Queensland Music Awards held in Brisbane
A mix of some of the most recognisable faces on the Queensland music scene and most-promising new talents were recognised at the Queensland Music Awards on Tuesday night.
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A mix of some of the most recognisable faces on the Queensland music scene and most-promising new talents were recognised at the Queensland Music Awards last night, with Brisbane ethereal-pop singer-songwriter Clea taking out the coveted Song of the Year gong for Dreaming.
“I was about to fall asleep at this table, I did not expect this at all,” Clea said.
Former Mackay and now Brisbane-based singer-songwriter Tia Gostelow made history as the youngest-ever recipient of the Album of the Year award, with the 20-year-old taking out the prize for her debut full-length Thick S k in.
“I really want to say thank you to my family, my mum and dad have been coming to my shows since I was about 12 years old and I really appreciate that,” Gostelow said.
Hosted by comedian Mel Buttle and Grates singer Patience Hodgson at the Royal International Convention Centre at Brisbane Showgrounds, the QMAs featured live performances from Amy Shark, who kicked off the main performances with I Said Hi.
Other performers included Clea, who performed a stellar rendition of Dreaming, DZ Deathrays with a blistering Like People, and Resin Dogs, who closed the night with Pack Your Bags.
ARIA-winning Gold Coast musician Shark, who had the highest-selling Queensland single and album last year for I Said Hi and Love Monster respectively, scored a win in the Singer-Songwriter category.
Shark told The Courier-Mail last night that she was excited to return to perform at the awards, saying her win at the 2016 event was a pivotal moment in her career.
“I will hold this night really close to my heart because (the QMAs) was the first time I’d won an award that meant people even knew who I was or cared about the music I was making,” Shark said.
“To me, the night that I won Pop for Golden Fleece was just as big as important as winning my first ARIA Award because I keep going after that. If I didn’t win that award I don’t know of I would have given it any more.”
Emerging artists also featured heavily, with Brisbane-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Emily Wurramara scoring the indigenous award for Lady Blue and winning the Blues & Roots category for Tap Sticks.
“Oh, wow, I wasn’t expecting this,” Wurramara said after her win for Tap Sticks.
Former Sunshine Coast resident Sahara Beck taking out the Regional prize for Here We Go Again.
Beck dedicated her win to her manager Rachael Dixon and “all the amazing women in this category for inspiring me to just be better at making music”.
The Jungle Giants won the Rock award for Used to Be in Love, The Kite String Tangle won in the Electronic category for the second year running for Give it Time (featuring Aalias) and Confidence Man took out the Export Achievement gong.
Henry “Seaman” Dan was honoured with the Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award for his work, which melds traditional Torres Strait Islander and pearling songs with jazz, hula and the blues.
The multi-award-winning singer-songwriter, who turns 90 in August, travelled from far north Queensland to collect his award, began recording at the age of 70 and has previously won two ARIA Awards and was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the National indigenous Music Awards in Darwin in 2013.
“Thank you very much everyone,” the man affectionately known as “Uncle Seaman Dan” said, telling the audience it was “so nice to see so many happy, smiling faces”.
Other winners included alternative progressive rock band Dead Letter Circus, who won the Heavy award for their track The Armour You Own, Emma Beau, whose song Wild Heart got the Country award, and Asha Jefferies, who took out the World/Folk category for Everybody Talks.
The Jazz award was won by Brisbane genre-hoppers The Biology of Plants for Long Black and Best Soul/Funk/R’n’B song was given to The Sound of Light by Brisbane bassist Mark Peric.
The People’s Choice Awards give the music-loving public an opportunity to celebrate the state’s finest festivals and venues, alongside our talented songwriters. Presented by Jack Daniel’s and powered by TheMusic.com.au, the 2019 People’s Choice Awards were the QMAs biggest yet with over 8,000 votes received from the public.
Sunshine Coast’s Big Pineapple Music Festival was crowned Festival of the Year for the second year in a row. Brisbane venue The Triffid won its first QMA in Metro Venue of the Year and Gold Coast venue NightQuarter, which is currently searching for a new home, taking home Regional Venue of The Year.
Jaimee Fryer of Brisbane dream-pop band Pool Shop was awarded this year’s Billy Thorpe Scholarship by Lynne Thorpe and Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch, and will receive $10,000 to record her next release, as well as career planning advice from Chugg Entertainment.
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