Another Successful GC Music Event

WORDS: Glen Tozer PHOTOGRAPHY Supplied

10^th Annual Gold Coast Music Awards bangs drum for billion stream boys Hollow Cove

The Home of the Arts (HOTA) came alive on Thursday 29 August, with the cream of Gold Coast’s latest and long-serving music crop acknowledged at the 10^th Annual Gold Coast Music Awards. By 5pm, the red carpet was alive as finalists were snapped with their fans and with each other, testimony to the local industry’s collaborative attitude to celebrating their own. Previous notable winners at the awards include Casey Barnes, Amy Shark, Budjerah, and Busby Marou.

Live Act of the Year Hussy Hicks

The Awards night kicked off with red carpet cocktails on the stairs of HOTA, entertained by a rookie of the scene, Hanlon Music School protégé Myles O’Grady. The young performer piqued the interest of another now Gold Coast-based special guest of the Awards, famed producer and muso Louis Shelton (The Monkees, Simon & Garfunkel, Lionel Ritchie), who was seen tapping his toe to the young guitarist. The diversity of the crowd was palpable, with hip-hop, rock, pop, country and jazz musicians mingling and chatting together like a delicious burger-with-the-lot from your fave coastside café.

Breakout Artist of the Year Chloe Styler

Judging panel chairperson Samantha Morris captured that sentiment, “For 10 years we’ve been shining a light on the depth and diversity of talent here and it only gets harder. The quality of nominations coming out of the Gold Coast this year was incredible,” she said.  “This pool of finalists really encapsulates the best of the best in a city full of rising stars and exceptional talent.”

Musician of the Year Julz Parker

The 600+ strong audience filtered into the auditorium around 6.30pm for the main event, hosted ably by Triple M National Music Director Andrew Very and blast from the past Bachelor Girl’s Tania Doko, whose chemistry and clever script was only outdone by the performances of the line-up of local talent interspersing the Awards announcements. 90’s pop tribute Sunny Luwe brought her powerful voice, JK-47 rapped his “Rain”, and 2023 GC Music Prize winner Lyric (who also picked up 2024’s People’s Choice Award) were highlights of the entertainment during the evening.

Song of the Year Lullaby from JK-47

Band members from The Living End and Powderfinger dropped in for some guest presenting slots, and rock/roots superstar Tash Sultana announced her support for the Gold Coast music scene, as well as putting her money where her mouth is by announcing her backing of a new Miami Marketta-based music festival, Undertone, expected in November this year.

As for the awards, Hollow Coves picked up the gong for Artist of the Year off the back of reaching one billion streams across multiple platforms (yes, one billion…) and also deservedly picked up Release of the Year for their excellent “Nothing to Lose” album. Country sweetheart Chloe Styler collected Breakout Artist and recent QMA award winner Parker continued his good run grabbing the Gold Coast Music Prize (for emerging artists under 25). Long-time blues-folk outfit Hussy Hicks was deservedly awarded Live Act of the Year and frontwoman Julz Parker was acknowledged as Musician of the Year. Rapper JK-47 picked up Song of the Year for his track “Lullaby”, Tijuana Cartel sounded the gong in Video of the Year for “Believe in Nothing”, and in a hotly contested category for creative support, Simone Gorman-Clark received the Visual Creative of the Year award. Mattymadeit (Logan, JK-47, Tanisha) got the nod for Producer of the Year. Mo’s Desert Clubhouse entered the Hall of Fame with their third win in Venue of the Year, pipping popular venues Den Devine, elsewhere and Vinnies Dive.

Artist of the Year Hollow Coves

Awards co-founder Chloe Popa was proud of the city’s efforts:

“Every artist acknowledged as a finalist today could easily win their category,” she said, “that’s the standard we’re dealing with. For a regional city, we’ve always punched above our weight and it’s certainly no different when it comes to local, original music.”

Visual Creative of the Year Simone Gorman-Clark

“If people aren’t already paying attention to what’s happening in this city when it comes to music, they will be after this year’s Awards.”

Hall of fame winners Mo’s Desert Clubhouse

The night concluded with the surf-rock fun of Chutney in the HOTA foyer and the decks of DJ Camila Rosa saw the punters through to midnight. The 10^th birthday of the Gold Coast Music Awards was surely a success that will see the event flourish into the coming decade, continuing to grow and celebrate the local music industry.