The 2021 APRA Professional Development Awards Finalists Have Been Announced

The finalists for the 2021 APRA Professional Development Awards have been announced.

Created to provide further support to burgeoning artists in the Australian music industry, the Professional Development Awards will see local acts take a share of $100,000 in prizes.

50 artists have been nominated across a number of categories, including the likes of Alex Lahey, Leah Senior, Baker Boy, Jesswar, Robbie Miller, Vetta Borne and stacks more, with the winners announced on June 24.

Across a multitude of media and genres, Australian talent will be celebrated and awarded accolades in categories including contemporary music, hip hop, soul/R&B and many more. 

This year also sees the introduction of a musical theatre category, which will offer additional funding to outstanding productions and composers in the field.

Previous Professional Development Award winners include acts such as Briggs, Gotye, Julia Jacklin, Ecca Vandal and more.

Check out the full list of finalists below and head to the APRA website for more details on the Professional Development Awards.

POPULAR CONTEMPORARY

Alex Lahey

Bri Clark

Elizabeth Drummond

Elle Graham pka Woodes/Tornado Club

Georgia Potter pka Moreton

Gordon Koang

Leah Senior

Sahara Beck

Tessa Thames

Tia Gostelow

CLASSICAL/EXPERIMENTAL

Alex Turley

Carolyn Schofield

Chris Williams

Connor D’Netto

Samantha Wolf

COUNTRY/AMERICANA

Blake O’Connor

Casey Barnes

Greta Ziller

Melanie Dyer

Sarah Buckley pka The Buckleys

DANCE/ELECTRONIC

Christopher Arnott pka Friendless

Elizabeth Maniscalco pka BRUX

Jannah Beth

Tamika Nacson pka XIRA

Taka Perry

FILM & TELEVISION

Angela Little

Emily Harrison

Freya Berkout

Paul Doust

Ryan Sorensen

HIP HOP/RAP/R&B/SOUL

Angela Paez Izquierdo pka ANGE

Jessica Koroi pka JESSWAR

Josh Molony pka Setwun

Maribelle Anes pka Vetta Borne

Milan Ring

JAZZ

Andrew Saragossi

Audrey Boyle pka Audrey Powne

Harry Mitchell

Rafael Karlen

Steve Barry

MUSIC THEATRE

Daniel Cullen – Dubbo Championship Wrestling

Hugo Chiarella & Naomi Livingston – Paradise Road

Maggie McKenna – Inventing Ivy

Naomi Livingston & Hugo Chiarella – Evie May

Sean Donehue – Bearded

SMUGGLERS OF LIGHT FOUNDATION MUSIC AND MEDIA AWARD

Danzal Baker pka Baker Boy

Eleea Navarro

Jeremy Marou

Robbie Miller

Yirrmal Marika