WAM’s Song of the Year 2017-18 Nominees and Awards Party Revealed!

17 Apr

WA’s biggest songwriting competition continues to deliver the goods; with WAM Song of the Year again recognising and uncovering the absolute cream of WA’s rich songwriting crop, and providing even greater opportunities and rewards for successful nominees than ever before!

With judging complete, it’s time to celebrate and thrust the next crop of stars into the spotlight as we reveal the nominees for WAM Song of the Year 2017-18, all vying for a slice of the record-breaking $45,000 in prizes on offer over 16 categories.

Leading the pack with three nominations is John Bennett, with his song Country is Calling nominated in Best Country, Best Regional, and Best Indigenous categories. Following closely with two nominations apiece are Bolt Gun, Carla Geneve, Coin Banks, Farraday’s Cage, J.F.K, Riley Pearce, Tangled Thoughts of Leaving and Ziggy Ramo.

The full class of 2017-18 #WAMSOTY nominees includes an exciting and diverse mix of artists, representing all genres, levels, backgrounds and genders, with their award-nominated tracks exploring plenty of powerful stories and themes. WAM Song of the Year Coordinator Claire Hodgson said, “It’s great to see such authentic self-expression across this year’s nominated songs, using music to not only share personal stories but also to draw attention to issues close to their heart. This is songwriting at its finest!”

A panel of music industry experts from the likes of Double J, Pendulum, UNIFIED, FBi Radio, RTRFM, Perfect Pitch Publishing, TheMusic.com.au, Spotify, Nannup Music Festival, Pilerats, Birds of Tokyo, Spinning Top, seegerMUSIC, New World Artists and many more whittled down this year’s 860+ entries to determine the nominees. With often only a few votes separating top songs from the rest of the pack, it was again a very tight competition.

HERE’S THE FULL LIST OF #WAMSOTY NOMINEES!

BLUES/ROOTS
Sponsored by Nannup Festival I Studio sponsor Artisan Music

The Fire Inside Farraday’s Cage
Ghost Kat Wilson Trio
Hometown Blues Minky G and Rosco
Ask For It Tracey Barnett
Lies Carus Thompson

COUNTRY
Sponsored by Country Music Club of Boyup Brook I Studio sponsor Underground Studios

What Am I Fighting For Jasmine Atkins
Country Is Calling John Bennett
Wanted Man Kim Wainwright
The Great Escape The Justin Walshe Folk Machine
Maybe I’m Just In Love The Little Lord Street Band

ELECTRONIC
Sponsored by RTRFM I Studio sponsor Fremantle Recording Studios

Juxtapose Corbelle
Bitter Lake Doublethink Prism
Prior Engagement Feels
Formlessness Mayhills
Calling Ukiyo

EXPERIMENTAL
Sponsored by RØDE Microphones I Studio sponsor Sumo Sound Studios

Man is Wolf to Man Part 1 Bolt Gun
Unveiled feeding | ear
The One Intenso
Bering (Foreboding) samarobryn
No Tether Tangled Thoughts of Leaving

FOLK
Sponsored by Clancy’s Fremantle I Studio sponsor Blondel Recording Studios

Friends I Want to Tell You (On My Mind) Bill Lawrie
Red Rocks Carla Geneve
Trains And Submarines Carus Thompson
I Only Hide Helen Shanahan
Misplaced Riley Pearce

HEAVY/METAL
Sponsored by Diskbank I Studio sponsor Templeman Audio

Man is Wolf to Man Part 2 Bolt Gun
Uncharted Make Them Suffer
Quantum Umbrella Nucleust
Stuck Odditry
The Alarmist Tangled Thoughts of Leaving
Red Light Ultra Sound

JAZZ
Sponsored by Audiofly I Studio sponsor Crank Recording

Manzer Fesse 457 World Jazz
Onward and Upward Daniel Susnjar Afro-Peruvian Jazz Group
Don’t Stop Here Harry Mitchell
Catalyst Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble
Tony Umbridge MFG

OUTSTANDING INDIGENOUS
Sponsored by Freo Social Hall I Studio sponsor Poons Head Studios

Country Is Calling John Bennett
Culture Child JoKeria
Little Country Town Lullabies and Legacies
Wangkatjungka Woman Rocky Ridge Band
Same Script Ziggy Ramo

OUTSTANDING REGIONAL
Sponsored by APRA AMCOS I Studio sponsor Blackbird Sound Studios

Red Rocks Carla Geneve
The Mountain Harry Jakamarra
Country Is Calling John Bennett
Three Stories to the Truth Short & Curly
Here and Now Tanya Ransom

POP
Sponsored by Cool Perth Nights|Mojos Bar I Studio sponsor Tone City Recording Studio

Love Decline Abbe May
Forgive Us (feat. The WAAPA Gospel Choir) Coin Banks
A Boy And A Boy J.F.K
Misplaced Riley Pearce
Boys Will Be Boys Stella Donnelly

PUNK/HARDCORE
Sponsored by Rhubarb Records | XVinylX I Studio sponsor Vision Studios

Back To The Grey Hope Street
Make It Right Incomplete
Witch Los Solos
Stupefied The Bible Bashers
Magic Glove The Bob Gordons

ROCK
Sponsored by Badlands Bar I Studio sponsor Soundbaker

Truthless BATS
Ashes Camarano
A Boy And A Boy J.F.K
Critical The Tommyhawks
Coping Treehouses 

SCHOOLS 14 & UNDER
Sponsored by City of Fremantle I Studio sponsor Sonic Lolly

Walls Darcey Morton
The Fire Inside Farraday’s Cage
New Slate Lily Kate and Amelia Grace
Sometimes Luna Rozza
I Rise Sienna Eddy

SCHOOLS 15 – 17
Sponsored by Headphonic I Studio sponsor Pavement Studios

Hannah Dexter Wright
Ear To Lend Figurehead
Timeghost hachi
The Stockman’s Grandson Lachy John
Now I’m Here MALi JO$E 

URBAN/HIP HOP
Sponsored by Sorrento Strategic Music I Studio sponsor Shake Down Studio

It’s Usually Sunny in Perth Bluntfield
Be Real (feat. Danny Martin)     Coin Banks
Navigator Dead Tooth
Money For Portraits POW! Negro
Same Script Ziggy Ramo

WORLD
Sponsored by Perfect Pitch Publishing I Studio sponsor Shanghai Twang Studios

Same Drum Akolkol Dastan Gesa
Blah Brassika
FANM Grace Barbé
Binar Phil Walley-Stack
Clarity Rastatrix

WAM SONG OF THE YEAR AWARDS PARTY

Award winners will be announced at the WAM Song of the Year Awards Party, debuting at the Fly by Night Musicians Club on Wednesday 16 May at the iconic Victoria Hall in High Street, Fremantle. Hosted by MC Odette Mercy, the evening will feature performances from Song of the Year nominated acts The Justin Walshe Folk Machine, Feels and J.F.K, as well as tunes from DJ Chicken Wing (Kester Sappho / Jarrah Records) to help kick celebrations into full swing.

Tickets available via moshtix ($25 + bf for WAM members and $30 + bf for non-members) – click HERE to purchase yours today!

WAM’s Song of the Year Awards has a solid track record of propelling local acts on the rise to even greater heights, with WA legends Methyl Ethel, Beni Bjah, Tired Lion, Mathas, KUČKA, and many more all landing industry praise following their Song of the Year award wins – and this year’s awards promises to be no different!

WAM proudly acknowledges the generous support provided by:

Major Partner: APRA AMCOS

Associate Partners: City of Fremantle, Sorrento Strategic Music

Category Sponsors: Badlands Bar, Clancy’s Fremantle, Cool Perth Nights/Mojos Bar, Country Music Club of Boyup Brook, Freo Social Hall, Nannup Music Festival

Grand Prize Sponsors: Audiofly, Comes With Fries, Diskbank, Firestarter Distribution, Happy Mag, Headphonic, Perfect Pitch Publishing, Rhubarb Records/XVinylX, RØDE Microphones, RTRFM, Spotify, Debaser Studio, Cool Perth Nights/Mojos Bar

Studio Sponsors: Artisan Music, Underground Studios, Fremantle Recording Studios, Sumo Sound Studios, Blondel Recording Studios, Templeman Audio, Crank Recording, Poons Head Studios, Blackbird Sound Studio, Tone City Recording Studio, Vision Studios, Soundbaker Studios, Sonic Lolly, Pavement Studios, Shake Down Studio, Shanghai Twang Studios

We could not pull together such an epic Song of the Year awards without you!