The national indigenous music awards 2026 winners have been announced following the annual ceremony at Darwin Amphitheatre on Saturday, August 8, with Baker Boy taking home three major awards and Birdz and Fred Leone winning the top Artist of the Year honor.
The 2026 National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs) brought First Nations artists, musicians and communities together on Larrakia Country in Garramilla/Darwin. The ceremony recognized established performers, emerging talent, community storytelling and music created across Indigenous Australia.
Baker Boy, the Yolŋu hip-hop artist whose real name is Danzal Baker, emerged as one of the night’s biggest winners. His album DJANDJAY won Album of the Year, while his song “THICK SKIN” featuring Thelma Plum, Emma Donovan, Kee’ahn and Jada Weazel won both Song of the Year and Film Clip of the Year.
Birdz and Fred Leone claimed Artist of the Year after a strong year that included their collaborative EP GIRA. Drifting Clouds won Best New Talent, while the Northern Peninsula Area received the Community Clip of the Year award.
National Indigenous Music Awards 2026 winners at a glance
The confirmed winners from the 2026 ceremony include:
| Award | 2026 Winner | Winning Work |
|---|---|---|
| Artist of the Year | Birdz & Fred Leone | — |
| Best New Talent | Drifting Clouds | “Bawuypawuy” |
| Album of the Year | Baker Boy | DJANDJAY |
| Song of the Year | Baker Boy | “THICK SKIN” |
| Film Clip of the Year | Baker Boy | “THICK SKIN” |
| Community Clip of the Year | Northern Peninsula Area | “All The Way From The NPA” |
| Indigenous Language Award | Bulman School & Community | “LOK LOK MAH BURARR (Lizard & Goanna)” |
| Hall of Fame | Marlene Cummins | — |
| Hall of Fame | Saltwater Band | — |
The results were confirmed through post-ceremony coverage from Australian media outlets and NIMAs-related reporting.
Birdz and Fred Leone win Artist of the Year
Birdz and Fred Leone secured the night’s top individual/group honor by winning Artist of the Year.
The Butchulla cousins brought together hip-hop and traditional musical influences through their collaborative work. Their six-track EP GIRA, released in 2025, also earned them nominations for Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Film Clip of the Year.
Their Artist of the Year victory came against a competitive field that included Baker Boy, 3%, BUMPY, Jem Cassar-Daley, Miss Kaninna and South Summit.
The award capped a particularly strong NIMAs campaign for Birdz and Fred Leone. They entered the ceremony with four nominations, the joint-highest total alongside Baker Boy.
Baker Boy wins three major awards
Baker Boy was the standout multiple-award winner of the 2026 ceremony.
His second studio album, DJANDJAY, won Album of the Year. The album is named after his grandmother, and Baker Boy dedicated the award to her during his acceptance speech.
The Yolŋu artist also won Song of the Year and Film Clip of the Year for “THICK SKIN.”
The track features Thelma Plum, Emma Donovan, Kee’ahn and Jada Weazel. It became one of the most recognized releases in the 2026 NIMAs field, appearing in three award categories and ultimately winning two of them in addition to Baker Boy’s album victory.
Baker Boy also performed “THICK SKIN” during the ceremony. Emma Donovan joined him onstage for the performance, adding to one of the night’s major musical moments.
Why “THICK SKIN” stood out
“THICK SKIN” was more than a major award contender. Baker Boy has explained that the song was written during the period surrounding Australia’s Voice to Parliament referendum.
The song and its accompanying video presented themes of identity, resilience and Blak excellence. The video was filmed at Werribee Mansion in Victoria, using the historic setting as part of its visual concept.
Its success at the NIMAs means Baker Boy now has three major 2026 awards attached to the project: Album of the Year for DJANDJAY, Song of the Year for “THICK SKIN” and Film Clip of the Year for the same track.
Drifting Clouds take Best New Talent
The Best New Talent award went to Drifting Clouds, an emerging group from northeast Arnhem Land.
The group was nominated for “Bawuypawuy,” a release described during the nominations period as blending ancient songlines with dreamy 1980s-inspired synth-pop, rock and country influences.
Drifting Clouds faced competition from Inkabee, Jet Cameron, Say True God?, Voices of Resistance and Zipporah.
Their victory highlights one of the NIMAs’ key roles: recognizing emerging First Nations artists alongside performers who already have major national profiles.
Drifting Clouds also competed for Song of the Year and Film Clip of the Year with “Bawuypawuy,” making the group one of the emerging acts with the strongest presence across the 2026 nominations.
Northern Peninsula Area wins Community Clip of the Year
The Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) won Community Clip of the Year for “All The Way From The NPA.”
The category focuses on community-created music and visual storytelling. It gives recognition to projects that may not receive the same national exposure as major commercial music releases.
The NPA entry competed against community projects from Bulman School and Community, Mossman Gorge, Mossman Mob, Geraldton, K2 the B and CJR, and Wujal Wujal.
The award continues the NIMAs’ emphasis on community participation. Rather than focusing solely on commercially successful artists, the category recognizes music and video projects that represent local voices and cultural expression.
Bulman School and Community receives Indigenous Language Award
The Bulman School & Community project was recognized with the Indigenous Language Award for “LOK LOK MAH BURARR (Lizard & Goanna).”
The recognition is especially significant because the project connects music with Indigenous language and community participation.
The song had originally appeared among the Community Clip of the Year nominees, alongside projects from communities including Mossman Gorge, the Northern Peninsula Area and Wujal Wujal.
The final award result shows the breadth of the 2026 ceremony. While Baker Boy dominated several of the major music categories, community-based work also received national recognition.
Marlene Cummins and Saltwater Band enter the Hall of Fame
The 2026 ceremony also honored two important names in First Nations music history.
Marlene Cummins and Saltwater Band were inducted into the National Indigenous Music Awards Hall of Fame.
Cummins is a Guguyelandji and Woppaburra woman whose career has included music, broadcasting, activism, dance and acting. She has also been recognized for her contribution to Australian Indigenous blues and cultural expression.
Saltwater Band has played an important role in Yolŋu music, combining traditional musical influences with reggae and ska elements. The band’s career has spanned decades, making the Hall of Fame recognition a major moment for its musical legacy.
Their inductions ensured that the 2026 NIMAs did more than celebrate the year’s releases. The ceremony also acknowledged artists and groups whose work has influenced generations of First Nations musicians.
The 2026 NIMAs featured a strong field of nominees
The 2026 nominations reflected a broad range of First Nations music.
Birdz and Fred Leone entered the ceremony with four nominations, while Baker Boy was also a major contender across several categories. Other Artist of the Year nominees included 3%, BUMPY, Jem Cassar-Daley, Miss Kaninna and South Summit.
The Album of the Year field included:
- Baker Boy — DJANDJAY
- Birdz & Fred Leone — GIRA
- Emma Donovan — Take Me to The River
- Say True God? — BLAK
- Stiff Gins — Crossroads
- Trials — Hendle
The Song of the Year contenders included Baker Boy’s “THICK SKIN,” Birdz and Fred Leone’s “Wanya Nyin Yanmanj,” Drifting Clouds’ “Bawuypawuy,” Jem Cassar-Daley’s “Front Left Pocket,” Yung Maynie’s “Always Was” and ZIPPORAH’s “Some Typa Way.”
Baker Boy’s latest NIMAs achievement adds to his history
The 2026 success adds another major chapter to Baker Boy’s long relationship with the NIMAs.
He previously won Artist of the Year in 2019 and 2020. He also won Film Clip of the Year for “Meditjin” in 2020 and “Ride” featuring Yirrmal in 2021. In 2022, he won both Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for Gela.
His latest three-award haul therefore reinforces his position as one of the most decorated artists in NIMAs history.
However, the 2026 results were not solely about Baker Boy. Birdz and Fred Leone’s Artist of the Year victory, Drifting Clouds’ Best New Talent award and the community honors demonstrate the range of artists and projects represented by the ceremony.
What the 2026 National Indigenous Music Awards results mean
The 2026 results showed the continuing strength and diversity of First Nations music in Australia.
Baker Boy’s three victories highlighted the reach of a major contemporary hip-hop release. Birdz and Fred Leone’s Artist of the Year win recognized a collaboration that combines contemporary rap with cultural storytelling.
At the same time, Drifting Clouds’ Best New Talent victory pointed toward the next generation of artists. The Northern Peninsula Area and Bulman School & Community awards placed community and language projects alongside nationally recognized music releases.
The Hall of Fame inductions for Marlene Cummins and Saltwater Band added another layer by connecting the current generation of artists with the longer history of Indigenous music in Australia.
Final thoughts on the 2026 winners
The 2026 National Indigenous Music Awards delivered a results list led by Baker Boy’s three major victories, but the ceremony also celebrated emerging artists, community storytelling, Indigenous language and the enduring contributions of First Nations music pioneers. Birdz and Fred Leone’s Artist of the Year win provided another major highlight, while Drifting Clouds and the community winners represented the continuing growth of the Indigenous music scene.
Which 2026 NIMAs winner impressed you most? Share your thoughts in the comments and stay tuned for the latest updates on First Nations music and future NIMAs results.