The band received $30,000 cash thanks to Soundmerch!
King Stingray’s Dimathaya Burarrwanga & Roy Kellaway at The 18th Soundmerch Australian Music Prize. Image: Vasili Papathanasopoulos.
Northeast Arnhem Land surf-rock band, King Stingray have been awarded one of Australia’s most prestigious music accolade, the Soundmerch Australian Music Prize. The band won the award for their self-titled 2022 album, King Stingray, released via Cooking Vinyl Australia.
Having been released last August, the record earned the band five ARIA Award nominations, taking home the Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist award. The album debuted at number 6 on the ARIA Charts and was nominated for Australian Album of the Year at the J Awards. Taking home $30,000 cash thanks to Soundmerch, band members Roy Kellaway and Dimathaya Burarrwanga were present at last nights ceremony at Sydney's Oxford Art Factory, hosted by AMP judges Sose Fuamoli and Maia Bilyk, alongside Soundmerch owner Tim Everist. Attendees were treated to a performance by singer-songwriter Kirin J Callinan, who performed songs from his forthcoming body of work.
“We're so unbelievably stoked to have won the 18th AMP. We had so much fun making this record and we just hope that listeners can hear the joy that we had making it, as well as feel the joy for themselves. It really means the world to us to hear people enjoying the album and we have so many people to thank: our manager Stu; our family who support us all the way; the Yirrkala and Nhulunbuy community; Kris Keough; Casey from Select Music; our publicist Bec from Deathproof; Dan, Craig and Damo from Sony Music Publishing; Jack, Leigh and Stu from Cooking Vinyl Australia. And of course, a massive thanks to all the judges of The AMP. The list goes on! Thanks everyone! Rock on!” the band share.
In its eighteenth year, the Soundmerch Australian Music Prize honours and recognises albums and full bodies of work, offering a financial award and increased exposure. This year, 490 releases were eligible and a panel of judges 98 as official nominations before shortlisting nine albums for the award. Alongside King Stingray, the other nominees were : Foreign Language by 1300; Everything Is Dangerous But Nothing’s Surprising by Body Type; Running With The Hurricane by Camp Cope; Pre Pleasure by Julia Jacklin; Amateurs by Laura Jean; The Real Work by Party Dozen; As Above, So Below by Sampa The Great; A Colour Undone by Tasman Keith.
Images: Vasili Papathanasopoulos
Listen to King Stingray below!