National Indigenous Award Nominations Announced

Nominations for the National Indigenous Music Awards [NIMAs] have been announced today, with East Journey leading the finalists with five nominations.

The emerging outfit from the Northern Territory's North East Arnhem Land have surprised a few by gaining more nods that The Medics, Busby Marou and Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, who received three nominations each. Dewayne Everettsmith, who features on the latest Tourism Australia ads, received two nominations.

The awards' 2012 edition will be the second time as a national event after previously being open solely to Northern Territory acts and Queensland artists scored the most nominations this year.

Today MusicNT's Mark Smith said, "It was fantastic to receive so many artist nominations from around the country. The judges had such an amazing pool of talent to work with and it was a really hard process whittling them down to these finalists."

The winners will be announced Saturday 11 August at the NIMA Concert and Ceremony at The Amphitheatre, George's Green, NT. Troy Cassar-Daley, Warren H Williams & The Warumungu Songmen, The Medics with Bunna Lawrie, Yabu Band, East Journey, Sunrize Band, Lajamanu Teenage Band and triple j Unearthed winner Thelma Plum will perform at the event.

The nominations are as follows:

National Artist Of The Year

The Black Arm Band
Gurrumul Yunupingu
Jessica Mauboy 
Busby Marou
Troy Cassar-Daley

National Album Of The Year 

Ngambala Wiji Li-Wunungu (Together We Are Strong) – Shellie Morris & The Borroloola Songwomen
Winanjjara – Warren H Williams & The Warumungu Songmen
Foundations – The Medics
Busby Marou – Busby Marou
Home – Troy Cassar-Daley

National New Talent Of The Year 

The Medics
Impossible Odds
Dewayne Everettsmith

National Song of Year

I Still Don't Believe – Busby Marou
Song Of Arnhem Land – East Journey
Griffin – The Medics
Everything – Impossible Odds 
Are We There Yet – The Last Kinection
It's Like Love – Dewayne Everettsmith
Bayini – Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (with Sarah Blasko)
Wangkaja – John Bennett

Northern Territory Film Clip Of The Year 

Song of Arnhem Land – East Journey

Ngarrpiya – East Journey

Cultural Ways – The Sandridge Band

Wati – Tjupi Band

G.R. Burarrawanga Memorial Award (for significant achievement in the Northern Territory music industry)

East Journey
Catherine Satour 
Tjupi Band

NT Cover Art Of The Year

Bayini – Gurrumul Yunupingu & Sarah Blasko
Brolga Dreaming – The Sandridge Band
Guwak – East Journey
Song Peoples Session: Ngambala Wiji Li-Wunungu – Shellie Morris and the Borroloola Songwomen & Winanjjara – Warren H Williams & The Warumungu Songmen

Tickets for the night are available here.