Nine finalists announced for 2021 Australian Music Prize

The $20,000 Australian Music Prize has announced the shortlist for its 2021 round, with nine finalists in the running.

Whittled down from 88 longlisted acts, the shortlist for this year’s award includes producer Alice Ivy, electronic duo The Avalanches, The Peep Tempel‘s Blake Scott, Emma Donovan and The Putbacks, country artist Fanny Lumsden, South Sudanese artist Gordon Koang, soul singer Miiesha, psych-rock act Tame Impala, and rapper Ziggy Ramo. The award winner will be announced in March.

To help fund the award this year, the Australian Music Prize was sponsored by SoundMerch, giving the merch supplier exclusive naming rights. Award organisers had previously launched an online store with SoundMerch to sell branded t-shirts and face masks.

“It could not have been done without the help of long-term industry friends, especially APRA and the Mushroom Group, whose financial support remained intact for the 16th year,” prize director Scott Murphy said in a statement.

“Of course, it was amazing that during these times, long-term AMP partner SoundMerch stepped up their support of the industry and are going to pay the winner a $20,000 cash prize. Congratulations to our nine shortlisted artists on their incredible work.”

Previous recipients of the Australian Music Prize include Sampa The Great, Gurrumul, Courtney Barnett and The Drones.

2021 SoundMerch Australian Music Prize finalists

Alice Ivy – Don’t Sleep
The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You
Blake Scott – Niscitam
Emma Donovan and The Putbacks – Crossover
Fanny Lumsden – Fallow
Gordon Koang – Unity
Miiesha – Nyaaringu
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
Ziggy Ramo – Black Thoughts