Finalists, lineup additions announced for 2016 NIMAs
Image: Benny Walker is up for the New talent NIMA
Emma Donovan, Benny Walker, Dan Sultan and Gurrumul Yunupingu are all up for 2016National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs).
Donovan, Sultan and Yunupingu will face off for the Artist of the Year title on Saturday August 6, along with numerous artists competing for other categories including Album of the Year and New Talent.
The event will continue its long-standing tradition of delivering the finest in indigenous music, adding Shellie Morris, Warren H. Williams with Danielle Young, Lonely Boys and Yirrmal featuring his father, Witiyana Marika, to the live performance lineup.
Hailing from North/East Arnhem Land, traditional dancing performances will be made by the Rirratjingu Clan in honour of the ‘Father of Land Rights’, Roy Marika, as well as an exclusively choreographed routine by Djuki Mala.
Also set to take the stage at this year’s event is Kuren, winner of this year’s triple j Unearthed NIMA competition. The young producer from Hillston, NSW will continue on from his debut national tour with the performance.
Finalists from other categories include A.B Original with his single 2 Black 2 Strong for Song of the Year, Emily Wurramara in the new talent category and Briggs’ video for the song The Children Came Back ft. Gurrumul & Dewayne Everettsmith, which is nominated for the film clip award.
Executive director of MusicNT and NIMAs, Mark Smith, believes this year’s finalists epitomise a new breed of indigenous music.
“2016 is a year where a number of artists that are on the cusp of success shine through the list of finalists. Emily fresh from success at the Queensland Music Awards and the rise and rise of Gawurra encapsulate the new guard of contemporary indigenous music. We are excited to announce this year’s list and look forward to announcing the winners in August”.
NIMA 2016 will be held at the Darwin Amphitheatre and will align with two other prominent Indigenous events on the same weekend, the 33rd Telstra National Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Art Award (NATSIAA) and Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF), in order to draw further attention to Indigenous art and music in Darwin.
FINALISTS for the 2016 NIMAsare:
Artist of the Year
Emma Donovan
Dan Sultan
Gurrumul Yunupingu
Album of the Year
Ratja Yaliyali – Gawurra
The Gospel Album – Gurrumul Yunupingu
Open LIVE – Live from the National Theatre, Melbourne – Dan Sultan
Song of the Year
A.B. Original – Dead In A Minute feat. Caiti Baker
A.B. ORIGINAL – 2 Black 2 Strong
Ratja Yaliyali – Gawurra
The Children Came Back – Briggs, Dewayne Everettsmith & Gurrumul
Oh No You Don’t – Benny Walker
New Talent
A.B. Original
Benny Walker
Gawurra
Emily Wurramara
Chris Tamwoy
Cover Art
Gawurra – Ratja Yaliyali
Benny Walker – Oh No You Don’t
Gurrumul Yunupingu - The Gospel Album
Film Clip
Briggs – The Children Came Back ft Gurrumul & Dewayne Everettsmith – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-wMbFntrTo&feature=youtu.be
Benny Walker – Oh No You Don’t
Gawurra – Ratja Yaliyali – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAg-cE11d6c&feature=youtu.be
Community Music Clip:
Yolngu Style
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvftsRrnR7Y
Community: Galiwinku
Video Production: Brittan Andrews AKA Syd, Grayson Huddart
Music Production: Aman Bayatly AKA Tera, Michael O’connell AKA Mixer, Dion Brownfield
Director: Dallas Woods
Yolgnu Style – Is a deadly modern contemporary dance music video created by a unique group of talented artists to inspire the world to dance, move and absorb the Yolgnu style. Inspired by the mixture of old school hip hop flavour mixed together with traditional Red Flag Dancers from Elcho Island / Yolgnu style.
Break The Silence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VDqW8vceeU
Community: Ngukurr
Ngukurr School, White Ribbon Australia and Indigenous Hip Hop Projects partnered to make this powerful and important music video / resource touching on the powerful messages of the White Ribbon campaign – Break The Silence.
Shadows
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG9a1sjzNVw
Community: Katherine
IHHP & KTown – Shadows
IHHP partnered with YMCA Katherine, Wurli Wurlinjang Health Service and the incredibly talented young adults from Ktown to write, record and shoot this world class music video ’Shadows’.