ARIA Award winners Ninajirachi, Boy Soda, Speed and Keli Holiday will duke it out for the 2026 New South Wales Music Prize, Australia’s most lucrative music industry award.
Others homegrown talent shortlisted for the top prize, which comes with an A$80,000 ($55,000) winner’s check, include Don West, Esha Tewari, MAY-A, Parcels, The Rions and ZIPPORAH.
Now entering its second year, the NSW Music Prize is broken down into three categories.
The main award is for the NSW artist or act whose release has had the “most significant impact.” The NSW First Nations music prize (A$40,000) is awarded to the NSW-based Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander artist or act whose release has had “significant and meaningful impact,” and NSW breakthrough artist of the year (A$40,000) is for an emerging NSW artist or act who has had a “groundbreaking year.”
The Minns Labor government is behind the initiative, launched to “help inspire the next wave of artists in NSW,” which until 2025 was the only state without a dedicated music prize.
“Local artists have been under increasing pressure due to cost-of-living pressures and the dominance of overseas artists on streaming platforms,” reads a statement. “This prize is designed to give them recognition, and momentum.”
A panel of artists and industry leaders formed the committees that identified the nominations, announced Friday, Oct. 16.
All will be revealed during a ceremony Nov. 9 at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Foundation Hall in Sydney, with the categories decided by a five-person judging panel; the winner of the NSW First Nations music prize will be decided by a three-strong First Nations judging panel.
“Congratulations to all of finalists, this is recognition of your creativity and hard work,” comments John Graham, state minister for music and the night-time economy.
“AC/DC were right when they said it’s a long way to the top. This prize is about helping our artists stay the course and become the next big NSW icons.
“Our musicians have been under so much pressure since the pandemic. If we lose them, we lose our local sound with it. That’s why we’re backing them with targeted support and celebrating them with this prize.”
Last year’s inaugural NSW Music Prize was won by SPEED for their album Only One Mode, BARKAA collected the NSW First Nations music prize for her EP Big Tidda, and Ninajirachi won for NSW breakthrough artist of the year. For more information visit the Sound NSW website.
The finalists for the 2026 NSW Music Prize:
NSW Music Prize ($80,000)
BOY SODA – SOULSTAR
DON WEST – GIVE ME ALL YOUR LOVE
Esha Tewari – What Makes A Girl A Girl
Keli Holiday – Capital Fiction
MAY-A – Goodbye (If You Can Call That Gone)
Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer
Parcels – LOVED
SPEED – ALL MY ANGELS
The Rions – Everything Every Single Day
ZIPPORAH – Naungu Urui
NSW First Nations Music Prize ($40,000)
3% – These Days, Running Through My Head, Our Greats
KYARNA – Lost Soul Love Letters
ROX LAVI – Blah Blah about the Blah
THOM – Everything That Hurts Is Human
Velvet Trip – Glimmers Continued
NSW Breakthrough Artist of the Year ($40,000)
BOY SODA
Esha Tewari
Keli Holiday
RAGEFLOWER
Velvet Trip