Australian Women in Music Awards 2026 Finalists Announced

From children's entertainment icons to emerging indie stars, see who's been nominated for the 2026 Australian Women in Music Awards.

The Australian Women in Music Awards return to Brisbane in 2027, having just announced this year’s roster of incredible finalists.

Judy Small AM, Kate “Babyshakes” Dillon, and Jessica Wells are among the list of finalists announced by Australian Women in Music, all of whom have been nominated for the 2026 Australian Women in Music Awards (AWMA).

Elsewhere, Chrissie Vincent, Kate Duncan, and Alexandria Morse have been named as finalists in the inaugural ARIA Music Advocacy Award, while Deb Suckling, Tracee Hutchison, and Tania de Jong AM have been nominated for the Tina Arena Special Impact Award.

In another prestigious category, Margaret Brandman, Judy Small AM, and Anita Wardell have been named finalists in the Lifetime Achievement category.

Other finalists include Lottie McLeod and Steph Strings (Emerging Artist Award), Emma Memma and Mindy Meng Wang (Diversity in Music Award), Giulia McGauran (Photographer Award), and there’s plenty more where that came from. Check out the full list of finalists below.

This year’s awards attracted a record number of nominations across 22 award categories, acknowledging women and gender-diverse people working hard in technical, production, and leadership roles, as well as musicians, photographers, filmmakers, and more.

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The winners of the 2026 awards will be revealed during the Australian Women in Music Awards Ceremony and Concert at Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall next year. The dates have been confirmed: Wednesday, 26 and Thursday, 27 May.

“It is an honour to announce the AWMA finalists every year to spotlight the extraordinary depth of talent thriving across all areas of industry,” said the awards’ Executive Producer Vicki Gordon.

She continued, “This is how we collectively rewrite the future of Australian music culture. Warmest congratulations to all the exceptional artists, leaders, techs, and music practitioners working behind the scenes who have been recognised this year.”

AWMA Juror Chair, Queensland musician and educator Dr Diana Tolmie, added, “Our Juror Council approached the process with deep integrity and rigour. The extraordinary standard of nominations this year reflects the profound talent and impact of Australia’s women and gender-diverse music professionals.

“It was truly inspiring to see such strong classical representation alongside artists from the broader sector and equally encouraging that male industry leaders made up one-third of our Juror Council - reflecting a shared commitment to an equitable future for Australian music.”