The nominations for this year’s National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs) have been announced, with The Kid LAROI, Sycco and Baker Boy leading the finalists.
All three artists have received three nominations, with all three appearing in the Artist of the Year and the Song of the Year category, with Sycco and Baker Boy up for Film Clip of the Year and LAROI up for Album of the Year with his debut F*ck Love.
Other nominees include Birdz (Artist of the Year, Song of the Year), Miiesha (Artist of the Year, Song of the Year), Tia Gostelow (Album of the Year, Film Clip of the Year) and Budjerah (Film Clip of the Year, New Talent of the Year).
This year’s NIMAs ceremony will take place Saturday, 7th August at the Darwin Amphitheatre and will be broadcast via NITV, Double J, YouTube and on social media. Hosted by comedian Steven Oliver, the event will feature performances by Baker Boy, Miiesha, Electric Fields, King Stingray, Kee’ahn and Alice Skye.
“This year, as we focus on healing and reflection, we have the wonderful opportunity to reconnect as a community to discover and celebrate the magic of music from both up-and-coming and established First Nation artists,” commented NIMA creative director Ben Graetz.
“The finalists are some of the most talented musicians across the country and the world, and we are proud to be able to provide a platform for their musical craft to be recognised.”
See the full list of nominations below.
National Indigenous Music Awards 2021 nominations
Artist of the Year
Sycco
Birdz
Miiesha
Baker Boy
The Kid LAROI
Jessica Mauboy
Album of the Year
Tia Gostelow – Chrysalis
The Kid LAROI – F*ck Love
Leah Flanagan – Colour by Number
JK-47 – Made for This
Benny Walker – Chosen Line
Song of the Year
Baker Boy, Dallas Woods, Sampa the Great – ‘Better Days’
Birdz – ‘Bagi-la-m Bargan’
Miiesha – ‘Damaged’
The Kid LAROI – ‘Without You’
Sycco – ‘Dribble’
New Talent of the Year
J-MILLA
Beddy Rays
King Stingray
Budjerah
Chasing Ghosts
Film Clip of the Year
Budjerah – ‘Higher’
Baker Boy – ‘Ride’ ft. Yirrmal
Troy Cassar-Daley – ‘Back on Country’
Sycco – ‘My Ways’
Tia Gostelow – ‘Two Lovers’
Community Clip of the Year
Kakadu Collective and Victor Rostron – ‘Mayali’
Dunghutti community in South West Rocks – ‘Fig’
Tree Mob – ‘Barrunba (Dreaming)’
Gunbalanya School – ‘Stories of the Land’
Gunbalanya School – ‘Talk About Emotions’
Students of Peppimenarti School – ‘Stand Strong’
Indigenous Language Award of the Year
Guwanbal Gurruwiwi and Netanela Mizrahii – The Djari Project
Shellie Morris and Jason Durrurrnga – ‘Dharuk Gurtha’
Garrangali Band – ‘Tongues of the Fire’
Stuart Joel Nuggett – ‘I Am That Man/Ngaaya-Baaya’
Stuart Joel Nuggett – ‘Monsoon/Kuyubulu’
