Thelma Plum Takes Home Double Honors at 2023 Queensland Music Awards Celebrating State’s Diverse Talent
Thelma Plum has led the charge at this year’s Qld Music Awards, winning Song of the Year and the Pop awards. FULL LIST OF WINNERS
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The 2023 Queensland Music Awards took Brisbane by storm on Tuesday night, celebrating the diversity and talent of the state’s music scene, as the best musicians across 27 categories were crowned at the sold-out event
Thelma Plum emerged as the evening’s big winner, taking home both Song of the Year and the Pop award for her single “Backseat of My Mind.”
An Plum said she wasn’t expecting a win as she delivered her speech following her first win of the night.
“I didnt think I would have to do this (deliver a speech),” she said.
“I just wanted to say thank you, I feel do honored, and I f****ing love Queensland I love Brisbane and I love the QMAS.”
Brisbane indie favourites Ball Park Music also had a big night, taking home Album of the Year for their sixth studio album “Weirder & Weirder” before performing their hit songs “Stars In My Eyes” and “Weirder & Weirder.”
Other notable winners include rising indie icon Yb. who won both the Folk category and the triple j Unearthed Emerging Artist of The Year award, and local punks WAAX who won the Rock category for the second consecutive year.
The night also featured performances from Casey Barnes, Hope D, Uncle Bob Wetherall, Katie Noonan, Dameeeela, and Sahara Beck, who opened the event with a showstopping performance.
The awards ceremony was also a celebration of First Nations women, with last year’s Song of the Year awardee, Sycco, winning the Electronic award for her single Ripple, and Central Queensland singer Miiesha receiving the Soul, Funk and RNB award for her single Still Dream.
Belinda ‘Lindy’ Morrison OAM, the drummer for The Go Betweens, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her decades of work as an advocate for First Nations people and women in the music industry, as well as her outstanding contribution to Queensland music.
The pioneer drummer told The Courier-Mail that despite being honored to receive the award, she’s even happier to be receiving it while she’s still alive.
“I actually couldn’t believe it. I was totally thrilled. I thought that it was absolutely wonderful that they would recognize my work,” Morrison said.
“And recognize how much Queensland had given to me when I was here in the ‘70s, and that I took with me to Europe and throughout the rest of my career. So I’m terribly touched and thrilled, and so glad that I’m still alive to get the award.”
Katie Noonan performed a tribute to devoted Queensland music advocate and 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award winner Lynette Irwin, who passed away in recent weeks, with a stunning rendition of “Devil May Care.”
In the commercial success categories, Gold Coast singer-songwriter Amy Shark was crowned with the Highest Selling Single for “Sway My Way,” while country music legend Adam Brand received the Highest Selling Album for “All Or Nothing.”
The awards ceremony was not just about recognising established artists, but also about supporting emerging talent, with over $45,000 in scholarships awarded throughout the night, including the Grant McLennan Fellowship, which was won by Sahara Beck.
The Billy Thorpe Scholarship was awarded to NEISH, while Platonic Sex presented the Carol Lloyd Award to support emerging female identifying or non-binary artists.
The awards ceremony also recognised the importance of music venues in the state.
The Fortitude Music Hall was named Metro Venue of the Year, while Solbar was awarded Regional venue of the Year. The inaugural Accessible Venue of the Year was awarded to Kingston Butter Factory, highlighting the importance of making music accessible to all.
CEO of Queensland Music, Kris Stewart, expressed his awe at the immense talent coming out of Queensland, from established to emerging artists.
“From the extraordinary success of established artists like Thelma Plum to emerging artists like Lottie McCleod, these awards are a recognition of the phenomenal music that our artists create,” he said.
“I am always so blown away by the immense talent coming out of our state.”
During the awards, Premier Annastasia Palaszczuk announced via video recording that the state government would be funding an additional $3.84 million over the next 4 years towards the BIGSOUND, Australia’s leading artist showcase and industry conference, which takes place in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley this September.Minister for the arts Leanne Enoch added that the palaszczuk government is hugely committed to supporting Queensland’s music industry.
2023 QUEENSLAND MUSIC AWARDS WINNERS
SONG OF THE YEAR Thelma Plum – ‘Backseat of My Mind’
ALBUM OF THE YEAR Ball Park Music – ‘Weirder & Weirder’
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Lindy Morrison
BLUES | ROOTS AWARD Jen Mize & The Rough N’ Tumble – ‘All Riled Up’
CHILDREN’S MUSIC AWARD Cheeky Monkey Club – ‘Yes or No – A Song About Consent’
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL AWARD Monique Clare – ‘Downhill Skiing’
COUNTRY AWARD James Johnston – ‘COUNTRY BOYS’
ELECTRONIC AWARD Sycco – ‘Ripple’
FOLK AWARD Yb. – ‘Blackphemy’
HEAVY AWARD DZ Deathrays – ‘Paranoid’
HIP HOP AWARD Khi’leb – ‘Cheques’
INDIGENOUS AWARD William Barton – ‘Kalkani’
JAZZ AWARD Trichotomy – ‘Forward Motion’
POP AWARD Thelma Plum – ‘Backseat Of My Mind’
ROCK AWARD WAAX – ‘No Doz’
YOUTH (AGES 10 – 17) AWARD Lottie McLeod – ‘Happy Birthday’
SOUL | FUNK | RNB AWARD Miiesha – ‘Still Dream’
WORLD AWARD Isaac Conomos and Menaka Thomas – ‘Space’
REGIONAL AWARD Sahara Beck – ‘Nothing Wrong With That
VIDEO AWARD Ben Wrigley – Purple Static by Mirrors
HIGHEST SELLING SINGLE Amy Shark – Sway My Way
HIGHEST SELLING ALBUM Adam Brand – All Or Nothing
SCHOLARSHIPS
2023 GRANT MCLENNAN FELLOWSHIP – Sahara Beck
2023 BILLY THORPE SCHOLARSHIP – NEISH
2023 CAROL LLOYD AWARD – Platonic Sex
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
METRO VENUE OF THE YEAR – The Fortitude Music Hall
REGIONAL VENUE OF THE YEAR – Solbar
FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR – Caloundra Music Festival
ACCESSIBLE VENUE OF THE YEAR – Kingston Butter Factory
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