The Queensland Music Awards, known colloquially as the QMAs, is a state-wide search for some of Queensland’s best and brightest musicians that launched for the first time last year in partnership with QMusic and The Courier-Mail. A wide range of artists in a variety of genres are to be recognised for their innovation in songwriting and music excellence.

Judged by a panel of music industry professionals, drawn from all over the nation, finalists are chosen based on their musical abilities as well as their national significance; and today the QMA panel have announced their list of finalists.

The likes of roots duo Busby Marou, quirky indie act Ball Park Music, zinging guitar slingers Last Dinosaurs, as well as The Medics, The Grates and Brisbane garage provocateurs DZ Deathrays are up for nomination for the Most Popular Group award; while the likes of The Jungle Giants, Cub Scouts, Mosman Alder, Dubmarine and Ben Salter are all up for awards in various genre categories.

On top of that, Arts Queensland have added the nominees for its Billy Thorpe Scholarship award. A cash prize of $10,000 put together by the Queensland Government to help build the careers of emerging artists.

The winners will be announced during an awards ceremony, to be held at Brisbane’s Old Museum on Tuesday 14th August which will also act as a showcase for music performances from the state’s legendary Ed Kuepper, Ball Park Music, up-and-comers Art of Sleeping, The McMenamins and more.

Limited tickets will be on sale to the general public through Oztix (from July 5th) but music fans can still have their voice heard by voting in the Courier-Mail People’s Choice Awards. Which also puts them in the draw to win tickets to major music festivals including the Big Day Out, Harvest Festival, Woodford, Soundwave and BIGSOUND Live. Voting opens today over at the Queensland paper’s website.

Last year’s inaugural awards ceremony recognised an array of emerging artists, winners including Brisbane garage duo DZ Deathrays (in the Rock category for “Gebbie Street”), The Medics (for Indigenous Act) and the recently disbanded The Middle East claimed album of the year – for their first (and only) record, I Want That You Are Always Happy.

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The 2011 QMAs also recognised Kate Miller-Heidke as the ‘Most Popular Female’ for the Courier-Mail’s People’s Choice award as well as for the Export Achievement Award. While indie chanteuse Emma Louise scooped two gongs for her track “Jungle” in the Pop and Song Of The Year categories.

The full list of 2012 finalists is below:

Title

Artist

Region

 
POP
I Still Don’t BelieveBusby MarouBrisbane
Do You HearCub ScoutsBrisbane
I’ll Change Your MindKate Miller-HeidkeBrisbane
Mr PoliteThe Jungle GiantsBrisbane
   
ROCK  
Dollar ChillsDZ DeathraysBrisbane
Winter Was The TimeJeremy NealeBrisbane
I Don’t Write No Sad SongsTexas TeaBrisbane
SummertimeThe Keep On Dancin’sBrisbane
   
ELECTRONIC/DANCE  
M&RBec LaughtonBrisbane
UnderwaterCarly DickensonBrisbane
StratospherePigeonBrisbane
Xplodes When Played ft. KitchSholaBrisbane
   
BLUES / ROOTS  
Looking GlassKingfishaBrisbane
WanderlustBand of FrequenciesSunshine Coast
GoldenBand of FrequenciesSunshine Coast
Love Me Longtime SwingPete CullenSunshine Coast
   
HEAVY  
Dawn To RiseA Breach of SilenceBrisbane
Empty SmileA Breach of SilenceBrisbane
Devil BluesBlack MustangBrisbane
RelicLynchmadaGold Coast
   
JAZZ  
FinalityLauren LucilleBrisbane
DresdenMarialy PachecoBrisbane
Flood LinesToby Wren QuartetBrisbane
Rich and FamousToby Wren QuartetBrisbane
   
SCHOOLS  
New BeginningBecc HoldorfScenic Rim
RainstormJordan BrodieCairns
You Could Be HappySahara BeckSunshine Coast
Bang Bang BangSahara BeckSunshine Coast
   
INDIGENOUS  
UnconditionalDubmarineBrisbane
Red RosesSue RayToowoomba
Golden BearThe MedicsBrisbane
GriffinThe MedicsBrisbane
   
URBAN  
UnconditionalDubmarineBrisbane
Take This MessageImpossible OddsBrisbane
The ValleyRainmanBrisbane
Good Thing (ft. Mr Hill)SevenGold Coast
   
COUNTRY  
Cyclone Country8 Ball AitkenBrisbane
The Old Man’s GoneBrad ButcherBrisbane
Precious LittleHarmony JamesIpswich
Red RosesSue RayToowoomba
   
WORLD  
UnconditionalDubmarineBrisbane
The Vespa with a BullbarGreshkaBrisbane
Icarus FallingLAIQUEBrisbane
Panini FandangoLükeBrisbane
FOLK / SINGER SONGWRITER
The Great DivorceKate MartinTownsville
The Alphabet SongTexas TeaBrisbane
Raisin HeartMosman AlderBrisbane
FeverPaul DonoughueBrisbane
CHILDRENS MUSIC  
Australia is a Dangerous PlaceTyrone and LesleyBrisbane
The Goat and the GooseNadia SundeSunshine Coast
Alphabet GrooveBoomTishBrisbane
The Hopping MouseThe LamplightsGold Coast
REGIONAL  
RainstormJordan BrodieCairns
Tom Whisky BluesPete CullenSunshine Coast
Lover EvermoreSue RayToowoomba
All I’ve FoundBand of FrequenciesSunshine Coast
ALBUM OF THE YEAR  
The CatBen SalterBrisbane
BloodstreamsDZ DeathraysBrisbane
Magnetic NorthKellie LloydBrisbane
Secret RitualsThe GratesBrisbane
EXPORT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Emma-Louise  
DZ Deathrays  
Last Dinosaurs  
The Grates  
  
BILLY THORPE SCHOLARSHIP
Jeremy Neale  
The Secret Whisper  
Astrid and the Asteroids  
Cold and Need  
THE COURIER-MAIL PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
Most Popular Female ArtistEmma Louise
Patience Hodgson
Harmony James
Kate Miller-Heidke
Washington
Katie Noonan
Most Popular Male ArtistAndrew Redford
Tim Steward
Troy Cassar-Daley
Pete Murray
Danny Widdicombe
8 Ball Aitken
Most Popular GroupBusby Marou
Ball Park Music
Last Dinosaurs
The Medics
DZ Deathrays
The Grates

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