Emily Wurramara has won artist of the year at the 21st National Indigenous Music awards (Nimas), held in Garramilla/Darwin on Saturday night. The Darwin-born Warnindhilyagwa woman was nominated alongside rap collective 3%, Yolŋu surf rockers King Stingray, duo Birdz and Fred Leone, and singers Jessica Mauboy, Emma Donovan and Radical Son.
Wurramara also picked up film clip of the year for Lordy Lordy, shot on Larrakia country, directed by Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore and featuring the Northern Territory’s Red Flag Dancers and members of Wurramara’s family.
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Malyangapa Barkindji rapper Barkaa, who won artist of the year at the 2024 Nimas, won album of the year for Big Tidda, her second EP, edging out fellow nominees Wurramara, 3%, King Stingray and Yolŋu funk outfit Andrew Gurruwiwi Band.
Andrew Gurruwiwi Band, hailing from Yirrkala in north-east Arnhem Land, won best new talent and song of the year for their reggae-inflected protest song Once Upon A Time, addressing colonisation, the frontier wars and the Yolŋu fight for land rights.
For the second year in a row, the community clip of the year, recognising young talent, was awarded to Bulman school and community in the NT, for their video Crocodile Style, in which local kids rap in English and Dalabon about the story of Korlomomo (crocodile) and Berrerdberred (rainbow bee eater) and how humans came to have fire.
Mauboy, the Garramilla/Darwin-born, Kuku Yalanji and Wakaman singer and actor, was inducted into the Nimas hall of fame as part of this year’s ceremony, joining the likes of Warumpi Band’s Sammy Butcher, Yothu Yindi and the late Gurrumul.
The award recognises Mauboy’s success as a recording artist and her impact on Australian music. From her breakthrough on Australian Idol in 2006, she has blazed a trail with six Top 10 albums, 16 Top 20 singles – including chart-topping hits Burn and Little Things – and 31 Aria nominations.
Last week she launched her new single, While I Got Time, co-written with PJ Harding – the first release on her independent imprint Jamally, following her exit from Warner Music Australia.
Mauboy took to the stage to perform the new song, joining a lineup that included Barkaa, rapper Kobie Dee, country star Troy Cassar-Daley, Donovan, psych-rockers Velvet Trip, gospel and blues vocalist Kankawa Nagarra, Eleanor Jawurlngali & Mick Turner, and best new talent nominees Miss Kaninna and Drifting Clouds.
