In a room full of industry heads and fans alike, SA’s musicians and music industry movers and shakers will find out next month who, from this shortlist, will take out the local industry’s top accolades.
The votes are in, and finalists for the South Australian Music (SAM) Awards have been announced, split between the People’s Choice Awards, determined by a public online ballot, and the SAM awards, judged by a panel of industry big-wigs.
South Australia Music Awards 2019
5pm ’til 9:30pm Friday, 22 November
Bonython Hall, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide 5000
Tickets: $60 to $65
On Friday, 22 November winners from each category’s subcategories will be announced at Adelaide University’s Bonython Hall, in a night of live music, liquor and pomp, hosted by Triple J’s Declan Byrne and organised by Music SA.
Live performances and deejay sets by Stellie, Jess Day, Horror My Friend and Jimblah will backdrop the guzzling of Yalumba, Hills Cider Company and Young Henrys booze, while awards across sound engineering, album art, management and talent will be dished out, gala style.
The contest includes fuzz-rock trio Horror My Friend blasting ahead with six category nominations, while the electro-pop pair who made a splash at Eurovision, Electric Fields, fights for three.
RnB queen Elsy Wameyo is up for best solo and best hip hop, and country-alternative outfit Dead Roo is vying for best new artist and blues and roots, alongside Ollie English.
MANE is gunning for a triad of knock-out wins – pop, best song and best release (the latter of which she’s going up against herself in the form of Wing Defence‘s track Hindsight) – and Jess Day is double parked with nominations for best solo and best new artist.
The SAM Awards ceremony is happening on Friday, 22 November, and tickets are available via Moshtix.
See below for the full list of SAM Awards 2019 finalists.
Best Studio
Best Live Engineer
Best Studio Engineer
Best Music Festival / Event
Best Music Venue
Best Manager
Best Cover Art
Best Music Video
Best Song
Best New Artist
Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island Artist
Best Group
Best Solo
Best Release
Blues & Roots
Country
Electronic
Experimental
Folk
Heavy
Hip Hop
Jazz
Pop
Punk
Rock
Soul/Funk/R’n’B