QUEENSLAND MUSIC AWARDS INTRODUCES EXCITING NEW CATEGORY WITH THE ‘INNOVATION AWARD’ + UNVEILS THE IMPRESSIVE LIST OF 100+ JUDGES WHO WILL BE DETERMINING WINNERS FROM A RECORD NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS
L-R: Sahara Herald, Hope Defteros (Hope D), Bernard Fanning at the QMAs 2020
Photo Credit: Aimee Catt
Taking place at The Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley on Wednesday 5 May 2021, QMusic and the annual Queensland Music Awards (QMAs) are thrilled to announce a new award category with the Innovation Award.
Currently tallying an astounding number of artist submissions from all over the state, the QMAs also unveil the impressive and extensive list of 100+ industry professional judges who will determine the finalists and winners of the biggest and most diverse list of award categories QMusic has ever presented.
With almost 1000 artist song submissions, and directors sending in more than 100 music video submissions, the 2021 QMAs marks the highest ever number of submissions and nominations on record.
QMusic CEO, Angela Samut said, "The quantity and high-calibre of song and music video submissions that have been submitted for this year’s QMAs is testament to the talent, resilience and relentless passion of Queensland musicians and their teams.
We are so proud to see the level of artistry, storytelling and music that our industry has continued to create over the past 12 months where most have experienced, and continue to experience, unprecedented hardship.
QMusic has introduced the Innovation Award as acknowledgement to artists and businesses that have managed to create new ways of doing business to not only survive, but thrive in 2020 and beyond."
Presented by QMusic, the new Innovation Award will highlight the impressive and diverse work of individuals and businesses across the music industry who have risen to the challenge of 2020 with notable resilience, purpose and innovation.
The 2021 Innovation Award is open to public and self-nominations from all music industry businesses, organisations, artists or individuals who innovated in the Queensland music space in 2020, giving people the opportunity to nominate themselves and spotlight their own achievements, or alternatively tip their hat to someone they know who deserves recognition. Judges will assess the Innovation Award nominations on Innovation, Uniqueness and Creativity, Practical Application, Profit, Sustainability and Potential Longevity.
The Innovation Award winners will be announced live at the illustrious Queensland Music Awards ceremony on Wednesday 5 May. Public and self-nominations are open now via www.queenslandmusicawards.com.au.
Also appearing for the first time this year is the Contemporary Classical category, and the returning Childrens Music and Emerging Artist Of The Year Award; first introduced last year to recognise the valuable contributions made by Queensland’s newest and most promising musicians. The inaugural Emerging Artist Of The Year was awarded in 2020 to Brisbane’s Hope D (pictured above) who has since gone on to place in triple j’s Hottest 100, released her debut EP ‘Cash Only’ to critical acclaim, and is about to embark on her debut sold out national tour.
The full list of awards will be judged by over 100+ music industry professionals from all around the country, and diverse areas of the industry, giving finalists and winners the chance to catapult their careers into national significance. The 2021 judges include: Andrew Stone (Chugg Entertainment), Casey O’Shaughnessy (Select Music), Christina Thiers (Warner Music Australia), Declan Byrne (triple j), Maya Janeska (Believe Digital), Annie Chung (WME), Harry Young (Dew Process), Konstantin Kersting (producer), Joe Alexander (Bedroom Suck Records), Mark Holland (EMI), Sahara Herald (Frontier Touring), and more. The full list of judges can be found HERE.
The 2021 QMAs will award outstanding recipients in the following categories:
Self-Nominating Awards
Innovation Award *new*
Indigenous Award
Blues / Roots Award
Childrens Music Award *returning*
Contemporary Classical Award *new*
Country Award
Electronic / Dance Award
Folk / Singer Songwriter Award
Heavy Award
Hip Hop / Rap Award
Jazz Award
Pop Award
Regional Award
Remote Award
Rock Award
Schools Award
Soul / Funk / R’n’B Award
World Award
Video Award
People’s Choice Awards
Metro Venue Of The Year
Regional Venue Of The Year
Festival Of The Year
Acknowledgements
Highest Selling Single
Highest Selling Album
Major Awards
Emerging Artist Of The Year *returning*
Song Of The Year
Album Of The Year
Billy Thorpe Scholarship (Presented by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland)
Export Achievement Award
Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award (Presented by QMusic)
Jaguar Jonze accepting an award at the QMAs 2020
Photo Credit: Bianca Holderness
Finalists will be announced, and tickets for the QMAs will be available to purchase in late March 2021.
For more information go to www.queenslandmusicawards.com.au.
The Queensland Music Awards
When: Wednesday 5 May
Where: The Fortitude Music Hall, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane
Presented by QMusic
#QldMusicAwards
@QldMusicAwards
The 2021 Queensland Music Awards is produced by QMusic.
QMusic is proudly supported by the Queensland Government.