APRA’s Emerging Songwriter Of The Year Nominees Reflect On Essential Australian Songs By Warumpi Band, Silverchair & Kobie Dee

Barkaa

This year’s APRA Awards take place at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion tomorrow (29 April), and to celebrate, three of this year’s Emerging Songwriter of the Year Award nominees have opened up about the ever-mysterious process.

The APRA Music Awards celebrate excellence in contemporary music by honouring songwriters and publishers who have achieved artistic excellence and success in their fields. It’s a prestigious award, and one which cements the place of the winners in Australian musical history.

In 2026, APRA celebrates its 100th anniversary. And the coinciding awards come with a big-name host – RocKwiz’s Julia Zemiro – and a star-studded roster of special guest presenters, Bernard Fanning, Jessica Mauboy, Mark Coles Smith and Stella Donnelly.

The excitement doesn’t stop there: at this year’s awards, 52 first-time nominees will be recognised.

Nominees for this year’s Emerging Songwriter of the Year category include hip-hop star BARKAA, genre-defying storyteller Emily Wurramara, and first-time nominees Grace Sinclair, Heide Peverelle and Jeanie Pilkington (Folk Bitch Trio), Nick Ward, and Nina Wilson (Ninajirachi).

Ahead of this year’s awards, we asked some of the nominees about their “hidden gem” lyrics and golden lyrics from Australian songs they wish they’d penned.

The Music: Every songwriter has a hidden gem. What’s one lyric, melody or voice memo on your phone that feels like pure gold, even if the world hasn’t heard it yet?

BARKAA: The voice note is from my brother, Dunka, who passed away, and I listen to it when I'm feeling down and needing the reminder that life is too short and that life is for the living, knowing that my brother would be so proud of how far I've taken this and that he has supported me from the very start.

Emily Wurramara: Probably this unreleased song called Chasing Shadows, and in one of the verses, I say, “‘Cause I’ve finally come to terms with being and feeling beautiful in my own right, in my own time, it’s not for you, it’s for me to choose.”

Nick Ward: Trust me when I say no one needs to hear the voice memos on my phone.

The Music: What’s one golden lyric from an Australian song - old or new - that makes you think, I wish I wrote that?

BARKAA: Kobie Dee’s track ABOUT A GIRL is the most prolific track that's ever came out of this country and I relate to that song more than any other song I’ve ever listened to, it touches on ice addiction and domestic violence, that song saved my life and those lyrics remind me to never go back to what broke me, I will never ever let another man lay his hands on me and continue to call it love.

Emily Wurramara: “They say home is where you find it. Will this place ever satisfy me?” – My Island Home by Warumpi Band.

Nick Ward: Straight Lines by Silverchair and The Unguarded Moment by The Church are two perfect songs, both melodically and lyrically. They’re both eternal inspirations for me. I like to read songs as whole pieces of work rather than singling out lyrics.

2026 APRA Music Award Nominees

Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year

Title:                    Dancing2          
Artist:                  Keli Holiday 

Written by:        Adam Hyde / Alex Cameron* / Konstantin Kersting^
Published by:   BMG / Sony Music Publishing* / Payday Music Publishing^

Title:                    iPod Touch
Artist:                  Ninajirachi
Written by:        Nina Wilson* / Darcy Baylis
Published by: Sony Music Publishing*

Title:                    Jerkin’
Artist:                  Amyl and The Sniffers
Written by:        Declan Mehrtens / Amy Taylor / Bryce Wilson

Title:                    Loser   
Artist:                 Tame Impala
Written by:         Kevin Parker
Published by:   Sony Music Publishing

Title:                    Rita Wrote A Letter                    
Artist:                  Paul Kelly
Written by:         Paul Kelly / Dan Kelly
Published by:   Sony Music Publishing

Emerging Songwriter of the Year

Writer: BARKAA
Published by: Sony Music Publishing

Writer: Emily Wurramara
Publisher: Mushroom Music Publishing

Writer: Heide Peverelle, Jeanie Pilkington & Grace Sinclair (Folk Bitch Trio)
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing

Writer: Nick Ward
Published by: Sony Music Publishing 

Writer: Nina Wilson (Ninajirachi)
Published by: Sony Music Publishing

Most Performed Australian Work  

Title: Maybe
Artist: Guy Sebastian
Written by: Guy Sebastian / Robby De Sa* / Ned Houston*
Published by: Universal Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing* 

Title: Please Don’t Move to Melbourne                                  
Artist: Ball Park Music
Written by: Sam Cromack
Published by: Sony Music Publishing

Title: stay a little longer
Artist: ROSÉ
Written by: Sarah Aarons / Andrew Wells / Chae Park*
Published by: Sony Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music*

Title: Tell Me
Artist: Sonny Fodera & Clementine Douglas
Written by: Stuart Crichton / Sonny Fodera* / Clementine Douglas^ / Ruth Cunningham^
Published by: Concord Music Publishing ANZ / BMG* / Mushroom Music Publishing^

Title: Touch
Artist: KATSEYE
Written by: Taka Perry / Jessica Porfiri* / Caroline Ailin^ / Omer Fedi+ / Magnus Hoiberg~ / Blake Slatkin+
Published by: Concord Music Publishing ANZ / Gaga Music* / Sony Music Publishing^ / Universal/MCA Music Publishing+ / Warner Chappell Music~

Most Performed Alternative Work

Title: All the Noise
Artist: Spacey Jane
Written by: Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu / Caleb Harper / Kieran Lama / Peppa Lane
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Dew Process

Title: car
Artist: Royel Otis
Written by: Otis Pavlovic / Royel Maddell / Omar Fedi* / Blake Slatkin*
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Ourness Songs / Universal/MCA Music Publishing* 

Title:                    Dancing2          
Artist:                  Keli Holiday
Written by:        Adam Hyde / Alex Cameron* / Konstantin Kersting^
Published by:   BMG / Sony Music Publishing* / Payday Music Publishing^

Title: Hideaway         
Artist: Mallrat
Written by: Grace Shaw / Styalz Fuego* / Gab Strum^
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Dew Process / Universal Music Publishing* / Concord Music Publishing ANZ^ 

Title: Please Don’t Move to Melbourne                                  
Artist: Ball Park Music
Written by: Sam Cromack
Published by: Sony Music Publishing 

Most Performed Blues & Roots Work 

Title: I’m Yours
Artist: Karen Lee Andrews
Written by: Karen Lee Andrews

Title: Let It Rain
Artist: Dallas Frasca
Written by: Dallas Frasca / Paul Wood

Title: Milk & Honey
Artist: Tash Sultana
Written by: Tash Sultana
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing

Title: Straight Into The Sun
Artist: The Cruel Sea
Written by: Tex Perkins* / Daniel Atkins* / Kristyna Higgins
Published by: Universal Music Publishing*

Title: Survival
Artist: Karen Lee Andrews
Written by: Daniel March / Adam Ventoura

Most Performed Country Work 

Title: BUY THAT GIRL A BEER
Artist: Casey Barnes
Written by: Casey Barnes* / Andy Skib^ / James Thow
Published by: Mushroom Music Publishing* / Warner Chappell Music^

Title: Dirty Money
Artist: Travis Collins
Written by: Travis Collins* / Jason Duke^ / Christopher Yurchuck
Published by: Universal Music Publishing* / Downtown Music^

Title: I’m A Boxer
Artist: Brad Cox
Written by: Brad Cox / Alexander Burnett*
Published by: Sony Music Publishing / Origin Music Publishing*

Title: TROUBLE
Artist: Tori Darke & Jay Santilli
Written by: Victoria Darke* / Jessica Santilli / Michael De Lorenzis^ / Michael Paynter^
Published by: Sentric Music Publishing obo Digital Music Publishing* / Mushroom Music Publishing^

Title: Who You Are
Artist: Rachael Fahim
Written by: Rachael Fahim / Shawn Mayer / Liam Quinn / Vlado Saric / Keenan Te*
Published by: Sentric Music Publishing obo Acts Music Publishing*

Most Performed Dance/Electronic Work

Title: Break My Love
Artist: RÜFÜS DU SOL
Written by: Jonathon George / James Hunt / Tyrone Lindqvist
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing

Title: CAVE
Artist: Dom Dolla & Tove Lo
Written by: Dominic Matheson / Tove Lo*
Published by: Sony Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music*

Title: Focus
Artist: John Summit feat. CLOVES
Written by: Kaity Dunstan / Abraham Dertner* / Frederik Geuze^ / Neil Ormandy / John Schuster+
Published by: Payday Music Publishing & Silo: Music / Kobalt Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing^ / Warner Chappell Music+

Title: Beautiful People
Artist: David Guetta & Sia
Written by: Sia Furler / David Guetta* / Mikkel Eriksen / Tor Hermansen / Timofey Reznikov*
Published by:     Sony Music Publishing / Peermusic* 

Title: Tell Me
Artist: Sonny Fodera & Clementine Douglas
Written by: Stuart Crichton / Sonny Fodera* / Clementine Douglas^ / Ruth Cunningham^
Published by: Concord Music Publishing ANZ / BMG* / Mushroom Music Publishing^

Most Performed Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Work

Title: All That I Remember
Artist: The Amity Affliction
Written by: Joel Birch* / Daniel Brown* / Joseph Longobardi / Jonathan Reeves
Published by: Concord Music Publishing ANZ*

Title: nerv
Artist: Thornhill
Written by: Jacob Charlton* / Benjamin Maida* / Ethan McCann* / Nicholas Sjogren* / Samuel Bassal
Published by: Concord Music Publishing ANZ*

Title: RAINDROP
Artist: Ocean Grove
Written by: Samuel Bassal* / Brent Hunter* / Luke Holmes
Published by: BMG*

Title: Sacred
Artist: Parkway Drive
Written by: Benjamin Gordon / Luke Kilpatrick / Jeffrey Ling / Winston McCall / Zachary Cervini* / Jordan Fish*
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing / BMG*

Title: Tether
Artist: Make Them Suffer
Written by: Sean Harmanis / Jordan Mather / Nicholas McLernon
Published by: Sentric Music Publishing obo Cooking Vinyl Publishing

Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work 

Title: The Gift
Artist: Hilltop Hoods feat. Marlon
Written by: Matthew Lambert (Suffa)* / Daniel Smith (MC Pressure)* / Andrew Burford / Jim Ford^
Published by: Sony Music Publishing* / Warner Chappell Music^

Title: Party On The Moon
Artist: Bliss n Eso
Written by: Max Mackinnon / Jonathan Notley / Keith Elam* / Chris Martin^
Published by: Mushroom Music Publishing / Mushroom Music Publishing & Sony Music Publishing*/ Kobalt Music Publishing & Sony Music Publishing^

Title: Spinnin’
Artist: ONEFOUR & Nemzzz
Written by: Jerone Misa* / Salec Su’a* / Hoi Tang / Nemiah Simms* / Robin Turrini
Published by: Sony Music Publishing* 

Title: The Trap
Artist: Rops1
Written by: Tristan Dunphy* / Elijah Wilson
Published by: Mushroom Music Publishing*

Title: Who’s Back
Artist: Skux
Written by: Aayan Ahmed / Logan Cudarans

Most Performed Pop Work

Title: I Can Die Now
Artist: Ruel
Written by: Ruel Van Dijk / Julian Bunetta* / Joshua Coleman^/ Edward Drewett+ / Jacob Hindlin^ / Steven Schick*
Published by: Universal Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing* / Kobalt Music Publishing^ / Warner Chappell Music+

Title: Maybe
Artist: Guy Sebastian
Written by: Guy Sebastian / Robby De Sa* / Ned Houston*
Published by: Universal Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing^

Title: Press Pause
Artist: Kita Alexander
Written by: Nikkita Wright / Annie Schindel / Kyle Shearer*
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing / Concord Music Publishing ANZ*

Title: stay a little longer
Artist: ROSÉ
Written by: Sarah Aarons / Andrew Wells / Chae Park*
Published by: Sony Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music*

Title: Touch
Artist: KATSEYE
Written by: Taka Perry / Jessica Porfiri* / Caroline Ailin^ / Omer Fedi+ / Magnus Hoiberg~ / Blake Slatkin+
Published by: Concord Music Publishing ANZ / Gaga Music* / Sony Music Publishing^ / Universal/MCA Music Publishing+ / Warner Chappell Music~

Most Performed R&B / Soul Work

Title: Cardio
Artist: Larissa Lambert
Written by: Larissa Lambert / Khaled Rohaim* / John Jackson^ / Cynthia Loving+ / Avital Margulies / Andre Robertson / Justin Smith+ / Chelsea Unger#
Published by: Universal/MCA Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing^ / Mushroom Music Publishing+ / Kobalt Music Publishing#

Title: Julia
Artist: Don West
Written by: Don West* / Nathan Hawes^ / William Endicott / Zac Olsen / Jacob Parks
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing^

Title: Lil’ Obsession
Artist: BOY SODA
Written by: Brae Luafalealo* / Nikodimos Nick Millman Paleologoudias / Finbar Stuart
Published by: Sony Music Publishing*

Title: Pity Party
Artist: PANIA
Written by: Pania Hika / Jake Amy / Chelsea Warner / Sam Verghese

Title: Vetted
Artist: Lithe
Written by: Josiah Ramel* / Omid Khasrawy
Published by: Concord Music Publishing ANZ obo Boss Level* 

Most Performed Rock Work     

Title: Defiant
Artist: Jimmy Barnes
Written by: Jimmy Barnes* / Michael Paynter^ / Ben Rodgers
Published by: Sony Music Publishing* / Mushroom Music Publishing^

Title: Everyone Will See It
Artist: Old Mervs
Written by: Henry Carrington-Jones / Chris Collins* / David House
Published by: Sony Music Publishing*

Title: Jerkin’
Artist: Amyl and The Sniffers
Written by: Declan Mehrtens / Amy Taylor / Bryce Wilson

Title: Southerly
Artist: King Stingray
Written by: Theo Dimathaya Burarrwanga / Cameron Yimila Burarrwanga / Roy Kellaway* / Campbell Messer / Lewis Stiles / Yirrŋa Gotjiringu Yunupingu*
Published by: Sony Music Publishing* 

Title: Tangerine
Artist: Ocean Alley
Written by: Nic Blom / Baden Donegal / Lach Galbraith / Mitch Galbraith / Angus Goodwin / Tom O'Brien
Published by: Warner Chappell Music 

Most Performed International Work

Title: APT.
Artist: Bruno Mars and ROSÉ
Written by: Bruno Mars / Amy Allen / Christopher Brown / Roget Chahayed* / Michael Chapman^ / Nicholas Chinn^ / Omer Fedi+ / Philip Lawrence / Chae Park / Theron Thomas~ / Henry Walter+
Published by: Warner Chappell Music / Kobalt Music Publishing* / Universal Music Publishing/MGB^ / Universal/MCA Music Publishing+ / Sony Music Publishing~ 

Title: DENIAL IS A RIVER
Artist: Doechii
Written by: Doechii* / James Anderson^ / Dante Franklin+ / Spencer Golanka / Serban Sirbu~ / Joseph Thompson#
Published by: Universal/MCA Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing^ / Kobalt Music Publishing+ / Payday Music Publishing~ / Jungle Habitat Music#

Title: Squabble Up
Artist: Kendrick Lamar
Written by: Kendrick Lamar / Ruchaun Akers Jr / Jack Antonoff / Matthew Bernard* / Tony Butler* / Mark Spears*
Published by: Universal/MCA Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing*

Title: That’s So True

Artist: Gracie Abrams
Written by: Gracie Abrams / Audrey Hobert
Published by: Universal/MCA Music Publishing

Title: Timeless - WINNER
Artist: The Weeknd & Playboi Carti
Written by: Abel Tesfaye* / Jordan Carter^ / Raul Cubina+ / Mike Dean^ / Evan Hood^ / Jarrod Morgan^ / Chisolm Petty+ / Tariq Sharrieff+ / Mark Williams~ / Pharrell Williams^
Published by: Universal/MCA Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing^ / Kobalt Music Publishing+ / Warner Chappell Music~