Queensland Music Awards 2024: Get To Know The Electronic Nominees

It’s a good time to be a music lover in the Sunshine State, with this year’s Queensland Music Awards (QMAs) going down in exactly one week from today.

READ MORE: Tia Gostelow, Pat Tierney & More Discuss What Excites Them About The QLD Music Scene

On the evening of Wednesday April 17, all the brightest stars of the Australian music industry will come together at the Fortitude Music Hall, celebrating the achievements of Queensland’s incredible suite of artists.

The list of nominees could not be more incredible, either, with the legends up for this year’s Electronic Award including 1tbsp (who earned a nod for his recent hit Sleeves Touch My Elbows), Cub Sport (for Songs About It), The Jungle Giants (for Trippin Up) and Young Franco (for the Franc Moody-assisted Daydreaming).

Ahead of next week’s ceremony, we caught up with three of those four trailblazing acts – 1tbsp, Cub Sport and The Jungle Giants – to learn more about what makes them tick.

What does it mean for you to be nominated at this year’s QMAs?

1TBSP: “It feels nice to be nominated, and to see friends also nominated for the same category. It makes me feel like I’m a part of what’s going on in Brisbane, which is fun.”

CUB SPORT: “We were all so excited to find out we were nominated. My answer is kind of cliché, but I think as artists we create and release music because we love it and feel a connection to it. When you’re lucky enough to have that connect with other people and with peers in the industry, it’s a really nice bonus.”

THE JUNGLE GIANTS: “Stoked to be nominated, of course! Also to be exploring the electronic category this time around is cool. I’ll [Sam Hales, frontman] be there offering firm handshakes to anyone interested.”

How do you plan to celebrate if/when you end up winning the award?

1TBSP: “I’m gonna be overseas in Vienna for it, so with the [difference in] time zones, I might just go for coffee or something.”

CUB SPORT: “Sam [Netterfield, keys] and I [Tim Nelson, co-frontman] are currently travelling in India and Nepal – we’re having so much fun, but sadly we’ll be away for the awards! We’ll be visiting our friend Nalin in Thailand when the awards happen, so hopefully we have a reason to go out and celebrate in Bangkok. Dan [Puusaari, drums] and Zoe [Davis, co-frontwoman] are holding down the fort in Brisbane, so they can have a rager on all of our behalf.”

THE JUNGLE GIANTS: “Well we’re up against some pretty amazing music, so I’m not gonna assume, but if It happens I'll probably do what I’ll be doing at the awards already, talking fast and loud while sipping a margarita.”

What can you tell us about the song you’ve been nominated for? What kind of themes were you keen to explore, and what emotions did you want to elicit from the listener?

1TBSP: “A friend shared the song Gran Remera by Mora y Los Metegoles and I fell in love with it, especially the vocals. There’s a part at the end of the song where the vocals are solo’d and so I downloaded it and built around that part. Luckily Mora was kind enough to let me rework it and release the song. The song is about feeling really comfortable in a good t-shirt.”

CUB SPORT: “I was listening to a lot of dance music at the time of creating this. Lots of Fred again.. and Jayda G, who not very many people knew back then – wild. I had this vision of creating an album that people could party to and dance to, that was overall fun and had an uplifting vibe – and I think Songs About It definitely hits that feeling. I wrote and recorded it with my friends Nat Dunn and Styalz Fuego, who are both masters at what they do.”

THE JUNGLE GIANTS: “Well the chords were the first thing that got me really hooked on the track, just that flowing rhythm felt like it had so much momentum. So it became apparent very quickly that a beat with drum ’n’ bass elements was the only thing that would be right for it. I loved that, because the melody had a pretty pop and R&B vibe, so the beat just had such a fun juxtaposition to it. I guess one of the goals on the way out was to trick people that say ‘I don’t like drum ’n’ bass’ to listen to the song and hopefully fall in love with those elements without realising.”

What excites you most about the landscape of Australian electronic music in 2024?

1TBSP: “Yeah, it feels really strong at the moment. I love how many people are DJing and sharing songs, it feels very open. I also love with dance music that DJs finding hidden gems is part of the culture, so people can produce music and if it doesn’t stream or sell so well, it’s not a letdown if some DJs find it and play it out. I think that creates a really healthy music community.”

CUB SPORT: “I think the most exciting thing is the number of world-class producers, artists and DJs who are women – Ninajirachi, Pretty Girl, Memphis LK, dameeeela... Just to name a few!”

THE JUNGLE GIANTS: “I mean there’s so much going on. Skin On Skin has been crushing it, apparently Willaris. K just finished his album, Confidence Man are taking over the world... There’s so much to see. That’s something I’ve been loving around the music too, so much of the artwork and visuals that go into electronic artists’ albums and shows really inspire me. I recently saw CC:DISCO! at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, and the visual art going on was mind-blowing. I went home re-thinking our entire show.”

What drives you, as an artist, to make each of your releases feel so unique and significant?

1TBSP: “It just wouldn’t be interesting to me otherwise! Whenever I finish a project, that’s when the fun begins for me, not because people get to hear it but because I get to move on to a new idea.”

CUB SPORT: “It’s all just lead by a gut feeling and trying to keep the vision pure. Creating the thing that makes my chest buzz, makes me smile, cry, have goosebumps – it can sound a bit cheesy but ‘that feeling’ you get is actually so real. I want to keep breaking new ground for Cub Sport with each album, I never want to repeat what we’ve done before. It’s gotta stay exciting from the inside. I think as an artist, doing it for yourself and your own soul and expression first is the best thing you can do for fans and listeners.”

THE JUNGLE GIANTS: “I just need the song to be the best that it can be. It’s a certified obsession, really.”

What can you tell us about your plans for the rest of 2024?

1TBSP: “Yes! Another album is on it’s way. I just finished it!”

CUB SPORT: “For the first time maybe ever, productivity isn’t my main objective this year. Miss and Eve, our beautiful dogs, both passed away over the last year, and they were always our number one priority, so we’d stay home as much as possible – but now we can kind of be wherever... So 2024 is for adventures, seeing more of the world, having fun, new experiences... A bit of a reset.

“I’ve got my interface and mic with me, and I’ve been working on lots of new music since we released Jesus At The Gay Bar, so stuff is happening. I’m just allowing myself the space of [having] no deadlines or expectations. We have some really exciting collaborations coming out this year, though, so there is some form of new Cub Sport in the pipeline that I’m so excited to be able to share!”

THE JUNGLE GIANTS: “New music! I’m working on the next album right now and I’m feelin’ it. I’m off to LA for April and May to finish off some really exciting collabs, so there’s lots of great stuff on the burner right now. Keep your ears peeled.”

The 2024 Queensland Music Awards will take place on Wednesday April 17 at the Fortitude Music Hall. Tickets are on sale now – head here to grab yours, then head here to read more about this year’s nominees.