Barkaa National Indigenous Music Awards
Barkaa | Credit: Luke Currie-Richardson

Nominees and Performers Announced For National Indigenous Music Awards 2022

Barkaa, Thelma Plum and Baker Boy lead the nominations for the 2022 National Indigenous Music Awards. The awards will be handed out during a star-studded live ceremony in the Darwin Amphitheatre on Saturday, 6th August.

The 2022 NIMA ceremony will feature performances from Thelma Plum, King Stingray, Emma Donovan & the Putbacks, Birdz and Fred Leone, with more acts still to be announced.

Barkaa – ‘King Brown’

Barkaa, who’s known for her hard-hitting rap tracks, leads the nominations count with four. The Malyangapa and Barkindji woman is nominated for the songs ‘King Brown’ and ‘Black Matriarchy’, as well as New Talent of the YearGamilaraay artist Thelma Plum has secured three nominations for her single ‘Backseat Of My Mind’, while Yolngu man Baker Boy earned three nominations for his debut album, Gela. All three artists are nominated for Artist Of The Year.

Other nominees include The Kid LAROI, Jessica Mauboy, Electric Fields, Archie Roach, Dallas Woods, Tasman Keith and Tilly Tjala Thomas. Find the complete list of nominees below. Tickets are on sale now from the NIMA website.

Thelma Plum – ‘Backseat Of My Mind’

2022 National Indigenous Music Awards Nominees

Artist of the Year

  • Kid Laroi
  • Jessica Mauboy
  • Baker Boy
  • Electric Fields
  • Thelma Plum
  • King Stingray

Song of the Year

  • Backseat of My Mind – Thelma Plum
  • Made For Silence – Miiesha
  • Milkumana – King Stingray
  • Sometime – Mo’Ju
  • King Brown – Barkaa
  • Ball and Chain – Xavier Rudd ft J-MILLA

Album of the Year

  • Baker Boy – Gela
  • Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Under These Streets
  • Jem Cassar-Daley – I Don’t Know Who to Call
  • Birdz – Legacy
  • Dallas Woods – Julie’s Boy
  • Archie Roach – My songs 1989 – 2021

Film Clip of the Year

  • Love Too Soon – Tasman Keith
  • King Brown – Barkaa
  • Blak Matriarchy – Barkaa
  • My Mind – Baker Boy
  • Automatic – Jessica Mauboy

New Talent of the Year

  • Barkaa
  • Jem Cassar-Daley
  • Lil Kootsie
  • Tilly Tjala Thomas
  • Dobby
  • Dameeeela

Community Clip of the Year

  • Koori Mob – Our Country, Our Life – Desert Pea Media
  • Gumbaynggirr Collective – Through the Smoke – Desert Pea Media
  • Doomadgee, QLD – Where We Wanna Be – Indigenous Outreach Project
  • Numbulwar, NT – Loud & Proud – Indigenous Outreach Project
  • Ballarat, VIC – Don’t Give Up On Yourself – Indigenous Outreach Project

Further Reading

Thelma Plum Shares ‘When It Rains It Pours’, Announces New EP & Tour Dates

Sydney Festival Issues Statement After Barkaa & 30 Others Boycott 2022 Event

Baker Boy Teams Up With Bernard Fanning To Rework ‘Wish You Well’

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