Sound NSW Reveals Judging Panels & Nominations Committees For Inaugural NSW Music Prize

Last month, Sound NSW announced the launch of the inaugural NSW Music Prize, offering the largest cash prize to Australian musicians.

The first-ever NSW Music Prize will be presented during an award ceremony in Ausmusic Month this November and feature three categories. They are:

• The $80,000 NSW Music Prize. To be awarded to an NSW-based artist/band whose art has had the most significant impact.

• The $40,000 NSW First Nations Music Prize. To be awarded to an NSW-based First Nations artist/band whose art has had a significant impact.

• The $40,000 NSW Breakthrough Artist of the Year award. To be given to an emerging NSW-based artist/band who has experienced a groundbreaking year.

Music released or artists who experienced a significant career breakthrough during the eligibility period of 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025 will be considered by a panel of music industry professionals.

A Selection Committee of 20 Australian music industry professionals will nominate artists and create a longlist for the main NSW Music Prize and the Breakthrough Artist of the Year award, followed by a panel of five experts who will determine the winners.

For the First Nations Music Prize, a Nominations Committee of First Nations industry experts has been appointed to submit nominations for the award and decide finalists with a Judging Panel of three First Nations experts from within the music industry, who will select the victor.

On Friday (29 August), Sound NSW revealed the star-studded judging panels and nominations committees that will choose the finalists and winners of the first-ever NSW Music Prize.

Names across the judging panels and nominations committees include former triple j presenter and Artist Partnerships Manager at G.Y.R.O., Ash McGregor, SydneyMusic.net’s Caitlin Welsh, ABC’s Hau Latukefu, the Hit Network’s Nic Kelly, freelance music strategist Emily Copeland, acclaimed journalist and broadcaster Sosefina Fuamoli, The Music’s Stephen Green, and more. You can see the full list of names below.

In a statement, Head of Sound NSW, Emily Collins, said of the inaugural NSW Music Prize and its judging panels and nominations committees, “Spanning the three award categories, the 2025 NSW Music Prize will be the country’s largest prize for music, so it is only fitting that the nominations committees and judges reflect the expertise necessary to evaluate the depth of music talent we have here in NSW.

“From artists to broadcasters, publishers and artist managers, each judge and committee member brings a unique perspective to the nomination and judging process, ensuring a fair and representative evaluation across genres and backgrounds.”

2025 NSW Music Prize Nomination Committees and Judging Panels 

2025 Nominations Committee  

Adam Lewis, Amazon Music   
Amelia Jenner, WAT Artists  
Andy Garvey, Artist / Label Founder  
Ash McGregor,  Presenter / Host, G.Y.R.O. 
Caitlin Welsh, SydneyMusic.net 
Chloe Melick,  as ONE Management   
Christopher Kevin Au, Artist Manager   
Hau Latukefu,  ABC/Forever Ever 
Jaja Dare, Apple Music / DECOLONISE 
Jannah Beth, Offbeat Collective  
Jeremy Rose, Artist/Label Director Earshift Music 
Karen Waters, Red Rebel Music  
Lauren Guerrera, triple j  
Mel Cheng, Freelancer / Formerly OneLouder  
Munasib Hamid, Freelancer / Kerfew  
Nic Kelly, Hit Network Nights  
Sebastien Desnoux, Bodega Collective  
Stephen Green, The Music Press 
Tammy Moir, Happy Mag 
Tyson Koh, FBi Radio 

2025 First Nations Nominations Committee  

Aiden Powell, Musician / University of Newcastle  
Ali Murphy-Oates, Create NSW  
Karla Ranby, ABC  
Travis de Vries, Awesome Black Studio 
Alethea Beetson, Blak Social/Spotify  

2025 Judging Panel  

Emily Copeland, Freelance Music Strategist 
Grant Donges, Freelance Marketing and Publicity 
Simon Moor, Kobalt Music Publishing 
Sosefina Fuamoli, Music Journalist and Broadcaster 
Travis de Vries, Awesome Black Studio 

2025 First Nations Judging Panel  

Ash McGregor, Presenter / Host, G.Y.R.O.   
Jaja Dare, Apple Music / DECOLONISE 
Leah Flanagan, Director / Musician, APRA AMCOS