QMAs
With two wins each, Cub Sport, Jem Cassar-Daley and Bluey composer Joff Bush were the standouts at the 2024 Queensland Music Awards, presented Wednesday, April 17 at Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane.
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Homegrown electro-pop act Cub Sport nabbed album of the year for their ARIA No. 1 collection Jesus At The Gay Bar, and the electronic award for “Songs About It.”
“This is very unexpected,” drummer Dan Puusaari said from the dais as Cub Sport collected best album honors. “We’ve been a band for 13 years, won our first QMA 12 years ago, it’s very cool to still be up here, still making music. It’s a massive privilege. This is the fifth record we’ve made. To be acknowledged like this is really cool.”
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Jem Cassar-Daley snagged the pop award and song of the year, the QMAs’ top honor, both for “King of Disappointment.”
With the song of the year award, Cassar-Daley, daughter of homegrown country great Troy Cassar-Daley, scores a prime piece of real estate – a plaque on the Walk of Fame in the city’s Brunswick Street Mall.
As she accepted her trophy, Cassar-Daley thanked “every single one of you in this room for inspiring me to pursue music, even during COVID when everything had locked down and we’d all lost gigs.”
Composer Joff Bush won the children’s music award for “Dance Mode” and music for screen award for “Cricket,” both written for the popular animated series Bluey.
Also, country veteran James Blundell was honored with the lifetime achievement award, recognition of a decades-long career during which he has recorded 14 studio albums, won nine CMAA Golden Guitars, and earned induction into the CMAA Role of Renown and the CMC Hall of Fame.
“It is an acknowledgement of survival,” he said of his latest award, which he celebrated with members of his family. “I say to all the young artists I work with that longevity is a major part of the equation. You can be fabulous for a nanosecond but to sustain a career, well you’ve got to be a bit more interesting (laughs). Now I have never claimed or intended to be an interesting artist, but I have lived very honestly and very much in the public eye. So, I am very grateful to receive this award.”
Other winners included Busby Marou (blues/roots award), DZ Deathrays (heavy award), Tia Gostelow (Indigenous award), and Sahara Beck (soul/funk/RnB category).
“We are massively proud Queenslanders, and we’re inspired by the young fellas coming through. And of course, all the old fellas too,” remarked Thomas Busby, one-half of Rockhampton roots act Busby Marou. The “beauty of making music,” he added, is that you “make friends all along the way, then you keep them.”
The 2024 Queensland Music Awards are produced by QMusic, which is supported by the Queensland government. Guests in the room included Queensland premier Steven Miles.
2024 Queensland Music Awards winners:
Major Awards
Song Of The Year
Jem Cassar-Daley – ‘King Of Disappointment’
Album Of The Year
Cub Sport – Jesus At The Gay Bar
Lifetime Achievement Award
James Blundell
Scholarships
2023 Billy Thorpe Scholarship
Lottie Mcleod
2023 Carol Lloyd Award
Jo Davie
Dennis “Mop” Conlon Scholarship
Kristal West
2023 Grant Mclennan Fellowship
Georgia Potter
Dalwood-Wylie Foundation Scholarship
Ethan Roberts
Category Awards
Blues | Roots Award
Busby Marou – ‘Conversation’
Children’s Music Award
Joff Bush – ‘Dance Mode’ (Bluey)
Contemporary Classical & Music For Stage
Karin Schaupp – ‘Cybernylon’
Country Award
Tori Forsyth – ‘Sometimes’
Electronic Award
Cub Sport – ‘Songs About It’
Folk Award
Minor Gold – ‘Cannonball’
Heavy Award
Dz Deathrays – ‘My Mind Is Eating Me Alive’
Hip Hop Award
Ozi Jarel – ‘Uptown’
Indigenous Award
Tia Gostelow – ‘Spring To Life’
Jazz Award
Andrew Butt Trio – ‘Le Baiser Salé’
Music For Screen
Joff Bush – ‘Cricket’ (Bluey)
Pop Award
Jem Cassar-Daley – ‘King Of Disappointment’
Rock Award
Felony. – ‘Everyone I Like Wants To Kill Themselves’
Soul | Funk | Rnb Award
Sahara Beck – ‘Compromise’
World Award
Taitu’uga – ‘Falealili Manusamoa’
Youth (Ages 10 – 17) Award
Parker – ‘Sofa Bed’
Regional | Regional Award
Lt – ‘Act Your Age’
Video Award
Luis Campbell, Adam Hasa & Julian Panetta – ‘Make It So Easy’ By Jordan Briton Feat. Juno
Export Award
Skin On Skin
Highest Selling Single
Fisher & Kita Alexander – ‘Atmosphere’
Highest Selling Album
Brad Cox – Acres
Venues + Festival Of The Year Awards
People’s Choice Award Metro Venue Of The Year
The Fortitude Music Hall
People’s Choice Award Regional Venue Of The Year
Kings Beach Tavern
People’s Choice Award Festival Of The Year Nominees
Gympie Music Muster
Accessible Venue Of The Year
Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct
With two honors, including the coveted song of the year, Thelma Plum was the big winner at the 2023 Queensland Music Awards (QMAs), presented Tuesday (March 28) at Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, Australia.
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The Gamilaraay singer-songwriter won song of the year and the pop category for her single “Backseat of My Mind,” lifted from her 2022 EP Meanjin. With song of the year, Plum gets a permanent place in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley – a plaque on the Walk of Fame.
“Queensland I feel has always been an underdog,” she told the packed house, “but I tell ya, we’re not anymore.”
Meanjin is up for best record at next week’s Rolling Stone Australia Awards, and “Backseat of My Mind” will get another chance to win song of the year, at the 2023 APRA Music Awards on April 27.
Other winners at the 2023 QMAs included Brisbane indie band Ball Park Music (album of the year for Weirder & Weirder) Gold Coast singer-songwriter Amy Shark (highest-selling single for “Sway My Way”), and country artist Adam Brand (highest selling album for All Or Nothing).
Go-Betweens great Lindy Morrison was presented the lifetime achievement award for her advocacy work, social work, activism and musicianship. Morrison, a member of the Go-Betweens from 1980-1989, played drums on six of the iconic band’s albums, and performed vocals on three.
The folk-rock act’s classic song “Cattle and Cane” was recognized by APRA in 2001 as one of the top 30 Australian songs of all time, and Morrison was celebrated in 2014 with the Ted Albert Award, presented during the APRA Music Awards, held that year in Brisbane’s City Hall.
Away from the studio, Morrison helped establish Support Act in 1998, and served with music industry charity as a social worker until 2021. During the pandemic, she led her team to deliver more than A$5 million in relief grants for music workers in crisis.
“I’m so glad I’m receiving this award while I’m still alive. I would have hated to get this award when I’m dead,” she quipped at the top of what would be the evening’s most rousing speech. “Thank-you Queensland. I’m still playing, I’m on the road all the time…I’m recording, I’m going to the U.K. soon, I got into practice rooms, I’m 70 years of age. And I still feel like that young woman.”
Recounting those years with the Go-Betweens and other acts she performed with, “We were devoted to art, and we would do anything as long as it was for art. We marched for black rights, we marched for civil rights. And we marched for the right to march. We played music in the streets for pro-choice.”
The city of Brisbane came out a winner when, during a pre-recorded bit, Qld premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced a A$3.8 million investment in the annual Bigsound showcase event and conference.
“We all know how powerful music can be,” she said. “It helps tell our stories, and provides a stage for social change. It helps connect people and shapes our culture. Right now in Queensland, I believe there’s something special happening with our music scene here, and tonight I want everyone in this room to know that our government backs you and backs your industry. I know how important Bigsound has been for the industry over the past 22 years. That’s why I’m pleased to announce $3.8 million in funding over the next four years to make Bigsound even bigger and even better.” The 2023 edition is set for Sept. 5 – 8.
Formerly known as QSong, the QMAs celebrate the state’s “brightest emerging artists and established legends,” with its categories judged by more than 100 music industry professionals.
More than 13,000 songs have been submitted since its inception in 2006. Winners have included Keith Urban, the Veronicas, Kate Miller-Heidke, Bernard Fanning, Sheppard, Violent Soho and many others.
The annual event is organized by trade body QMusic, with Brick Lane, Brisbane City Council and Queensland Government on board as major partners.
2023 Queensland Music Awards – Winners:
MAJOR AWARDS
SONG OF THE YEARPresented by Brick Lane BrewingThelma Plum
ALBUM OF THE YEARPresented by Brisbane City CouncilBall Park Music – ‘Weirder & Weirder’
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDPresented by Grant ThorntonLindy Morrison
SCHOLARSHIPS
2023 GRANT MCLENNAN FELLOWSHIPSahara Beck
2023 BILLY THORPE SCHOLARSHIPNEISH
2023 CAROL LLOYD AWARDPlatonic Sex
CATEGORY AWARDS
BLUES | ROOTS AWARDPresented by Trentham EstateJen Mize & The Rough N’ Tumble – ‘All Riled Up’
CHILDREN’S MUSIC AWARDPresented by The Truss CompanyCheeky Monkey Club – ‘Yes or No – A Song About Consent’
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL AWARDPresented by Queensland Conservatorium – Griffith UniversityMonique Clare – ‘Downhill Skiing’
COUNTRY AWARDPresented by ABC Radio BrisbaneJames Johnston – ‘COUNTRY BOYS’
ELECTRONIC AWARDPresented by The Prince ConsortSycco – ‘Ripple’
FOLK AWARDPresented by APRA AMCOSYb. – ‘Blackphemy’
HEAVY AWARDPresented by IJSDZ Deathrays – ‘Paranoid’
HIP HOP AWARDPresented by NAFAKhi’leb – ‘Cheques’
INDIGENOUS AWARDPresented by AnactaWilliam Barton – ‘Kalkani’
JAZZ AWARDPresented by Jazz Music InstituteTrichotomy – ‘Forward Motion’
POP AWARDPresented by Star Entertainment GroupThelma Plum – ‘Backseat Of My Mind’
ROCK AWARDPresented by Comiskey GroupWAAX – ‘No Doz’
YOUTH (AGES 10 – 17) AWARDPresented by SAELottie McLeod – ‘Happy Birthday’
SOUL | FUNK | RNB AWARDPresented by The Sound GardenMiiesha – ‘Still Dream’
WORLD AWARDPresented by MEAAIsaac Conomos and Menaka Thomas – ‘Space’
REGIONAL | REGIONAL AWARDPresented by TelstraSahara Beck – ‘Nothing Wrong With That
VIDEO AWARDPresented by Creative ProductionsBen Wrigley – Purple Static by Mirrors
HIGHEST SELLING SINGLEAmy Shark – Sway My Way
HIGHEST SELLING ALBUMAdam Brand – All Or Nothing
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
METRO VENUE OF THE YEARPresented by Oztix and The MusicThe Fortitude Music Hall
REGIONAL VENUE OF THE YEARPresented by Oztix and The MusicSol Bar
FESTIVAL OF THE YEARPresented by Oztix and The MusicCaloundra Music Festival
ACCESSIBLE VENUE OF THE YEARPresented by CPL – Choice, Life, PassionKingston Butter Factory
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