Jessica Mauboy will be inducted into the National Indigenous Music Awards Hall of Fame at the 2025 ceremony, recognising her contribution to First Nations music and Australian culture.
Born in Darwin, Mauboy has established herself as one of Australia’s most successful recording artists, with six Top 10 albums and 16 Top 20 singles to her name. Her impressive 31 ARIA nominations place her amongst the most nominated artists in the awards’ history, reflecting her consistent impact on the Australian music landscape.
From her breakthrough on Australian Idol to chart-topping hits including “Burn” and “Little Things”, Mauboy has consistently championed First Nations voices on both national and international stages. She has also had notable acting roles in award-winning film The Sapphires and television series The Secret Daughter. The soundtrack album for The Secret Daughter marked a historic achievement, making Mauboy the first Indigenous artist to top the ARIA Albums Chart.
The 2025 National Indigenous Music Awards will take place at Darwin Amphitheatre on Saturday, August 9th. This year’s ceremony includes performances from country icon Troy Cassar-Daley, soul legend Emma Donovan, psych-rock visionaries Velvet Trip, gospel and blues vocalist Kankawa Nagarra, and the collaboration of Eleanor Jawurlngali & Mick Turner from Dirty Three.
Eleanor Jawurlngali & Mick Turner will premiere their debut single from an upcoming album with Dirty Three during the ceremony, whilst Mauboy herself will deliver a special performance to commemorate her Hall of Fame induction.
The weekend programme extends beyond the main ceremony, incorporating community engagement initiatives and educational opportunities. YouTube Music will present a workshop on Friday, August 8th at Darwin’s Harbour View Plaza, commencing at 2pm. Marion Goodman-Briand, head of Music Partnerships for YouTube AU/NZ, will lead the session, exploring multi-format release strategies and platform optimisation techniques for artists.
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“As part of the NIMAs weekend, I’m really excited to be hosting a workshop to help artists grow their audience and engage with fans,” Goodman-Briand explained. “The session will cover best practices for every stage of a release cycle, from Shorts and music videos to live streams.”
In other news, Mauboy has gone independent, launching her own label, Jamally, in partnership with DistroDirect. This marks the first time she will release music outside the major label system. Her team says Jamally gives Mauboy full control over her creative process, from recording to marketing.
“This is the start of a new chapter for me – not just as a singer or performer, but as a storyteller and businesswoman too,” Mauboy said in a statement. To mark the move, she released the single “While I Got Time,” co-written with longtime collaborator PJ Harding.
Now in its 21st year, the National Indigenous Music Awards have evolved into a vital national platform celebrating Indigenous musical talent and diversity.
For the first time, the 2025 ceremony will be livestreamed on YouTube.
Grab your tickets to this year’s ceremony here.
