• Baker Boy, Kasey Chambers with Alan Pigram & Busby Marou lead the celebrations

    The National Indigenous Music Awards celebrate 15 years of recognising excellence and achievement on Saturday August 11 at the iconic Darwin Amphitheatre with a huge reveal today of both finalists and performers for what is set to be Australia’s biggest ever anniversary celebration of Indigenous music.

    Rap superstar Baker Boy, Queensland folksters Busby Marou, country legends Kasey Chambers with Alan Pigram and many more will join the live performance line up as Australia comes together to celebrate this year’s finalists. The night will also host the triple j Unearthed Indigenous winner for 2018 and finalists and performing artists are featured in this year’s official Spotify playlist.

    Leading this year’s finalist list are Baker Boy and Gurrumul with three nominations each and two nominations each for Jessica Mauboy, Dan Sultan, Alice Skye, Kardajala Kirridarra and Emily Wurramara. Nominees also include Birdz, Kuren, Archie Roach, Electric Fields, A.B. Original, Isaiah, Black Rock Band, Ziggy Ramo and Busby Marou.

    2018 has seen one of the strongest years yet for Indigenous music with number 1 albums, national tours, TV (and Eurovision!) appearances, Hottest 100 placements and acts playing festivals across the country. As the premier platform to showcase this success, The NIMAs will once again bring the Australian music community together in a celebration of diversity, innovation and leadership.

    The National Indigenous Music Awards have become a fixture on the Australian music industry calendar for fifteen years, established in 2004 as the NT Indigenous Music Awards and going national in 2012. Over time they have provided some of the finest moments in Indigenous live music including early performances for the likes of Baker Boy, Thelma Plum and Robbie Miller as well as moving tributes to Gurrumul and Yothu Yindi as well as Hall of Fame recognition for the likes of Kutcha Edwards, Vic Simms, Seaman Dan, Archie Roach, Jimmy Little and many more.

    Never shy of standing up for their community, the awards have also provided a platform for the voice of Indigenous music, campaigning for recognition and funding of First Nations artists, calling out major labels for their lack of support of Indigenous music and campaigning to push Indigenous music to the front in mainstream media.

    “The growth in the National Indigenous Music Awards has mirrored the growth of Indigenous music more generally over the last fifteen years,” said NIMA Reference Group Chair Warren H. Williams. “As our musicians have continued their journey of taking their rightful place at the forefront of Australian music, the awards have been there not just to celebrate their successes, but to be a launching pad for new talent and discovery vehicle for musicians, whether they are from Darwin, Devonport, Derby, Dubbo or the Daintree.”

    Performing at the 2018 National Indigenous Music Awards

    • Baker Boy
    • Busby Marou
    • Kasey Chambers with Alan Pigram
    • Roger Knox
    • Kardajala Kirridarra
    • Yirrmal
    • Kenbi Dancers
    • Central Australian Women’s Choir
    • Stiff Gins
    • Triple J Unearthed Winner

    Listen to the performers and finalists now on the official National Indigenous Music Awards 2018 Spotify Playlist

    2018 National Indigenous Music Awards Finalists

    Album of the Year

    Dan Sultan – Killer
    Emily Wurramara – Milyakburra
    Gurrumul – Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow)
    Kardajala Kirridarra – Kardajala Kirridarra
    Kuren – Melting Conceptually

    Song of the Year

    Baker Boy – Marryuna
    Busby Marou – Days of Gold
    Dan Sultan – Kingdom
    Gurrumul – Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow)
    Kardajala Kirridarra – Ngurra

    Artist of the Year

    A.B. Original
    Archie Roach
    Electric Fields
    Gurrumul
    Jessica Mauboy

    Best New Talent (Presented by Spotify)

    Alice Skye
    Baker Boy
    Emily Wurramara
    Isaiah
    Ziggy Ramo

    Film Clip of the Year

    Alice Skye – Friends With Feelings
    Baker Boy – Marryuna
    Birdz – This Side
    Black Rock Band – Bininj Kuborrk
    Jessica Mauboy – We Got Love

    Community Clip of the Year

    Ali Curung NT – Bounce With Me
    B-Town Warriors – Thundercloud: Bourke
    Condobolin, NSW: The Condo Crew – ‘How Ya Feelin’
    Githabul Next Generation – ‘Looking Out For Country’ Mulli Mulli
    Yiyili Mawoolie – ‘Yiyili Kids’

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