Emily Copeland, Simon Moor, Others Named to NSW Music Prize Judging Panel

2025 NSW Music Prize Judges and Nominations Committees

Former ABC Head of Music Emily Copeland and Kobalt Music Managing Director APAC Simon Moor are members of a five-strong judging panel for the inaugural NSW Music Prize.

Announced today, August. 29th, the industry experts will be tasked with determining who will win the NSW Music Prize and NSW Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

Following an EOI process, Sound NSW has also built a 20-person nominations committee to oversee the prize, featuring various artists, industry, and media professionals, including Adam Lewis (Amazon Music), Ash McGregor (G.Y.R.O.) and Nic Kelly (Hit Network Nights), all of whom will nominate artists for those two prizes.

Meanwhile, a five-person First Nations Nominations Committee will submit nominations for the NSW First Nations Music Prize, a group that includes Alethea Beetson (Blak Social / Spotify), Ali Murphy-Oates (Create NSW) and Travis de Vries (Awesome Black Studio).

As previously reported, the New South Wales government last month announced the lucrative new prize which awards $160,000 across three categories, including $80,000 to the top place getter.

The initiative is said to be Australia’s largest prize for music. They are:

• $80,000 NSW Music Prize, to be awarded to the NSW artist or act whose release has had the most significant impact.

• $40,000 NSW First Nations Music Prize for an NSW First Nations artist or act whose release has had significant and meaningful impact.

• $40,000 NSW Breakthrough Artist of the Year for an emerging

Winners will be announced during a ceremony in November, held during Ausmusic Month.

The three prizes will be awarded to NSW-based artists or acts who have “demonstrated exceptional creative achievements and meaningful impact” in the period July 1st, 2024 to June 30th, 2025 by releasing music or achieving a “major career breakthrough”.

Nominations have now closed with finalists expected to be named in October.

“Spanning the three award categories, the 2025 NSW Music Prize will be the country’s largest prize for music,” says Head of Sound NSW Emily Collins, “so it is only fitting that the nomination s committee s and judges reflect the expertise necessary to evaluate the depth of music talent we have here in NSW.”

The annual prize forms part of the state Government’s 10-year Contemporary Music Strategy.

2025 Nominations Committee

• Adam Lewis, Amazon Music

• Amelia Jenner, WAT Artists

• Andy Garvey, Artist / Label Founder

• Ash McGregor, Presenter / Host, G.Y.R.O.

• Caitlin Welsh, SydneyMusic.net

• Chloe Melick, as ONE Management

• Christopher Kevin Au, Artist Manager

• Hau Latukefu, ABC / Forever Ever

• Jaja Dare, Apple Music / DECOLONISE

• Jannah Beth, Offbeat Collective

• Jeremy Rose, Artist / Label Director Earshift Music

• Karen Waters, Red Rebel Music

• Lauren Guerrera, triple j

• Mel Cheng, Freelancer / Formerly OneLouder

• Munasib Hamid, Freelancer / Kerfew

• Nic Kelly, Hit Network Nights

• Sebastien Desnoux, Bodega Collective

• Stephen Green, The Music Press

• Tammy Moir, Happy Mag

• Tyson Koh, FBi Radio

2025 First Nations Nominations Committee

• Aiden Powell, Musician / University of Newcastle

• Ali Murphy-Oates, Create NSW

• Karla Ranby, ABC

• Travis de Vries, Awesome Black Studio

• Alethea Beetson, Blak Social / Spotify

2025 Judging Panel

• Emily Copeland, Freelance Music Strategist

• Grant Donges, Freelance Marketing and Publicity

• Simon Moor, Kobalt Music Publishing

• Sosefina Fuamoli, Music Journalist and Broadcaster

• Travis de Vries, Awesome Black Studio

2025 First Nations Judging Panel

• Ash McGregor, Presenter / Host, G.Y.R.O.

• Jaja Dare, Apple Music / DECOLONISE

• Leah Flanagan, Director / Musician, APRA AMCOS