Triple J Unearthed High 2026 Winner Revealed

Newcastle indie-rock outfit Trophy Wyfe have been named the winners of triple j Unearthed High 2026.

The three-piece received the news in front of their peers after triple j Breakfast hosts Concetta Caristo and Luka Muller surprised the band during a school assembly, moments after they performed their winning track, "Spiders". The announcement was accompanied by a confetti-filled celebration that officially crowned the group this year's champions.

Blending indie-rock and post-punk influences, Trophy Wyfe stood out among more than 1,000 entries submitted by high school-aged artists from around Australia. The band are currently completing their final years of school while preparing to release a debut album later this year.

 

 

 

 

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The annual competition continues to serve as one of Australia's most influential talent discovery platforms, with past finalists and winners including Genesis Owusu, The Kid LAROI, Ninajirachi, Gretta Ray, and Hockey Dad. 

As part of their prize package, Trophy Wyfe selected Owusu as their mentor and will soon head into the studio with the ARIA Award-winning artist for a dedicated songwriting session.

Elsewhere, 16-year-old Biripi student Tyler Saunders, who performs as TooLa, was awarded this year's Indigenous Initiative prize for his self-produced track "Float". The emerging artist will receive a professional mixing session for his next release from acclaimed producer and engineer Eric J Dubowsky, whose credits include work with Flume, Chet Faker, and Tame Impala.

The 2026 competition also highlighted a strong crop of finalists, including Alli Kate, Lithu, TwoSeventy and Zoevi, underlining the depth of emerging talent currently coming through Australia's high school music scene.