With two wins each, Cub Sport, Jem Cassar-Daley and Bluey Composer Joff Bush stood out in the 2024 Queensland Music Awardswhich was performed on Wednesday April 17 at Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane.
Homegrown electro-pop act Cub Sport won album of the Year for their ARIA No.1 compilation Jesus at the Gay Barand the electronic award for 'Songs About It'.
“This is very unexpected,” said drummer Dan Puusaari from the dais as Cub Sport collected the best album awards. “We've been a band for 13 years, we won our first QMA 12 years ago, it's great to still be here making music. It's a huge privilege. This is the fifth record we've made. To be recognized like that is very nice.”
Jem Cassar-Daley won pop and song of the year, the QMAs' top honour, both for 'King of Disappointment'.
With the song of the year award, Cassar-Daley, daughter of hometown great Troy Cassar-Daley, scores an extraordinary piece of real estate – a plaque on the Walk of Fame in the city's Brunswick Street mall.
As she accepted the trophy, Cassar-Daley thanked “every one of you in this room for inspiring me to pursue music, even during COVID, when everything was on lockdown and we all missed concerts.”
Composer Joff Bush won the Children's Music Award for “Dance Mode” and the Screen Music Award for “Cricket,” both written for the popular animated series. Bluey.
Country veteran James Blundell was honored with the lifetime achievement award, recognizing a decades-long career during which he has recorded 14 studio albums, won nine CMAA Gold Guitars and been inducted into the CMAA Role of Renown and the CMC Hall of Fame.
“It's a recognition of survival,” he said of his latest award, which he celebrated with family members. “I tell all the young artists I work with that longevity is an important part of the equation. You can be great for a nanosecond, but to sustain a career, you have to be a little bit more interesting (laughs). Now I never claimed or intended to be an interesting artist, but I have lived very honestly and very much in the public eye. So I am very grateful to receive this award.”
Other winners were Busby Marou (blues/roots award), DZ Deathrays (heavy award), Tia Gostelow (Indigenous award), Sahara Beck (Soul/funk/RnB category).
“We are very proud Queenslanders and are inspired by the young people coming through. And of course, all the old ones too,” remarked Thomas Busby, half Busby Marou actor with roots in Rockhampton. “The beauty of making music,” he added, “is that you make friends along the way and then you keep them.”
The Queensland Music Awards 2024 is produced by QMusic, which is supported by the Queensland Government. Guests in the room included Queensland Premier Stephen Miles.
2024 Queensland Music Awards Winners:
Major Awards
Song of the Year
Jem Cassar-Daley – “The King of Disappointment”
album of the Year
Cub Sport – Jesus At The Gay Bar
Lifetime Achievement Award
James Blundell
Scholarships
2023 Billy Thorpe Scholarship
Lottie McLeod
Carol Lloyd Award 2023
Joe Davy
Dennis “Mop” Conlon Scholarship
Crystal West
2023 Grant McClennan Fellowship
Georgia Potter
Dalwood-Wylie Foundation Scholarship
Ethan Roberts
Category Awards
Blues | Roots Award
Busby Maru – “Conversation”
Children's Music Award
Joff Bush – “Dance Mode” (Bluey)
Contemporary Classical & Stage Music
Karin Schaupp – “Cybernylon”
Country Award
Tori Forsyth – “Sometimes”
Electronic Award
Cub Sport – “Songs About It”
People's Award
Little Gold – “Cannonball”
Heavy prize
Dz Deathrays – “My Mind Is Eating Me Alive”
Hip Hop Award
Ozi Jarel – “Uptown”
Native Award
Tia Gostelow – “Spring To Life”
Jazz Award
Andrew Butt Trio – “Le Baiser Salé”
Music for screen
Geoff Bush – “Cricket” (Blue)
Pop Award
Jem Cassar-Daley – “The King of Disappointment”
Rock Award
Felony. – “Everyone I like wants to kill themselves”
Soul | Funk | Rnb Award
Sahara Beck – “Compromise”
World Award
Taitu'uga – “Falealili Manusamoa”
Youth Award (Ages 10 – 17).
Parker – “Sofa Bed”
Regional | Regional Award
Lt – “Act Your Age”
Video Award
Luis Campbell, Adam Hasa & Julian Panetta – “Make It So Easy” by Jordan Briton Feat. Hera
Export Award
Skin On Skin
Top Selling Singles
Fisher & Kita Alexander – “Atmosphere”
Highest selling album
Brad Cox – acres
Venues + Awards festival of the Year
People's Choice Award Metro Venue of the Year
The Fortitude Music Hall
People's Choice Award Regional Venue of the Year
Kings Beach Tavern
People's Choice Award nominees for festival of the Year
Gympie Music Muster
Accessible space of the year
Cultural venue Kingston Butter Factory
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/cub-sport-jem-cassar-daley-2024-queensland-music-awards-1235659516/