The National Indigenous Music Awards was held over the weekend, with The Kid LAROI, Miiesha, Budjerah and Baker Boy among this year’s winners.
LAROI took home the Artist of the Year award after releasing three instalments of his debut mixtape ‘F*ck Love’ over the past year and a half. Fellow rapper JK-47 took home Album of the Year for his 2020 record ‘Made For This’, while Miiesha won Song of the Year for ‘Damaged’ and Baker Boy earned Best Film Clip of the Year for ‘Ride’ featuring Yirrmal.
The New Talent of the Year category went to Budjerah, whose debut self-titled EP was released back in March.
Elsewhere during the ceremony, Kev Carmody was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his contributions to Indigenous music.
“I’m absolutely so proud, humbled and honored to accept the award on behalf of all of us. Past, present and of course future, because it’s a collective way of thinking in my opinion, that we all go together and no one gets left behind,” Carmody said.
“I’m so proud of the young ones! It might be rap, it might be hip-hop, it might be reggae; we’re still expressing [ourselves] through the oral cultural traditions, which is songs and storytelling, it’s just in a musical sense.”
The ceremony was held virtually last night (November 14) for the second consecutive year, reimagined as a two-hour special across triple j, Double J and triple j Unearthed. Triple j broadcasters Nooky and Karla Ranby hosted the ceremony, while Electric Fields and Tilly Tjala Thomas performed.
The 2021 National Indigenous Music Award winners:
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
The Kid LAROI
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
JK-47 – ‘Made For This’
SONG OF THE YEAR
Miiesha – ‘Damaged’
Songwriters: Miiesha Young / Stephen Collins
NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR
Budjerah
FILM CLIP OF THE YEAR
Baker Boy – ‘Ride’ Feat. Yirrmal
INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE AWARD OF THE YEAR
Guwanbal Gurruwiwi and Netanela Mizrahi – ‘The Djari Project’
Composers: Guwanbal Gurruwiwi and Netanela Mizrahi
Conductors/Directors: Nick Yates / Netanela Mizrahi / Christie Anderson
Co-producers: Netanela Mizrahi and Myles Mumford
COMMUNITY CLIP OF THE YEAR
Kakadu Collective and Victor Rostron – ‘Mayali’
Directors: Toby Finlayson (Desert Pea Media) / Rob Sherwood / Victor Rostron
Producer: Josh Nicholas