What the NSW Music Prize Means to This Year’s Finalists

Fifteen of NSW’s hottest musical talents, including RÜFÜS DU SOL, Ninajirachi, BARKAA, and Don West, have been named as finalists in the first-ever NSW Music Prize, which will be revealed today.

The NSW Music Prize was established by the Minns Labor Government to celebrate, support and incentivise the state’s most talented artists, with the aim of inspiring the next generations of stars.

Recognising the vital importance of music and the pressures the sector is facing, the artists have a chance of winning a combined prize pool of $160,000 across three categories — NSW Music Prize ($80,000), NSW First Nations Music Prize ($40,000), and NSW Breakthrough Artist of the Year ($40,000).

The full finalists list can be seen below.

Djanaba is among the names up for the NSW First Nations Music Prize for her debut album Did I Stutter?, which fuses bold, electronic pop with emotional depth. The album oozes confidence, showcasing the proud Bundjalung artist as fierce and unapologetic.

“It’s an insane accomplishment to be acknowledged alongside an incredible group of creatives, and so many staunch Blak artists,” she told The Music Network of her nomination.

“Blak music isn’t just music for individuals, it’s for community, and country, and to be acknowledged for my projects is incredible, but to see other Blak artists being acknowledged as well, genuinely is so inspiring, l know other young fellas are gonna see that, and be inspired as well.”

Up for the NSW Music Prize her debut mixtape Varvie World, Vv Pete (and executive producer Utility), said it’s an honour to be among the fine list of nominees. They took a moment to reflect on how important the inaugural prize is, given how hard it is to be an artist in the current music landscape.

“Most have to work other jobs to allow their main job – music – to exist. This prize offers significant artistic recognition and financial support in a way that would enable us to create more art, music, and scale out to share the story and vision. The mission is to take stories of Sydney and West Sydney to the world.”

The NSW music community has shown incredibly resilience throughout lock out laws, noise complaints, decreasing attendance at live gigs, and various festival cancellations, Vv Pete and Utility pointed out. Making music, being in the arts, is not easy in Sydney, but the pair said they’re “optimistic and energised by the artists working hard every day at their craft”.

The winners of the NSW Music Prize and NSW Breakthrough Artist of the Year will be decided by a five-person judging panel, while the winner of the NSW First Nations Music Prize will be decided by a three-person First Nations judging panel.

They will be announced at the NSW Music Prize awards ceremony at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in Sydney today (November 24th).

NSW Music Prize 2025 Finalists

NSW Music Prize

3% (Kill the Dead)

BARKAA (Big Tidda)

Kobie Dee (Chapter 26)

Ninajirachi (girl EDM)

ONEFOUR (Look At Me Now)

Party Dozen (Crime in Australia)

RÜFÜS DU SOL (Inhale / Exhale)

Shady Nasty (Trek)

SPEED (Only One Mode)

Vv Pete & Utility (Varvie World)

NSW First Nations Music Prize

3% (Kill the Dead)

BARKAA (Big Tidda)

Djanaba (Did I Stutter?)

Stiff Gins (Crossroads)

Ziggy Ramo (Human?)

NSW Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Don West

Ninajirachi

Royel Otis

Shady Nasty

SPEED