The Kid Laroi Crowned Artist Of The Year At National Indigenous Music Awards

The 2021 National Indigenous Music Awards have wrapped with Kamilaroi chart-topper The Kid Laroi taking out Artist of the Year- a year which saw the NIMAs cancelled at the last minute due to COVID. With the loss of its usual August home in Darwin, the event was reimagined as a two-hour radio celebration broadcast nationally on triple j, Double J, Unearthed and the National Indigenous Radio Service on Sunday night. 

Bundjalung rapper, JK-47 won Album of the Year with his incredibly bold debut record ‘Made For This’, capping off a massive year after winning the NIMAs Unearthed award in 2020. 

Aṉangu/Torres Strait Islander artist Miiesha’s deeply personal single ‘Damaged’ (written with Stephen Collins) took home the award for ‘Song of the Year’, while Coodjinburra musician Budjerah won ‘Best New Talent of the Year’, and of course, the fresh prince of Arnhem Land, Baker Boy, swooped in to score ‘Best Film Clip of the Year’ for ‘Ride ft. Yirrmal’. 

Guwanbal Gurruwiwi and Netanela Mizrahi scored ‘Indigenous Language Award of the Year’ for The Djari Project, while Community Clip of the Year went to Kakadu Collective & Victor Rostron for ‘Mayali’. J-Milla also took home a trophy, honoured with the Archie Roach Award award. 

The National Indigenous Music Awards also celebrated the life and vastly important work of Indigenous musician Kev Carmody, inducting him into the Hall of Fame as part of the 2021 award ceremony. 

Hosted by triple j Blak Out's Nookie and Karla Ranby, the NIMAs featured crosses to communities in the Torres Strait, Tasmania and the Northern Territory as well as two exclusive live performances. Electric Fields performed a beautiful rendition of Kev Caromody's 'From Little Things, Big Things Grow' while triple J Unearthed NIMA winner Tilly Tjala Thomas performed her original song 'Ngai Yulku Nhiina'. 

“What and incredible night celebrating our very best First Nations artist and musicians! Thank you to Nooky and Karla from triple j’s Blak Out, and although it wasn’t the NIMAs we had planned, I’m very proud of all the team who worked together on such a wonderful event. Hopefully next year we will be back on Larrakia Country, under stars, celebrating all together once again”, said Ben Graetz, NIMAs Creative Director.

Full winners list: 

ARTIST OF THE YEAR 

The Kid Laroi 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

JK-47 - Made For This 

SONG OF THE YEAR 

Miiesha – Damaged (Song Writers: Miiesha Young/Stephen Collins)

NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR 

Budjerah 

FILM CLIP OF THE YEAR 

Baker Boy - Ride Feat. Yirrmal 

ARCHIE ROACH AWARD

J-Milla

INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE AWARD OF THE YEAR 

Guwanbal Gurruwiwi and Netanela Mizrahi – The Djari Project 

Composed by: Guwanbal Gurruwiwi and Netanela Mizrahi 

Conducted/Directors: Nick Yates / Netanela Mizrahi / Christie Anderson 

Co-Producers: Netanela Mizrahi & Myles Mumford 

COMMUNITY CLIP OF THE YEAR 

Kakadu Collective & Victor Rostron – Mayali 

Directors: Toby Finlayson (Desert Pea Media) / Rob Sherwood / Victor Rostron 

Producer: Josh Nicholas