene King and Terry Roberts.

"I never thought the video would make such noise in the world!" said Ms King after Mr Bowie's death in 2016.

"And it still resonates as one of his best songs. I'm so humbled and grateful [to have been part of it].

"It's something I'll carry for the rest of my days."

Australia 'racially intolerant'

Bowie's affinity for the country stretched back to his youth, and was inspired by the great icon of Aboriginal country, Uluru.

He explained in 2004 that it had graced the cover of an album he had bought, and instantly entranced him.

“It looked really exciting and subsequently when I read the sleeve notes, I realised it was this place in Australia and I always wanted to see it because of that.

“I’ve seen it a couple of times now. It’s a childhood image that stays in your mind, and it became an ambition of some kind.”

However, after touring the country several times, the rock star was under no illusions about the position of the continent's original inhabitants in society.

“As much as I love this country, it is probably one of the most racially intolerant in the world..." he said after the release of 'Let's Dance'.

"I mean, in the north, there's unbelievable intolerance."

Knowing he wanted to depict such intolerance in the video for his song, Bowie choose to film it here in Australia.

"And the message that [the video has] is very simple – it's wrong to be racist!"

Ms King said it was still amazing to her that that message, so powerful in its simplicity, came from the English rock star.

"Especially for a person to come from another country, and do what he did," she told NITV.