National Indigenous Music Awards 2021 winners: Budjerah, The Kid Laroi, Miiesha
‘Everyone’s made some incredible music and art, so for me, it’s not really about the awards: for me, the NIMAs is a celebration,’ said the 19-year-old rising star.
A little over a year since releasing his first song, 19 year-old singer-songwriter Budjerah Slabb has continued his sharp rise to prominence in Australian music by being named new talent of the year at the National Indigenous Music Awards on Sunday night.
Ahead of the win, Slabb – a Coodjinburra musician who records and performs under his birth name mononym, Budjerah – was thrilled simply to be mentioned in the company of fellow new talent nominees King Stingray, Beddy Rays, Chasing Ghosts and J-Milla.
“I just love my people and my culture so much,” he told The Australian last week. “Everyone’s made some incredible music and art, so it’s not really about the awards: for me, the NIMAs is a celebration, and to celebrate with these people as artists is the best thing.”
Slabb was unable to toast his peers’ success in person, however, after border restrictions forced organisers to make the call in July to hold the awards as a live broadcast on Triple J and Double J radio, rather than a live event at the Darwin Amphitheatre.
Instead, the musician – who possesses a soulful and character-filled voice that belies his age – hosted a small gathering at his home in the northern NSW town of Fingal Head with his parents, to whom he credits his achievements.
“They’ve always been there for me, supporting me and helping me on the right path,” he said. “I wouldn’t be able to do what I do if it wasn’t for them.”
It was his father who pushed Slabb to get serious about recording his career goals before his debut single Missing You was released in October last year; it now has more than 2.3m plays on Spotify alone.
After picking up an A5 spiral notebook from a Kmart in Tweed Heads, Slabb wrote a few goals in pencil on the page, between song sketches.
On his list: world tour. Get a band. Perform in a musical. Win awards: ARIA and Grammy, and Oscar and Tony, given his film and stage aspirations. Buy a house.
Clearly he’s not one for small aspirations, and given how far he’s come in just 12 months, doubting him seems dangerous.
Next Wednesday he might be able to tick off an ARIA Award win, too, as he’s nominated in five categories including best artist and the Michael Gudinski breakthrough artist award.
For more than a year, Slabb has carried that book with him wherever he goes, but he has a problem.
“It’s quite full, and I don’t have many blank pages,” he said. “I think I’ve got to get a new one soon, because I like to use every inch of the page.”
The other NIMAs winners announced on Sunday night include Kamileroi hip-hop artist The Kid Laroi, aka Charlton Howard, who recently celebrated his 18th birthday the same week that Stay – his hit collaboration with Canadian singer Justin Bieber – topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US.
That was in mid-August, yet three months later, Stay has demonstrated remarkable staying power: it’s currently No.2 in the US, behind Adele’s song Easy On Me.
The Kid Laroi was named artist of the year, while Anangu/Torres Strait Islander artist Miiesha won song of the year for Damaged, Bundjalung rapper JK-47 won album of the year for Made For This, and singer-songwriter Kev Carmody was inducted into the NIMAs hall of fame.
THE NATIONAL INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS 2021: WINNERS
Artist of the Year
The Kid Laroi
Album of the Year
JK-47 – Made For This
New Talent of the Year
Budjerah
Song of the Year
Miiesha – Damaged
Songwriters: Miiesha Young/Stephen Collins
Film Clip of the Year
Baker Boy – Ride Ft Yirrmal
Directors: Ryan Sauer
Producers: Ryan Sauer / Carlia Capozza (Visible Studios) / Travis Banko / Dion Brownfield /Danny Rogers (Lunatic Entertainment) / Aurie Indianna
Indigenous Language Award
Guwanbal Gurruwiwi and Netanela Mizrahi – The Djari Project
Composed by: Guwanbal Gurruwiwi and Netanela Mizrahi
Conducted/Directors: Nick Yates / Netanela Mizrahi / Christie Anderson
Co-Producers: Netanela Mizrahi & Myles Mumford
Community Clip of the Year
Kakadu Collective & Victor Rostron – Mayali
Directors: Toby Finlayson (Desert Pea Media) / Rob Sherwood / Victor Rostron
Producer: Josh Nicholas
Hall of Fame
Kev Carmody
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