National Indigenous Music Awards nominations
Pictured: Baker Boy.
The National Indigenous Music Awards have unveiled their nominations for the 2019 awards night, with twenty artists nominated across six categories.
ARIA and APRA Award-winning, NIMA Hall of Fame inductee Archie Roach will also be returning to the NIMAs stage for the first time in four years joining an already massive line up including Jessica Mauboy and Dan Sultan for this year’s event which will be held on Saturday, August 10 at Darwin’s Amphitheater.
Tickets are on sale now, available through Darwin Festival at https://bit.ly/2FaBxDK.
Leading this year’s finalist list is Mojo Juju, the Wiradjuri woman who appears in four of the five categories following the success of her third studio album Native Tongue which has also earned an ARIA Award for Australian Music Video Of The Year.
Following Mojo Juju with three nominations is Gumbaynggirr rapper Tasman Keith.
Also featured in the finalist list are Baker Boy, Archie Roach, Briggs, Electric Fields, Jessica Mauboy, Thelma Plum, Emily Wurramara, Dan Sultan, Kaiit, Kobie Dee, Mambali Band and Tia Gostelow.
Archie takes to the stage on August 10 with Jessica Mauboy, Dan Sultan, Electric Fields, Tasman Keith, Indigenous choir collective Spinifex Gum, Yorta Yorta soprano Deborah Cheetham, Larrakia nation’s Kenbi Dancers and Indigenous violinist Eric Avery.
The 2018 National Indigenous Music Awards saw growth in both audience and nominations, as well as stellar performances by Young Australian of the Year, Baker Boy, ARIA chart-toppers Busby Marou and Hall of Fame inductee Roger Knox.
“In the past year, Indigenous music has continued its meteoric rise to the top of music in Australia, pushing boundaries and finding its place at the forefront of art in our country," said NIMA Reference Group Chair, Warren H. Williams. "The NIMAs follows that rise ready to recognize and amplify the voices of our musicians on their journey upwards."
It has been a big year for Indigenous musicians including Mojo Juju and Dan Sultan nominated for three and two ARIAs apiece, Electric Fields becoming runners up to be Australia’s Eurovision entrant, Baker Boy cracking commercial radio with ‘Cool as Hell’ and Gurrumul winning the Australian Music Prize and four ARIAs for ‘Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow)’.
National Indigenous Music Awards nominations
Artist of the Year: Archie Roach, Baker Boy, Briggs, Electric Fields, Jessica Mauboy, Mojo Juju.
Album of the Year: Archie Roach - The Concert Collection 2012 – 2018, Dan Sultan - Aviary Tales, Mojo Juju - Native Tongue, Tia Gostelow - Thick Skin, Thelma Plum - Better In Blak.
Song of the Year: Baker Boy - Black Magic, Electric Fields - 2000 and Whatever, Mojo Juju - Native Tongue, Tasman Keith (ft Stevie Jean) – Prey, Yirrmal - For Everyone
New Talent of the Year: Dallas Woods, Kaiit, Kobie Dee, Mambali Band, Tasman Keith.
Film Clip of the Year: Briggs - Life Is Incredible, Mojo Juju - Native Tongue, Tasman Keith (ft Stevie Jean) – Prey, Thelma Plum - Better In Blak, Yirrmal - For Everyone.
Community Clip of the Year: Deni Mob - State Of The Heart, Peppi School - Play Good Way, Numbulwar School Band - What's The Reason? Tiwi College - Picka Family