Thelma Plum Doubles-Up at 2023 Queensland Music Awards
Thelma Plum scored a “prime piece of real estate” as she won a brace at the 2023 Queensland Music Awards, presented Tuesday night (March 28) at Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall.
The Gamilaraay singer and songwriter scooped the coveted song of the year for “Backseat of My Mind,” and with it, her first plaque on the Brunswick Street Mall’s Walk of Fame — something of real value in this “current climate,” she quipped during her victory speech.
“Queensland I feel has always been an underdog, but I tell ya, we’re not anymore,” she said from the podium.
Earlier in the night, Plum’s hit won the pop award. “I didn’t think I would get this,” she enthused. “I love Brisbane, I love the QMAs, I’ve wanted one of these.”
Now she has two.
Rising singer and songwriter Sahara Beck also made two trips to the stage, winning the regional award for “Nothing Wrong With That,” and scooping the Grant McLennan Fellowship, which, along with annual 2023 Billy Thorpe Scholarship and Carol Lloyd Award, was presented within the QMAs for the first time.
On receiving the Fellowship, she discussed the unusual and “profound” art that is songwriting. “I don’t understand why some days I struggle for every word and every note, and other days they seem to come in a glorious and effortless instant. Songwriting isn’t something that I simply do, it isn’t something anyone simply does. And to all the songwriters in the room, I’m honoured to be one of you.”
Also winning a pair of trophies was rising indie artist Yb., who snagged the folk category and the triple j Unearthed Emerging Artist of The Year award, while Central Queensland singer Miiesha won the soul/funk/r&b award for “Still Dream” and scooped the Billy Thorpe Scholarship.
Go-Betweens legend and musicians advocate Lindy Morrison was feted with the lifetime achievement award, and delivered the speech of the night with a toast to the process of creating music as art.
Sycco, winner of the song of the year for the past two editions, was on hand to receive electronic award for her single “Ripple”.
Brisbane indie rock stars Ball Park Music won for album of the year for their seventh studio album Weirder & Weirder, and stayed on stage for a performance of “Stars In My Eyes” and the album’s title track.
Ball Park Music’s frontman Sam Cromack gave a cheeky speech during which he poked fun at the ARIA Awards, noting that the QMAs was the superior show and that everyone in the room was the winner.
Also on the night, WAAX won the rock category for the second-straight year with “No Doz,” DZ Deathrays grabbed the heavy award for “Paranoid,” Jen Mize & the Rough ‘n’ Tumble took out blues and roots with “All Riled Up,” and Brisbane-based rapper Khi’leb nabbed hip-hop with “Cheques.”
“From the extraordinary success of established artists like Thelma Plum to emerging artists like Lottie McCleod, these awards are a recognition of the phenomenal music that our artists create,” comments Kris Stewart, CEO of QMusic, organisers of the QMAs. “I am always so blown away by the immense talent coming out of our state.”
In the commercial success categories, which are based on sales and streams, Gold Coast singer-songwriter Amy Shark won for highest selling single for (“Sway My Way”) and country artist Adam Brand earned highest selling album for “All Or Nothing.”
At the podium, Shark, the cover star of the latest issue of Rolling Stone Australia, said an early-career QMA had given her much-needed confidence.
“Thank you QMAs. It’s so good to be home. I freaking love this place so much. This was my very first-ever music award, a QMA, I really needed it at the time. If you’ve won an award tonight I hope it ignites the fire that I got when I first won early on.”
QMusic’s flagship annual event Bigsound comes out as a big winner , though it wasn’t reflected with an award.
During the ceremony, guests learned that the state government would invest $3.8 million into the showcase and conference event over four years.
2023 Queensland Music Awards – Winners
MAJOR AWARDS
SONG OF THE YEAR
Presented by Brick Lane Brewing
Thelma Plum
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Presented by Brisbane City Council
Ball Park Music – ‘Weirder & Weirder’
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Presented by Grant Thornton
Lindy Morrison
SCHOLARSHIPS
2023 GRANT MCLENNAN FELLOWSHIP
Sahara Beck
2023 BILLY THORPE SCHOLARSHIP
NEISH
2023 CAROL LLOYD AWARD
Platonic Sex
CATEGORY AWARDS
BLUES | ROOTS AWARD
Presented by Trentham Estate
Jen Mize & The Rough N’ Tumble – ‘All Riled Up’
CHILDREN’S MUSIC AWARD
Presented by The Truss Company
Cheeky Monkey Club – ‘Yes or No – A Song About Consent’
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL AWARD
Presented by Queensland Conservatorium – Griffith University
Monique Clare – ‘Downhill Skiing’
COUNTRY AWARD
Presented by ABC Radio Brisbane
James Johnston – ‘COUNTRY BOYS’
ELECTRONIC AWARD
Presented by The Prince Consort
Sycco – ‘Ripple’
FOLK AWARD
Presented by APRA AMCOS
Yb. – ‘Blackphemy’
HEAVY AWARD
Presented by IJS
DZ Deathrays – ‘Paranoid’
HIP HOP AWARD
Presented by NAFA
Khi’leb – ‘Cheques’
INDIGENOUS AWARD
Presented by Anacta
William Barton – ‘Kalkani’
JAZZ AWARD
Presented by Jazz Music Institute
Trichotomy – ‘Forward Motion’
POP AWARD
Presented by Star Entertainment Group
Thelma Plum – ‘Backseat Of My Mind’
ROCK AWARD
Presented by Comiskey Group
WAAX – ‘No Doz’
YOUTH (AGES 10 – 17) AWARD
Presented by SAE
Lottie McLeod – ‘Happy Birthday’
SOUL | FUNK | RNB AWARD
Presented by The Sound Garden
Miiesha – ‘Still Dream’
WORLD AWARD
Presented by MEAA
Isaac Conomos and Menaka Thomas – ‘Space’
REGIONAL | REGIONAL AWARD
Presented by Telstra
Sahara Beck – ‘Nothing Wrong With That
VIDEO AWARD
Presented by Creative Productions
Ben Wrigley – Purple Static by Mirrors
HIGHEST SELLING SINGLE
Amy Shark – Sway My Way
HIGHEST SELLING ALBUM
Adam Brand – All Or Nothing
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
METRO VENUE OF THE YEAR
Presented by Oztix and The Music
The Fortitude Music Hall
REGIONAL VENUE OF THE YEAR
Presented by Oztix and The Music
Sol Bar
FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
Presented by Oztix and The Music
Caloundra Music Festival
ACCESSIBLE VENUE OF THE YEAR
Presented by CPL – Choice, Life, Passion
Kingston Butter Factory