The Sunshine State’s best and brightest musical talent have claimed victory in the annual Queensland Music Awards, colloquially known as the QMAs, with Queensland’s best and brightest musical talent and industry gathered at the Tivoli Theatre last night for the QMAs ceremony.
More than 22 gongs were handed out in a range of categories running the gamut from pop, rock, and urban to children’s music, Indigenous, jazz, and more in QMusic’s annual awards ceremony.
Brisbane’s Emma Louise was the clear winner of the night, the 22-year-old singer-songwriter sweeping three QMAs including the Export Achievement Award, the People’s Choice Award for Most Popular Female, and top honours in the Album of the Year category for her debut Head Vs Heart. Emma Louise caps her win with a national tour this September.
Ball Park Music lost out in the Album of the Year stakes but still added to their trophy case, with their Museum-lifted single ‘Surrender’ taking out both the Pop category and the coveted Song of the Year Award.
The publicly voted People’s Choice Awards categories, presented by the Courier Mail, went to The Jungle Giants for Most Popular Group and Jeremy Neale for Most Popular Male, backing up his 2012 win in the Rock Category.
The 2013 Rock Category went to The Trouble With Templeton, the five-piece led by Thomas Calder winning with ‘Six Months In A Cast’, the rollicking single that has also won the band international favour with Mumford & Sons’ Ben Lovett, who signed the Aussie outfit to his boutique record label Communion off the strength of the song.
Other winners included hardcore heroes The Amity Affliction in the Heavy Category for ‘Chasing Ghosts’, NIMA winner Thelma Plum claimed the Indigenous Award for ‘Rosie’, Kingfisha songwriters Anthony Forrest and Shannon Green took home the Blues/Roots Award, and Georgia Potter in the inaugural Music Video category for ‘XO’.
Mick Hadley, the late singer for Purple Hearts, was posthumously awarded the G.W. McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to Queensland music, joining previous titleholders, guitarist Ed Kuepper (2012) and Woodford Folk Festival veteran Bill Hauritz (2011).
Many of the night’s award-winning musicians were on hand to perform at the Tivoli Theatre-hosted ceremony, including The Jungle Giants, The Trouble With Templeton, Thelma Plum, Country winner Harmony James, Urban winner BlaqCarri, as well as nominees Violent Soho, Seja, Pigeon, and Chukale.
“The Queensland Music Awards have been an ongoing testament to the simply outstanding musical talent our state has to offer. It’s with great pride that we recognise the musicians and songwriters that make Queensland music the artistic powerhouse that it is,” said Denise Foley, QMusic Executive Officer, of the winners of the QMAs, now in its third year. “We look forward to building the awards even further in the years to come.”
For the full list of winners, see below or head to the official Queensland Music Awards 2013 website
Queensland Music Awards 2013 Category Winners
