Thelma Plum, DZ Deathrays, Confidence Man Lead 2023 QMAs Nominations
Sunshine State stars Thelma Plum, DZ Deathrays, Confidence Man, Mallrat and Cub Sport will vie for silverware at the 2023 Queensland Music Awards, set for March 28 in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley.
The Fortitude Music Hall will once again host the ceremony, which this year introduces a new award category for Queensland’s Accessible Venue of the Year, which is open for nominations from both the public and the venues.
QMAs nominations dropped Wednesday (Feb. 22), and reveal a string of stacked categories.
In the Pop frame, songs by Asha Jefferies, Cub Sport, Mallrat and Thelma Plum will duke it out, while Eliza & The Delusionals will face-off with Hope D, WAAX and Yb. for top Rock honors.
In the electronic section, Confidence Man will get in the ring with dameeeela, Nat Dunn and Sycco.
All told, 17 categories will be presented, with 74 artists in the hunt for the 2023 QMAs – which showcase the best and brightest in Queensland’s contemporary music scene.
The major awards of Song Of The Year (presented by Paul Bowker’s Brick Lane Brewing), Album Of The Year (Brisbane City Council) and the Lifetime Achievement Award (Grant Thornton) will be announced on the night.
Music fans are invited to cast votes on the People’s Choice Awards, which include Metro and Regional Venue of the Year categories, and Festival of the Year.
“We are so incredibly proud of the last year of music in Queensland,” comments Kris Stewart, CEO of QMusic, organisers of the annual QMAs.
“From epic stories of identity, like Thelma Plum’s stellar EP ‘Meanjin’ or Beddy Rays’ break-neck debut album, to uplifting party-starters, like Confidence Man’s sophomore album ‘TILT’ – our stories are reaching out into the world and defining what we’re made of. And it’s something special,” says Stewart.
The awards, he explains, “will be a moment for our industry to come together and celebrate.”
Since its inception in 2006 (then known as QSong), over 13,000 songs have been submitted.
The awards categories are judged by a panel of more than 100 top music industry professionals.
Major partners this time are The Australia Council, Brick Lane and Brisbane City Council.
For tickets visit queenslandmusicawards.com.au.
Queensland Music Awards – Finalists
BLUES | ROOTS AWARD
Presented by Trentham Estate
Darcy Kate – ‘Blue Cascade’
Jackie Marshall – ‘Chop Wood Carry Water’
Jen Mize & The Rough N’ Tumble – ‘All Riled Up’
Pat Tierney – ‘Shadows’
CHILDREN’S MUSIC AWARD
Presented by The Truss Company
Blue Tac – ‘Jump In The Pool’
Cheeky Monkey Club – ‘Yes or No – A Song About Consent’
Spotty Kites – Donna Dyson – ‘Walk Around Wednesday’
The Mini Moshers – ‘Waterslide’
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL AWARD
Presented by Queensland Conservatorium – Griffith University
Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra, Tenzin Choegyal & Katherine Philp – ‘Dolma’
Monique Clare – ‘Downhill Skiing’
Nonsemble – ‘Argentavis’
Tristan Barton – ‘In Time’
COUNTRY AWARD
Presented by ABC Brisbane
Casey Barnes – ‘Small Town’
James Johnston – ‘COUNTRY BOYS’
Sammy White – ‘Love On The Line’
Taylor Moss – ‘What Am I Gonna Do?’
ELECTRONIC AWARD
Presented by The Prince Consort
Confidence Man – ‘Luvin U Is Easy’
dameeeela – ‘The Shake Up’
Nat Dunn – ‘State Of My Heart’
Sycco – ‘Ripple’
FOLK AWARD
Presented by APRA AMCOS
Freight Train Foxes – ‘Fly to You’
Greta Stanley – ‘Keep My Cool’
Miranda vs Arizona – ‘Changin’’
Yb. – ‘Blackphemy’
HEAVY AWARD
Presented by IJS
Citadel – ‘Malignant’
DZ Deathrays – ‘Paranoid’
Greshka – ‘FREEDOM FROM CLIVE’
The Atomic Beau Project – ‘GHOSTS’
HIP HOP AWARD
Presented by NAFA
Day1 – ‘MBAPPE’
JESSWAR – ‘WAVES’
Khi’leb – ‘Cheques’
Siala – ‘Blackout’
INDIGENOUS AWARD
Presented by Anacta
Beddy Rays – ‘Handful’
Sunny Luwe – ‘Double Shot’
William Barton – ‘Kalkani’
Tjaka – ‘Break It Down’
JAZZ AWARD
Presented by Jazz Music Institute
Angela Newcomb – ‘Last Evening’
Sophie Min – ‘Wind and the End’
The Dawn Light – ‘The Moon Was Low’
Trichotomy – ‘Forward Motion’
POP AWARD
Presented by Star Entertainment Group
Asha Jefferies – ‘Tank Tops’
Cub Sport – ‘Always Got The Love’
Mallrat – ‘Surprise Me (feat. Azealia Banks)’
Thelma Plum – ‘Backseat Of My Mind’
ROCK AWARD
Presented by Comiskey Group
Eliza & The Delusionals – ‘Give You Everything’
Hope D – ‘Emerald’
WAAX – ‘No Doz’
Yb. – ‘Sandra’
YOUTH (AGES 10 – 17) AWARD
Presented by SAE
Amy Elise – ‘Kind Of Insane’
FELONY – ‘Anything To Feel Anything’
Lily Grace – ‘The Two Of Us Meet’
Lottie McLeod – ‘Happy Birthday’
SOUL | FUNK | RNB AWARD
Presented by The Sound Garden
Beckah Amani – ‘Waiting on You’
Jordan Briton – ‘Lights Out Feat: Roman MC’
Miiesha – ‘Still Dream’
Pink Matter – ‘Can’t Start’
WORLD AWARD
Presented by MEAA
Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra, Tenzin Choegyal & Katherine Philp – ‘Wo La So’
Future Destin – ‘MALANGA’
Innessa – ‘Perekati-pole’
mou and Menaka Thomas – ‘Space’
REGIONAL | REGIONAL AWARD
Presented by Telstra
Greta Stanley – ‘Red Earth Dirt’
High Tropics – ‘Bipolar Disaster’
Miiesha – ‘Everything’
Sahara Beck – ‘Nothing Wrong With That’
VIDEO AWARD
Presented by Creative Productions
Ben Wrigley – Purple Static by Mirrors
Deena Lynch – Cut by Jaguar Jonze
Maeve McKenna & James Greville – Emerald by Hope D
PEOPLE’S CHOICE NOMINEES
METRO VENUE OF THE YEAR
Presented by Oztix and The Music
Miami Marketta
The Fortitude Music Hall
The Princess Theatre
The Tivoli
The Triffid
Warehouse 25
REGIONAL VENUE OF THE YEAR
Presented by Oztix and The Music
Tanks Arts Centre
Solbar
Eleven
FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
Presented by Oztix and The Music
Airlie Beach Festival of Music
Buskers by the Lake
Caloundra Music Festival
GRAIN’s Birthday Weekender
Gympie Music Muster
NOOSA alive!
Mountain Goat Valley Crawl
SPRINGTIME
Yonder Festival
MAJOR AWARDS – WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT THE QUEENSLAND MUSIC AWARDS
SONG OF THE YEAR
Presented by Brick Lane Brewing
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Presented by Brisbane City Council
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Presented by Grant Thornton
BLUES | ROOTS AWARD
Presented by Trentham Estate
Darcy Kate – ‘Blue Cascade’
Jackie Marshall – ‘Chop Wood Carry Water’
Jen Mize & The Rough N’ Tumble – ‘All Riled Up’
Pat Tierney – ‘Shadows’
CHILDREN’S MUSIC AWARD
Presented by The Truss Company
Blue Tac – ‘Jump In The Pool’
Cheeky Monkey Club – ‘Yes or No – A Song About Consent’
Spotty Kites – Donna Dyson – ‘Walk Around Wednesday’
The Mini Moshers – ‘Waterslide’
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL AWARD
Presented by Queensland Conservatorium – Griffith University
Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra, Tenzin Choegyal & Katherine Philp – ‘Dolma’
Monique Clare – ‘Downhill Skiing’
Nonsemble – ‘Argentavis’
Tristan Barton – ‘In Time’
COUNTRY AWARD
Presented by ABC Brisbane
Casey Barnes – ‘Small Town’
James Johnston – ‘COUNTRY BOYS’
Sammy White – ‘Love On The Line’
Taylor Moss – ‘What Am I Gonna Do?’
ELECTRONIC AWARD
Presented by The Prince Consort
Confidence Man – ‘Luvin U Is Easy’
dameeeela – ‘The Shake Up’
Nat Dunn – ‘State Of My Heart’
Sycco – ‘Ripple’
FOLK AWARD
Presented by APRA AMCOS
Freight Train Foxes – ‘Fly to You’
Greta Stanley – ‘Keep My Cool’
Miranda vs Arizona – ‘Changin’’
Yb. – ‘Blackphemy’
HEAVY AWARD
Presented by IJS
Citadel – ‘Malignant’
DZ Deathrays – ‘Paranoid’
Greshka – ‘FREEDOM FROM CLIVE’
The Atomic Beau Project – ‘GHOSTS’
HIP HOP AWARD
Presented by NAFA
Day1 – ‘MBAPPE’
JESSWAR – ‘WAVES’
Khi’leb – ‘Cheques’
Siala – ‘Blackout’
INDIGENOUS AWARD
Presented by Anacta
Beddy Rays – ‘Handful’
Sunny Luwe – ‘Double Shot’
William Barton – ‘Kalkani’
Tjaka – ‘Break It Down’
JAZZ AWARD
Presented by Jazz Music Institute
Angela Newcomb – ‘Last Evening’
Sophie Min – ‘Wind and the End’
The Dawn Light – ‘The Moon Was Low’
Trichotomy – ‘Forward Motion’
POP AWARD
Presented by Star Entertainment Group
Asha Jefferies – ‘Tank Tops’
Cub Sport – ‘Always Got The Love’
Mallrat – ‘Surprise Me (feat. Azealia Banks)’
Thelma Plum – ‘Backseat Of My Mind’
ROCK AWARD
Presented by Comiskey Group
Eliza & The Delusionals – ‘Give You Everything’
Hope D – ‘Emerald’
WAAX – ‘No Doz’
Yb. – ‘Sandra’
YOUTH (AGES 10 – 17) AWARD
Presented by SAE
Amy Elise – ‘Kind Of Insane’
FELONY – ‘Anything To Feel Anything’
Lily Grace – ‘The Two Of Us Meet’
Lottie McLeod – ‘Happy Birthday’
SOUL | FUNK | RNB AWARD
Presented by The Sound Garden
Beckah Amani – ‘Waiting on You’
Jordan Briton – ‘Lights Out Feat: Roman MC’
Miiesha – ‘Still Dream’
Pink Matter – ‘Can’t Start’
WORLD AWARD
Presented by MEAA
Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra, Tenzin Choegyal & Katherine Philp – ‘Wo La So’
Future Destin – ‘MALANGA’
Innessa – ‘Perekati-pole’
mou and Menaka Thomas – ‘Space’
REGIONAL | REGIONAL AWARD
Presented by Telstra
Greta Stanley – ‘Red Earth Dirt’
High Tropics – ‘Bipolar Disaster’
Miiesha – ‘Everything’
Sahara Beck – ‘Nothing Wrong With That’
VIDEO AWARD
Presented by Creative Productions
Ben Wrigley – Purple Static by Mirrors
Deena Lynch – Cut by Jaguar Jonze
Maeve McKenna & James Greville – Emerald by Hope D
PEOPLE’S CHOICE NOMINEES
METRO VENUE OF THE YEAR
Presented by Oztix and The Music
Miami Marketta
The Fortitude Music Hall
The Princess Theatre
The Tivoli
The Triffid
Warehouse 25
REGIONAL VENUE OF THE YEAR
Presented by Oztix and The Music
Tanks Arts Centre
Solbar
Eleven
FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
Presented by Oztix and The Music
Airlie Beach Festival of Music
Buskers by the Lake
Caloundra Music Festival
GRAIN’s Birthday Weekender
Gympie Music Muster
NOOSA alive!
Mountain Goat Valley Crawl
SPRINGTIME
Yonder Festival
MAJOR AWARDS – WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT THE QUEENSLAND MUSIC AWARDS
SONG OF THE YEAR
Presented by Brick Lane Brewing
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Presented by Brisbane City Council
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Presented by Grant Thornton