Harvey Sutherland, Confidence Man, Mo’Ju and Alice Ivy lead VIC Music Awards Industry Noms

Melbourne music is turning up the heat.

Having announced its triumphant return for 2022 earlier in the year, Music Victoria have now officially lifted the veil on a huge list of industry-voted nominees who will be vying for awards at this year's ceremony, as Victoria’s music scene once again comes together to celebrate another massive year of artistry.

Hand selected over the past six months, the 2022 award entries were whittled down by a team of more than 200 acclaimed music judges from across the state, including radio announcers, writers, critics, podcasters and festival promoters.

With the VIC Music awards continuing to champion the massively diverse and extremely talented pool of artists that call Victoria home, the 2022 awards are a melting pot of musical genres with categories for jazz, hip hop, soul, pop, electronic and more.

In 2022, the Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent, plays an especially important role in this year’s award ceremony following the sad passing of the Victorian icon. Nominees include a standout list of emerging First Nations talent from across the state, with nominations for Bumpy, Carissa Nyalu, Jess Hitchcock, MpathSoul - Monica Jasmine Karo and Pirritu.

The ever important Arts Access Amplify Award will also return in 2022. Established to shine a light on and recognise the contributions made by D/deaf and disabled musicians in the past 12 months, the list of nominations includes Batts, Between Mirrors, Evelyn Ida Morris, Nat Bartsch and Saint Ergo.

Harvey Sutherland managed to pick up an industry nomination for ‘Best Electronic Work’, for his phenomenal work on ‘Boy’. As did Melbourne deep-house duo OK EG, experimental artist Papaphilia, ambient artist and film composer Puscha and self described ‘Body Horror artist’ Various Asses.

Fresh from the release of their sophomore record Tilt, dance-pop quartet Confidence Man have nabbed themselves a nomination for ‘Best Pop’, alongside Melbourne trio Telenova, prolific artist and singular voice June Jones, sibling duo MUG and hazy shoegaze-pop band The Stroppies.

Having released numerous records in the past 12 months, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard were a no-brainer for a nomination in the ‘Best Rock/Punk Work’ category, as were Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever following the release of Endless Rooms. Dr Sure’s Unusual Practice, Pinch Points and Naarm-based art-rock outfit Jaala have also been given the nod!

Victorian hip hop is also in great hands, with this years ‘Best Hip Hop Work’ including nominations for South-East Melbourne rapper Jaal, MAMMOTH. & Silentjay, Nomad, SO.Crates and Yung Shōgun.

MAV (Multicultural Arts Victoria) have also signed on to sponsor the MAV Diasporas Award (previously Best Global/Intercultural) – an award created for, by and with culturally and linguistically diverse creatives as an artistic intervention to increase visibility, participation, and equity in the music scene towards a new music ecology. A long list of amazing artists, including Ajak Kwai, Black Jesus eXperience, Charles Maimarosia, Hand to Earth and Vanessa Estrada have been nominated for the revised category.

Check out the full list of who’s been nominated by the industry below. Also make sure to head over to the official awards website to check out all the nominees and support their music.

The Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent

Bumpy

Carissa Nyalu

Jess Hitchcock

MpathSoul (Monica Jasmine Karo)

Pirritu

Arts Access Amplify Award

Batts

Between Mirrors

Evelyn Ida Morris

Nat Bartsch

Saint Ergo

MAV Diasporas Award

Ajak Kwai

Black Jesus eXperience

Charles Maimarosia

Hand to Earth

Vanessa Estrada

Best Blues Work

Checkerboard Lounge

Damon Smith

High Ace

The Black Sorrows

The McNamarr Project

Best Folk Work

Above The Bit

Austral

Charm of Finches

Kerryn Fields

Ruby Gill

Best Jazz Work

Barney McAll

Claire Cross

Johannes Luebbers Dectet
 Peter Knight

Sam Anning

Best Pop Work

Confidence Man

June Jones

Mug

Telenova

The Stroppies

Best Reggae and Dancehall Work

Jah Tung

JahWise

Nicky Bomba

Shottaz

Best Rock/Punk Work

Dr Sure’s Unusual Practice

Pinch Points

Jaala

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

Best Soul, Funk, RNB, Gospel Work

Kutcha Edwards

Lance Ferguson

Mo’Ju

Nikodimos

Zretro

Best Experimental or Avant-Garde Work

Cat Hope

Female Wizard

Nina Buchanan

Rama Parwata

The Amplified Elephants

Best Heavy Work

Diploid

ISUA

Jalang

Outright

Rinuwat

Best Electronic Work

Harvey Sutherland
 OK EG

Papaphilia

Puscha

Various Asses

Best Country Work

Georgia State Line

Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes

Michael Waugh

Sherry Rich

The Weeping Willows

Best Hip Hop Work

Jaal

Nomad

MAMMOTH. & Silentjay

SO.Crates

Yung Shōgun

Best Producer

Alice Ivy

Gab Strum

Oscar Dawson

Stuart Mackenzie

Tim Shiel