New generation of talent shines at NT Song Of The Year awards

A new generation of Northern Territory songwriters were unearthed in this year’s NT Song Of The Year awards – both in the winners and finalists lists. 

Most importantly, many of them came from outside the Darwin and Alice Springs hubs.

The awards were held for the sixth time last Saturday night at The Museum and Art Gallery of the NT, and organised by Music NT. 

The major winner of the night across the 13 categories was R&B and soul singer Caiti Baker. The daughter of a blues and jazz guitarist, she began writing songs at 12. 

Emerging with the duo Sietta, she released her debut single ‘Heavy On My Heart’ last year and currently working on new music with producers James Mangohig and Michael Hohnen in between appearing on featured and backup vocals on albums by A.B. Original, Briggs and Pete Murray. 

Baker’s ‘Make Your Own Mistakes’ won Song of the Year and the Pop category, while ‘Heavy On My Heart’ took Blues & Roots.

Fast rising rapper Baker Boy (born Danzal Baker) won two – Urban/Hip Hop (with guest vocalist Kian Brownfield) for ‘Cloud 9’ as well as the inaugural Native Tongue award, scoring himself an all-expenses-paid trip to the Native Tongue songwriters’ camp in NSW this year.

Three days earlier, Baker Boy was announced as the triple j Unearthed addition to the National Indigenous Music Awards. He will perform alongside the likes of A.B. Original, Dan Sultan and Emily Wurramara. 

The other two Song of the Year category finalists were Sam Carmody and Phoebe Wear.

14-year-old Wear, who cites Missy Higgins as a major influence, also took the APRA People’s Choice for Castaway. 

WA-born Carmody was in Perth band Warning Birds, and last year published his Vogel Award-nominated first novel The Windy Season.

Last Saturday he and his six-piece band launched his new single ‘The Sea Has Risen’, from his forthcoming EP Shadow In The Dream. Co-produced by former Warning Birds bandmate Bensen Thomas, the song was also up in the Pop category.

Other winning songs were ‘Drop It Down Girl’ by Lonely Boys (Rock), ‘Those Moments’ by Pulzanti (Electronic/Dance), ‘Thumbtack’ by Clever Monkey (Heavy), ‘Kakadu’ by Dhapanbal Yunupingu (Country), ‘Kevin’ by Serina Pech (Youth), ‘Northern Residential’ by Huu Loc Nguyen & Col Infinity (Tourism NT Territory Song, which awards $10,000 to make a video), and ‘Compass’ by Saltwater Band (Folk). 

Inducted into the Hall of Fame were producer and Darwin record label Skinnyfish Music co-founder Michael Hohnen, and Nora Lewis who is Music Director of the Darwin Chorale and previously Principal of the NT Music School.

Mark Smith, head of Music NT said that this year’s awards drew 350 entries (down from 420 last year) while the People Choice category drew 1200 votes. 

“The response from the 40 national judges was that this year was the most competitive, and the votes were their most challenging.

“It was gratifying to see so many new names emerging. It showed off the strength of the NT scene.

“At Music NT our task is to keep in touch with them and help them grow with getting them gigs and giving them advice.”

The awards were also attended by representatives of the NT Government as well as national media.

Photo: Baker Boy