Amy Shark, Hussy Hicks, Benny D Williams & More Nominated For Gold Coast Music Awards

As the Queensland Music Awards, Qld Music Festival and other noble institutions have increasingly been trying to highlight, the state's music prowess transcends the Brisbane city limits, despite the overwhelming focus on the capital when it comes to the industry.

But that's increasingly changing to reflect the bountiful, deep creative wells that exist all over Qld's expanses — so much so that the Gold Coast Music Awards were established some three years ago to highlight how much musical goodness is on tap in the region.

That's as clear as ever in this year's crop of nominees for the awards, too, with 43 of the region's finest — whittled down from a list of over 130 entries — being named as finalists across seven categories, including multiple nominee (and triple 2017 QMA winner) Amy Shark, stalwart Gold Coast favourites Hussy Hicks, psych/blues/roots troubadour Benny D Williams and more.

Shark picks up two nominations, for Artist Of The Year — for which Williams is also nominated — and Song Of The Year, for Adore; Hussy Hicks are also up for the SOTY prize, for their track Whole Lotta, off their Album Of The Year-nominated Lucky Joe's Wine & Other Tales From Dog River.

Other artists among the nominees include Being Jane Lane and Chelsea Rockwells, both up for Breakout Artist Of The Year, as well as Ella Fence (another Artist Of The Year nominee), Felicity Lawless (AOTY, Tails, and Video Of The Year, Cowboy Cameraman), Electrik Lemonade (SOTY, We Know This) and more.

It's not just artists getting recognised among the categories though — favourite festivals and gig spaces are also up for awards, including Venue Of The Year finalists Elsewhere, Expressive Ground, Miami Marketta, NightQuarter and Soundlounge plus Event Of The Year prospects Blues On Broadbeach, Buskers By The Creek, Fuzzfest, Shakafest, Summertime Sessions In The Village and Wallapalooza.

This comes as no surprise to the people who actually live on the Gold Coast, of course; GCMA director Chloe Popa especially proud of the community's pedigree.

"Gold Coast continues to punch above its weight when it comes to diversity of genres and sheer quality of music being produced," Popa said in a statement.

"This year we have a mix of dark brooding as well as sweet pop offerings, pub rock, punk, hip-hop, folk, metal and indie-rock in our finalist fraternity. It’s a wonderful snapshot of the talent and diversity of musical talent here on the Gold Coast."

Additionally, "the volume of national touring acts stopping in at the Gold Coast has grown dramatically over the past few years", Popa said, "and when you look at the list of venues and events you begin to realise how much is happening here on the Gold Coast as far as live music is concerned."

"It's no wonder people outside of the city are really beginning to take notice," she said.

That's not just mere puffery — it's an opinion evidenced by the enthusiasm for the awards of Australian Music Week director and Album Of The Year judge Ryan Van Gennip.

"The Gold Coast has so much talent," Van Gennip said in a statement. "It was a real pleasure to listen to so much great music."

Said great music will get its night in the spotlight on Thursday 27 April at Surfers Paradise Beach.

See the GCMA website for more information, and check the full list of nominees below.

Gold Coast Music Awards — 2017 Nominees

Breakout Artist Of The Year

Being Jane Lane
Chelsea Rockwells
Donny Love
Jacob Lee
Tesla Coils
The Ruiins

Venue Of The Year

Elsewhere
Expressive Ground
Miami Marketta
NightQuarter
Soundlounge

Event Of The Year

Blues On Broadbeach
Buskers By The Creek
Fuzzfest
Shakafest
Summertime Sessions In The Village
Wallapalooza

Artist Of The Year

Amela Duheric
Amy Shark
Benny D Williams
Driven Fear
Ella Fence

Album Of The Year

City Over Sand — Good Grief
Driven Fear — Freethinker
Felicity Lawless — Tails
Hussy Hicks — Lucky Joe's Wine & Other Tales From Dog River
Lane Harry x Ike Campbell — Youth

Song Of The Year

Amy Shark — Adore
Athena Joy — Blue
CC The Cat — Free Your MInd
Chelsea Rockwells — Stone
Electrik Lemonade — We Know This
Eliza & The Delusionals — Salt
Hussy Hicks — Whole Lotta
Jacob Lee — I Just Know
Tesla Coils — Eyes
The Ruiins — Eventually

Video Of The Year

Chelsea Rockwells — Stone
Felicity Lawless — Cowboy Cameraman
Marcus Blacke — Umbrella Brain
Phoebe Sinclair — This Isn't Love
Purple Zain — I Am The Best
The Black Swamp — Common Crows