Thanks for joining us for our 11th annual Gold Coast Music Awards.
Let’s get ready to celebrate!
For eleven years, the Gold Coast Music Awards have been driven by one simple purpose: to shine a light on our city’s vibrant and diverse live music community. What began as a way to celebrate local talent has grown into a year round commitment to supporting the people who make music happen on the Gold Coast. Along the way, we have worked with thousands of musicians and music businesses, helping them build skills, form meaningful connections, navigate the complexities of the industry, release new work, secure grants and, most importantly, stay connected.
Across more than a decade, we have watched countless artists find their voice, take bold creative steps and achieve extraordinary things. It has been a privilege to walk alongside them as their careers grow and to play even a small part in their journeys.
These Awards are only possible because of the remarkable team of women who bring them to life. It may surprise people to learn that this one night of celebration takes a full year of dedication, creativity and hard work and we thank the very small team that work year round to support a thriving local music scene.
We also offer our deepest thanks to our partners who stand behind our vision and believe in the power of local music. Their support extends far beyond this event. They provide venues, catering, production, talent, resources and steady encouragement. These Awards and the impact we create together would not be possible without them.
And finally, to the artists and to every person working behind the scenes in our music community, including sound engineers, teachers, publicists, photographers, venue staff, event managers, therapists, fans and many others, you are the heartbeat of this city. Not everyone can receive an award or become a finalist, but every contribution you make matters. Your creativity enriches our community, strengthens our cultural landscape and keeps the Gold Coast humming.
Sam, Chloe and Amanda
Gold Coast Music Awards Co-Founders
Acknowledgement
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we live, work and play. Sovereignty has never been ceded. We honour Elders past and present. We celebrate the rich contribution First Nations people make to society – especially through storytelling, art and music. We pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Order of events
5:00pm
Red Carpet arrivals with complimentary Burleigh Brewing beer on arrival provided and pop-up performance by Hanlon School of Music
6:00pm
Theatre doors open, ready for the Awards ceremony start at 6:30pm sharp. Grab a drink and settle in for the show!
6:30pm
2025 Gold Coast Music Awards ceremony begins, hosted by Jane Gazzo
Welcome to Country – Lann Levinge
6:35pm
Live performance: Selve ‘Breaking Into Heaven’
Welcome from MC Jane Gazzo
6:45pm
Live performance: bella amor ‘rocks in my pocket’
Welcome address by Deputy Mayor Mark Hammel
Release of the Year
– sponsored by City of Gold Coast and presented by Deputy Mayor Mark Hammel
Musician of the Year
– presented by Natalie McKenna, Executive Director of Education and Training, TAFE Queensland and Allan Caswell
Studio Producer of the Year
– presented by Brad Hosking, Blind Boy Studios and GCMA judging panel co-chairperson & Paul Blakey
7:13pm
Live performance: Louie Shelton, greatest hits medley
Artist of the Year
– presented by Chloe Popa and Samantha Morris, Co-founders, Gold Coast Music Awards & Kirsty Abrahams
Gold Coast Music Prize
– presented by Patrick Wallas, Chairperson, Friends of the Arts and Parker
7:32pm
Live performance: Eimhin ‘The Dawn Comes In Through Our Window’
Visual Creative of the Year
– presented by Rory Neaves, QT Gold Coast and Lann Levinge
Video of the Year
– presented by Kara Marsden, The Edit Suite & Tania Doko
7:48pm
Live performance: TANISHA ‘Silk & Smoke’
Live Act of the Year
– presented by Stewy Fairhurst, Gold Coast Music and Josie Cooper
Song of the year
– presented by Felix Preval, Experience Gold Coast and Sarah Howells
8:03pm
Live performance: Parker ‘hazel’
Venue of the Year
– presented by Brad Hinds, Oztix with Christian Tryhorn and Kimberly Ferguson, Mo’s Desert Clubhouse
People’s Choice Award
– sponsored by Burleigh Brewing and presented by Dee Steinfort, SWELL Sculpture Festival and Richard Scott
Breakout Artist of the Year
– presented by Saia Hanlon, Hanlon School of Music and Chloe Styler
8:25pm
LIVE PERFORMANCE: THE WRATH ‘INTO THE ARMS OF OBLIVION’+ ’NOTHING’S FOREVER’
Note: The Wrath’s performance will contain loud music, flashing lights and other high impact elements.
8:30pm
Award ceremony close
8:30pm – 10:00pm
Gold Coast Music Awards after-party featuring Mattymadeit | HOTA Foyer
Gold Coast Music Awards 2025 Finalists
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
presented by Gold Coast Music Network
Beckah Amani
Chloe Styler
Ella Fence
Hollow Coves
Hussy Hicks
Lecia Louise
Mitch King
The Wrath
BREAKOUT ARTIST OF THE YEAR
presented by Hanlon School of Music
Andy Penkow
bella amor
Lily Grace
Lyric
Parker
Selve
TANISHA
LIVE ACT OF THE YEAR
presented by Gold Coast Music
bella amor
Bootleg Rascal
Haystack Mountain Hermits
Hollow Coves
Hussy Hicks
Lyric
Selve
TANISHA
Terremoto Band
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
presented by TAFE Queensland
Ella Fence – Voice
Dave Amphlett – Drums
Jamie Keys – Drumkit
Liam Kirk – Keys
Maddison Breen – Multi-instrumentalist
Robbie Bostock – Guitar
Shane Hannan – Trombone
Sunny Luwe – Vocals
William Hoareau – Guitar
RELEASE OF THE YEAR
presented by City of Gold Coast
Beckah Amani – This is how I remember it.
Blind Corners – Mud
Eimhin – Modern Mending (Of The Heart)
Fake News – Dead Set
Hussy Hicks – Bluesfest Desk Tapes
Jackson James Smith – I Made This On My Laptop 4 U
Jim Ottaway – A Promise of Eternity
Lily Grace – Old Enough To Know Better
Loose Goose – Not A Big Fan
TANISHA – On My Terms
The Wrath – Into the Arms of Oblivion
Wildheart – Searching For Life Beyond Tragedy
SONG OF THE YEAR
presented by HOTA, Home of the Arts
Atticus Chimps – Cradle Cage
Beckah Amani – Superstar
Blind Corners – My Mountain
Bunyip Aristocracy – The Spell
bella amor – rocks in my pocket
Chloe Styler – Read A Room
Eimhin – The Dawn Comes In Through Our Window
Lily Grace – Old Enough To Know Better
Loose Goose – What I’d Do (For You)
Lyric – Make A Move
Maddison Breen – Odesa (ft AMELA)
Selve – Breaking Into Heaven
STUDIO PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
presented by Blind Boy Studios
Emily Hopley
George Carpenter
Josh Beattie
Luke Palmer
okmattcollins
VENUE OF THE YEAR
presented by Oztix
Burleigh Town Hotel
Den Devine
elsewhere
Vinnies Dive
Wallaby Hotel
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
presented by The Edit Suite
Chloe Styler – Twenty Five
DENNIS. – RENT
Eimhin – Some Strange Beauty
Fake News – Southbound
HAMMERS – Fucked Around & Found Out
Junior Burger – Big Boy Big Girl
Kaosphere – Bring Out The Dead
Lavelin – Forget About Us
Loose Goose – What I’d Do (For You)
MAD WXRLD – Who You Lovin’ ft. St Laurentt
Selve – Breaking Into Heaven
The Wrath – Nothing’s Forever
VISUAL CREATIVE OF THE YEAR
presented by QT Gold Coast
Bianca Hinton
Gourami
Jared Hinz
Keely Baker
Liam Shane Rawson Blenkinsop
Simone Gorman-Clark
Tim Wilson
GOLD COAST MUSIC PRIZE
presented by Friends of the Arts
Alanah Stone
Blind Corners
Bronte Lee
Jamie Lamont
KLACEY
Loose Goose
MYLES
Zayden Kennedy
PEOPLE's CHOICE AWARD
presented by Burleigh Brewing
Fake News
Haystack Mountain Hermits
Lecia Louise
About our judges
Gold Coast Music Awards would not be possible without the dedication of many people in the local industry, but it’s our judges who give the most. Hours and hours of streaming songs, albums and videos, reading reams and reams of nomination information, cross-checking against criteria and then meeting for a full day to pull it all together. It’s a mammoth task and we’re deeply indebted to this awesome group of people for their massive contribution.
2025 judging panel
Samantha Morris, Gold Coast Music Network – Co-Chairperson
Brad Hosking, Blind Boy Studios / LEVEL UP Your Music Production – Co-Chairperson
Adriana Steele-Boyce, City of Gold Coast
Andrew Very, TripleM (Southern Cross Austereo)
Benny D Williams, BDW Music Productions Creative
Brad Hinds, Oztix / East West Presents
Christian Tryhorn, Beats Cartel / Mo’s Desert Clubhouse
Claire Carlin, Creative Producer
Dana Lowrey-Palmer (DVNA), Performer / Producer / Singer-Songwriter
Dani Teveluwe, Sunny Luwe
Daniel Carroll, City of Gold Coast
Danielle Lo Passo, Vocal Adrenaline Performing Arts
Eleea Navarro (ELEEA), Musician, Writer, Traveller
Elizabeth Sharpe, Ummagummamumma Photography / Good Call Live
George Carpenter, Producer / Musician
Josie Cooper, Expressive Ground / Music Accountant
Justin Hoareau, Georgia Hoareau / William Hoareau / Wootton Major
Karen Waters, Red Rebel Music
Kirsty Abrahams, Konnection Artist Assistance
Kuki Tipoki, Musician / Music Director
Lann Levinge, Levinge Events Pt Ltd
Leah Martin-Brown, Evol Walks
Mandi J Windus, MJ Music Studios
Marlena Katene, Music Journalist / Author
Mella Lahina, Miami Marketta
Omar Hanlon, Bass Guitarist / Music Director / Production Manager / Tour Manager
Sarah Howells, Radio broadcaster / DJ / MC
Tara Hart, The Emerging Musician
Zac Fahey, Experience Gold Coast
About the trophies
The now iconic Gold Coast Music Awards trophy was first created in 2015 by artist Dion Parker, commissioned through SWELL Sculpture Festival to design something truly unique for the inaugural event. The brief was intentionally open, but we knew one thing for sure: we did not want a surfboard perched on driftwood. We wanted a trophy that announced, without question, that the Gold Coast music industry had arrived and that we were approaching things differently from any other city. Dion delivered exactly that, and his bold design has become a defining symbol of the Awards ever since.
Each year, we continue our collaboration with SWELL Sculpture Festival to commission a one off piece for the People’s Choice Award. This year’s trophy has been crafted by Richard Scott, a dynamic Gold Coast artist whose work spans illustration, printmaking and sculpture, and is deeply influenced by the classic signage and shopfronts that shaped the city’s character. As a resident of Mint Art House, Richard brings a playful yet thoughtful lens to local history, whether through prints capturing snack bars and motels or sculptural works that reimagine familiar landmarks. For the 2025 People’s Choice Award, he has created a beautiful ceramic piece inspired by the golden era of The Playroom, capturing its nostalgic energy and celebrating the enduring spirit of community on the Gold Coast.
Partners
Produced by
Premier Partner
The Arts Development Fund is a City of Gold Coast Council fund that supports the Gold Coast’s creative community by fostering professional pathways and skills development, contributing to our city’s vibrant lifestyle.
presenting partner
Award Category Partners
Event Partners
Creative Partners
Media Partners
Acknowledgements
Gold Coast Music Network & Awards team
Samantha Morris, Co-Founder & Director & Judging Panel Co-Chair
Chloe Popa, Co-Founder & Director
Amanda Gorman, Co-Founder & Director
Issy Schoonenberg, Digital Marketing Manager & Awards Event Manager
Phillippa Wright, Finance Manager
Kirsty Abrahams, Artist Liaison and production support
Chloe Styler, Red-carpet host
Eleea Navarro, Content Creator
PJ Habner, PJ Media and Marketing
HOTA, Home of the Arts
Anna Young
Alex Fox
Scott McCaig
Edward Saroff
…and the entire HOTA team.
Photography
Simone Gorman-Clark
Christine Tobia-Philip
Videography and screen graphics
Kara Marsden
Josh Hamilton
Nick Stevens
Ben
Stage Left Auslan Interpreters
Kim-Ann Lyons
Abigail Honey
Event Volunteers
Nicole Jacobsen
Gigi Jacobsen
Margot Byrne
Ronan Maclean
Gitesh Mahale
Jazz Milburn
Felicity Rochester
Stacey Johnson
Bri Haverfield
Jessica Ngo
Makayla Ashworth
Sirena Reynolds
Pop-up performance
Produced by Saia Hanlon, Hanlon School of Music
Featuring: Rhythm Sincere, T.G.T Reapa, MAD WXRLD, Baut, Ionnibruh, MARRZ
Welcome to Country
Lann Levinge
Award Ceremony host
Jane Gazzo
Selve
Loki Liddle, Creation Saffigna, Reece Bowden, Michael Baldi, Scott French, Liam Kirk, Josh Tate
bella amor
Isabella Thompson, Karelia Moloney, Libby Scott
Louie Shelton
Louie Shelton, Rick Hollis (tech support)
Eimhin
Eimhin Healy, Kate Derepas
TANISHA
Tanisha Burnett, Jamie Keys, Kayden Clarke, Mathew Gray, Shayden Georgeff, John Finkel
Parker
Sam Lethbridge, Sam Cuthbert, Augui Money, James Potter
The Wrath
Tommy Creeper, Carina Acquarola, Thomas Cooke, Michael Deanshaw, Dan Briffa
After Party
Mattymadeit (Mathew Gray)