2023 Winners

Charlie is a proud GuriNgai woman and musician, a direct descendant of Bungaree and Matora. Her latest album “Saltwater People” draws on the experience of discovering and learning about her Aboriginal heritage. Listen here.

Katie Dey is a songwriter and producer who is particularly interested in exploring online relationships and online communities in her music. Their EP “The Kraken” is a soft-focus synthpop that works its way slowly into your bloodstream, in a warm and comforting way. Listen here.

Cash Savage and the Last Drinks are a legendary band with magnetic front woman Cash at the centre of the storm. The theme of fragility runs through “So This is Love” like a faultline. Fragile mental health, a fragile economy, the fragility of the environment and our personal relationships, all on the brink of collapse, threatening to crack under pressure.⁠ Listen here.

Damon has performed at countless theatres across Australia, written jingles, composed music for ballet and has released several original albums. “A Fresh Harvest From Old Seeds” is Damon’s first Blues work. Listen here.

Matt Joe Gow grew up in the deep south of New Zealand and was encouraged to pick up a guitar at an early age. “Between Tonight & Tomorrow” is unique record which, although laborious to make during a dark and difficult time (COVID lockdowns), is the most pure and direct expression of Matt’s songwriting and artistic vision of his career.⁠ Listen here.

Cara Murphy is a house music DJ who specialises in disco house and classic house, as more underground styles such as organic and progressive house. She has cracked into the club/bar scene with residencies and curating guest mixes for global radio shows and local podcasts. Listen here.

Close Counters’ diverse soundscape sits at the crossroads of house, neo-soul, broken beat and disco. Their album, “SOULACOASTA II”, is a sample-infused expedition that further secured their spot as one of the top talents in their class, with the duo tirelessly sourcing niche samples from films and records on trips across the globe⁠. Listen here.

Maria Moles is a drummer/composer and has emerged as one of Australia’s finest improvisers, bringing her unique yet versatile percussive sense to countless musical situations. Her solo percussion performances draw on ideas from the Kulintang music of the Philippines and contemporary electronic production to weave hypnotic webs from layers of unmetered pulse that slowly undergo subtle textural transformations. ⁠Listen here.

Lucy Wise writes and sings about the often-untouched universals – those things we’re not allowed to feel and explore in the daily grind. Lucy’s latest, “Into the Blue” speaks about human feeling with wholeheartedness and a sense of adventure.⁠ Listen here.

Led by the abrasive guitars and powerful vocals of Jenny McKenchie, Australian punks Cable Ties blur the lines of punk and hard rock. Their latest album “All Her Plans” reflects a greater maturity and depth in the group’s spare but powerful sound, as well as McKenchie’s spirited activist outlook.⁠ Listen here.

ISUA are an indomitable five-piece band and one of the country’s most cherished heavy acts.⁠ Bitter, discordant, and relentless; ISUA’s debut full length album “Abandon” is an ode to forfeited hope.⁠ Listen here.

Agung Mango has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting artists to bubble up from Australia’s underground rap scene. Gritty, brash and completely unbounded, Mango’s music pushes the sonic limits of what we’ve come to know locally, drawing on experimental rap, punk, jazz and alternative R&B.⁠ Listen here.

JK GROUP is a multi-dimensional future-jazz outfit led by Melbourne-based saxophonist, Joshua Moshe (Kelly). Their latest release “Rising” is a 4 track EP which delivers on their well-honed formula of jazz-not-jazz, while exploring new sonic territory for the band.⁠ Listen here.

The Forum Theatre is a historic theatre and former cinema now used as a live music and event venue. Renowned as one of Melbourne’s most unique and best live music venues, the Forum plays host to many bands, singers, comedians and popular festivals every year. Learn more here.

RISING is music, art and culture, under moonlight in the heart of Naarm (Melbourne). With Melbourne as its stage, RISING is an annual festival that spills out onto the city streets, car parks, churches, town square and beloved venues. It’s a break from business as usual. A chance to connect as a city and with the ambitious artists who bring bold ideas that speak to this time and place. Learn more here.

Immy’s ‘Afrodelik’ music is a synthesis of his Ghanaian roots and his own experiences growing up in coastal Australia. His Debut LP “LO-LIFE” was influenced by West African giants such as Ebo Taylor and William Onyeabor, as well as psychedelic troubadours like Rodriguez. Listen here.

Filipino-Australian artist daine is the new soundtrack for a disillusioned generation navigating life in an unforgiving world. Harnessing all the emotion that comes from midwestern emo, daine blends those wrought atmospheres with contemporary hip hop production and a saccharine vocal that provides a bittersweet edge.⁠ Listen here.

Gab Strum aka Japanese Wallpaper is an indie pop singer-songwriter and producer. They have supported the likes of M83 and Lily Allen, showcased at SXSW and collaborated with the likes of Holy Holy, Allday and Charli XCX.

Deeply entrenched in the Melbourne reggae scene, keyboardist, composer and producer Ricck ‘Killah Keys’ Barbarulo is prolific. His style is desired home and abroad enjoying collaborations with Caribbean, African and South American artists on over one hundred recordings as well as an impressive list of global concerts.⁠ Listen here.

Watty explores themes of inward and outward love, togetherness, and a desire to strive and live beyond the material. Their debut self-titled album is affirming, joyous and inspiring, all played out against a background of rollicking country flavoured Australiana folk.⁠ Listen here.

From humble beginnings in 1977, Port Fairy Folk Festival has become one of Australia’s largest and most loved festivals. Featuring a multi venue main arena, free entertainment within the township, exhibitions, community market, interactive workshops, forums, themed concerts and showcases, theatre, film, writers program, roving performances, handmade crafts, great food and family friendly entertainment. Learn more here.

Archies Creek Hotel is not just a venue it’s a destination. Surrounded by rolling hills in the quaint small town of Archies Creek, it is also now home to the much loved and famous Caravan Music Club, renowned for presenting quality live music and other entertainment. Learn more here.

The Meeniyan Town Hall strives to present the best and most diverse live music they can. With a life-long passion, and a love of live music beating through his veins, in 1999 Ian Bevington decided he needed to bring great live music to South Gippsland where he lived. Like minded friends and family and complete strangers banded together to form the Lyrebird Arts Council. Learn more here.

Led by the abrasive guitars and powerful vocals of Jenny McKenchie, Australian punks Cable Ties blur the lines of punk and hard rock. Their latest album “All Her Plans” reflects a greater maturity and depth in the group’s spare but powerful sound, as well as McKenchie’s spirited activist outlook.⁠ Listen here.

The newly refurbished BRUNSWICK BALLROOM is located in the old Metropolis House on Sydney Road and is destined to take the mantle as one Melbourne’s most dynamic and exciting performance venues. This extraordinary venue has hosted the likes of Courtney Barnett, Tim Rogers, Eddie Perfect, Phil Jamieson, Gareth Liddiard, Stella Donnelly, Bitch Diesel and plenty more. Learn more here.

Jen Cloher (Ngāpuhi & Ngāti Kahu) is a song-writer and performer with a taut, terse brand of rock, charged with the static tension that comes with being an eternal misfit. “I Am The River, The River Is Me”, Cloher’s fifth album, is verdant and rich; it luxuriates in stillness, and carries itself with cool, unfussy confidence. ⁠Listen here.

Julia is a singer-songwriter who seamlessly blends dream pop and soft rock flavours into a unique and gently minimalist sound.⁠ Her album “PRE PLEASURE” presents Jacklin as her most authentic self; an uncompromising and masterful lyricist, always willing to mine the depths of her own life experience, and singular in translating it into deeply personal, timeless songs.⁠ Listen here.

Bumpy is the ludicrously gifted independent artist, lead vocalist of Melbourne outfit Squid Nebula & proud Noongar woman. Her EP “Morning Sun” is a slickly self-produced debut body of work that celebrates community and examines the duality of human nature. ⁠Listen here.

Origami formed in 2010 and has been hailed as one of Adam Simmons’ strongest projects. Shanghai Memories is a collaborative project with guest sheng/composer Wang Zheng-Ting, their second recorded project after “Wu Xing – The Five Elements” in 2017. ⁠Listen here.