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2021

The National Indigenous Music Awards are back and we want you to be there.

This year sees the NIMAs return to physical form after last year's virtual ceremony, with a massive show lined up expected at the Darwin Ampitheatre on August 7.

If you're a First Nations artist, you could be joining the huge lineup alongside Archie Roach, Miiesha and King Stingray, as well as former NIMAs comp winners Baker Boy and Thelma Plum.

We'll fly you to Darwin, put you up, and you'll do your thing. It'll be great! To be in the running, make sure you've ticked the box to identify as an Indigenous Australian artist on your artist page, and have your best songs uploaded to Unearthed by July 11!

It's okay if your songs still say "pending approval" when the competition closes, too. We'll listen to everything before we make a decision.

For more info, read through the T's and C's and check out the NIMAs official website. Good luck!

2020

2019

Some of the big names to win our annual competitoin to play the National Indigenous Music Awards include Baker Boy, Thelma Plum, Kuren and Alice Skye. 

If you want to join that illustrious list, here's your shot! Unearthed is looking for one Indigenous Australian artist from anywhere around the country to perform at the NIMAs! 

We'll fly you to Darwin, put you up, and you'll do your thing. It'll be great! To be in the running, make sure you've ticked the box to identify as an Indigenous Australian artist on your artist page, and have your best songs uploaded to Unearthed by July 12! 

It's ok if your songs still say "pending approval" when the competition closes, too. We'll listen to everything before we make a decision.

NIMAs official website here. Good luck!

2018

We're teaming up with the National Indigenous Music Awards to give Australia's best independent, unsigned Indigenous artist the chance to play the NIMAs in 2018!

Previous winners include Baker Boy, Kuren, Thelma Plum and Robbie Miller, and our 2018 NIMAs comp winner will join that list. We'll fly you to Darwin to play the awards, and put you up in accomodation too. We're looking for ONE Indigenous act with their songs uploaded to triplejunearthed.com to  perform at the event.

To be in the running, upload your songs to Unearthed by July 1. Make sure also that you've selected 'Indigenous' in your artist profile. Don't worry if your tracks are still 'pending approval' either - we listen to everything before we make a decision!  If you already have tracks uploaded you are automatically in the running, you just need to make sure you have also selected 'Indigenous' on your profile. Check out the T&C's for more information.

2017

We're teaming up with the National Indigenous Music Awards to give Australia's best independent, unsigned Indigenous artist the chance to play the NIMAs in 2017!

Previous winners include deadly ledgies like Kuren, Thelma Plum and Robbie Miller, and our 2017 NIMAs comp winner will join that prestigious list. We'll fly you to Darwin to play the awards, and put you up in accomodation too. We're looking for ONE Indigenous act with their songs uploaded to triplejunearthed.com to  perform at the event.

To be in the running, upload your songs to Unearthed by July 2. Make sure also that you've selected 'Indigenous' in your artist profile. Don't worry if your tracks are still 'pending approval' either - we listen to everything before we make a decision!  If you already have tracks uploaded you are automatically in the running, you just need to make sure you have also selected 'Indigenous' on your profile. Check out the T&C's for more information.

2016

For the fifth year in a row, triple j unearthed is teaming up with the National Indigenous Music Awards  to give Australia's best independent, unsigned Indigenous artist the chance to play the NIMAs in 2016!

Our winner will follow in the footsteps of previous NIMAs comp winners Zane Francis, Thelma Plum, Robbie Miller and Philly by performing at the awards on Saturday, August 6th. We'll fly our winner to the awards in Darwin, and put you up in accomodation too. We're looking for ONE Indigenous act with their songs uploaded to triplejunearthed.com to  perform at the event.

To be in the running, upload your songs to Unearthed by Sunday, July 3rd. Make sure also that you've selected 'Indigenous' in your artist profile. Don't worry if your tracks are still 'pending approval' either - we listen to everything before we make a decision!  If you already have tracks uploaded you are automatically in the running, you just need to make sure you have also selected 'Indigenous' on your profile. Check out the T&C's for more information.

Here's the official NIMAs website.

2015

triple j unearthed is teaming up with the National Indigenous Music Awards for the fourth year running to give Australia's best independent, unsigned Indigenous artist the chance to play the NIMAs in 2015!

Our winner will be flown to Darwin for the event, put up in accomodation and follow in the footsteps of previous NIMAs comp winners Thelma Plum, Robbie Miller and Philly. We're on the hunt for one Indigenous artist with their songs uploaded to triplejunearthed.com to perform at the event on Saturday, July 25th.

To be in the running, upload your songs to Unearthed by Sunday, July 5th. Make sure also that you've selected 'Indigenous' in your artist profile. Don't worry if your tracks are still 'pending approval' either - we listen to everything before we make a decision!  If you already have tracks uploaded you are automatically in the running, you just need to make sure you have also selected 'Indigenous'. Check out the T&C's for more information.

Here's the official NIMAs website.

2014

triple j Unearthed is excited to be partnering with the National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs) for the third year running to find the best unsigned Indigenous act in the country. 

We'll be selecting one outstanding Indigenous act with tracks uploaded to Unearthed, who will win the opportunity to perform at the NIMAs in Darwin on Friday, August 15th 2014, alongside some of the best Indigenous artists in Australia. 

Not only could artists find themselves playing at the NIMAs, but by being part of Unearthed all artists will have the possibility of airplay on our digital radio station and on triple j.

The winner from the NIMAs triple j Unearthed competition will be flown from anywhere in Australia, with accommodation in Darwin. In our inaugural year we found an exceptional young singer songwriter, Thelma Plum, who has found a huge audience of fans since being Unearthed, and last year launched talented young Brisbane artist Robbie Miller out of the bedroom and onto the stage. We can’t wait to once again dig through triplejunearthed.com and hear all the fantastic music from Indigenous musicians we know are out there.

To be in with a chance you just need to have your tracks uploaded on the site before midnight, July 11th and ensure that you have selected 'Indigenous' in your artist profile. If your tracks are still 'pending' when the competition closes that's OK, we'll listen to everything before deciding. If you already have tracks uploaded you are automatically in the running, you just need to make sure you have also selected 'Indigenous'. Check out the T&C's below for more information.

Official NIMAs website »

2013

triple j Unearthed is very excited to be partnering with the National Indigenous Music Awards for the second year running to unearth the best unsigned Indigenous act in the country.

We'll be selecting one outstanding Indigenous act with tracks uploaded to Unearthed who will win the opportunity to perform at the National Indigenous Music Awards [NIMAs] in Darwin on August 10th 2013, alongside some of the best Indigenous artists in Australia.

Not only could acts find themselves playing at the NIMAs, but by being part of Unearthed all artists will have the possibility of airplay on our digital radio station and on triple j.

The winner from the NIMAs triple j Unearthed competition will be flown from anywhere in Australia, with accommodation in Darwin.

In our inaugural year we found an exceptional young singer songwriter, Thelma Plum, who has found a huge audience of fans since being Unearthed. We can’t wait to once again dig through triplejunearthed.com and hear all the fantastic music from Indigenous musicians we know is out there.

Official NIMAs website »

To be in with a chance you just need to have your tracks uploaded on the site before Sunday midnight July 1st. If they are still 'pending' that's OK, we'll listen to everything before deciding. If you already have tracks uploaded you are automatically in the running. Check out the T&C's below for more information.

2012

triple j Unearthed is very excited to be partnering with the National Indigenous Music Awards to unearth the best unsigned Indigenous act in the country.

We'll be selecting one outstanding Indigenous act with tracks uploaded to Unearthed who will win the opportunity to perform at the National Indigenous Music Awards [NIMAs] in Darwin on August 11.

Not only could acts find themselves playing at the NIMAs, but by being part of Unearthed all artists will have the possibility of airplay on our digital radio station and on triple j.

The winner from the NIMAs triple j Unearthed competition will be flown from anywhere in Australia, with two nights accommodation in Darwin as well as the opportunity to attend the iNTune Music Industry conference.

While the rest of the line up is kept under wraps, The Medics (QLD) and multi-award winning Yabu Band (WA) have just been announced for this year's NIMAs concert. Promising a showcase of emerging and established acts, the NIMAs will bring together contemporary Indigenous artists from all music genres. The full line up will be released in late June.

Official NIMAs website »

To be in with a chance you just need to have your tracks uploaded on the site before Sunday midnight July 1st. If they are still 'pending' that's OK, we'll listen to everything before deciding. If you already have tracks uploaded you are automatically in the running. Check out the T&C's below for more information.