The best songwriters in Western Australia have just been announced

It’s almost time again for this year’s WAM Song of the Year, the annual event by Music WA that throws a spotlight on the best new and established talent Western Australia has to offer, and this year’s list of nominees has just been announced.

The comp has brought the likes of Methyl Ethel, Tired Lion, KUČKA, and Beni Bjah to the fore in recent years, and now the likes of Rag ‘n’ Bone, Riley Pearce and Lilt are in the running to take out one of the country’s biggest songwriting comps.

Singer-songwriter Riley Pearce leads the charge with three nominations, and a share of the $40,000 in prize money would go some way to replacing the acoustic guitar unfortunately smashed on a QANTAS flight several weeks back.

Meanwhile, the acts with two nominations include Bill Lawrie, The Brow, The Decline, Harry Mitchell, The Intenso Band, Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble, Lilt, Morgan Bain, Rag n’ Bone, Scalphunter and The Struggling Kings.

Several new judges have joined this year, with Paul Harding of Pendulum, Fiona Kitschin of The Drones and Rob Younger of Radio Birdman all lending their expertise across 12 different genres, with other categories for regional, Indigenous and under-18 acts.

Nominees will all have to wait a little while longer to find out their fortunes however, with the winners being announced on May 17 at a harbourside party at the WA Maritime Museum, with music by MC Magnus Danger Magnus, DJ Charlie Bucket, The Money War, Ben Matthews Presents LIVEWYRE, and Dan Howls.

Presale tickets are available now, and are $20 + b/f for WAM members, and $25 + b/f otherwise.

WAM SOTY NOMINEES

BLUES/ROOTS

Carus Thompson – Beach Fires
Dan Howls – The Prince
Jordan McRobbie – Candle
Mark Turner – Yes I Do
Michael Ellis – Time For Change

COUNTRY

Belle Harvey – Bridges Burn
Bill Lawrie – Dalwallinu Hotel
Helen Townsend & Bill Chambers – Promised Land
Ralway Bell – Caught In The Crossfire
The Jackson Roses – Can’t Find You

ELECTRONIC

Lilt – Ghosts
Out of the Blue – Vice
Shyguy – Had It I’m Hiding
Lilt – Wait No More
Tobacco Rat – Infra

EXPERIMENTAL

Gravy Murphy – The World Is Your Moisture
The Intenso Band – As Steadfast As The Ether Itself
Jameson Feakes – A Window In Sicily
Samarobryn – The Road Is My River
The Intenso Band – A Small Margin of Terror

FOLK

Bill Lawrie – Always Be The Bad Girl In This Town
Nicky Sandover – Orange Tree
Riley Pearce – Circles
Riley Pearce – Seasick
These Winter Nights – Heart’s On Fire

HEAVY/METAL

Kimura – Book Of The Dead
Nucleust – Of King & Tree
Shimmergloom – Smithereens
St James Sirens – Empires Fall
The Decline – Can’t Have Both

JAZZ

Ben Matthews – Esperanzish
Daniel Susnjar Afro-Peruvian Jazz Group – Where Would I Be Without You
Harry Mitchell – Gabba The Hut
Harry Mitchell – Ignacio
Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble – Point Of Departure

OUTSTANDING INDIGENOUS

The Brownley Gospel Singers – The Man Of Calvary
Desert Stars – Ngurra Nyangatja (Our Home)
The Struggling Kings – Ardyaloon (Guligool)
The Struggling Kings – Oceans
Platform 2 – Faultline

OUTSTANDING REGIONAL

Codee-Lee – Heart Is A Compass
Valentine – Can’t Shake You
Kado Muir & LYC Crew feat. KJ – I Choose To Be Free (The Mamu Tjiitjii Song)
Julie Kember – Gypsy Woman
Like A Thief – Take Me Back

POP

Lucy Peach – Silver Tongue
Morgan Bain – Summed It Up
Riley Pearce – Outside The Lines
Sydnee Carter – When We Were Young
The Brow – Circles

PUNK/HARDCORE

Blindspot – Thin Ice
Rag N’ Bone – Pissy Flow
Scalphunter – Men With Square Eyes
Scalphunter – A Lie They Call The Truth
The Decline – Can’t Have Both

ROCK

High Horse – Carbon Copy
Mt. Mountain – Moon Desire
Our Man In Berlin – A Lightbulb Mind
Rag N’ Bone – Pissy Flow
The Money War – Recall

SCHOOLS 14 & UNDER

Farraday’s Cage – Meaning Of Life
Hachi – f i r e e s c a p e
Idgie – All Those Lies Fall In
Lily Kate – Empty Road
Toby Jonah – Cinnamon

SCHOOLS 15 – 17

Belgrade – Me
Burdiya Mob – Djarliny
Charlotte Viney – Young & Reckless
Megan Grace – I Wanna Go Back
Siobhan Cotchin – All Night All Right

URBAN/HIP HOP

Bluntfield – The Soap Box
Chiseko – Juice
Macshane – Meant To Do
Morgan Bain – Summed It Up
The Brow – Circles

WORLD

56 Hope Road – Justice
Barefeet Sojourns – Run Run
Brassika – Roll Your Eyes
Jere Sosa – Taste Of Honey
Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble – Point Of Departure

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.