South Australian Music Awards 2022 Winners

The 2022 South Australian Music (SAM) Awards were celebrated last night (17 November) at Hindley Street Music Hall, honouring some of the best in South Australian music from the past year.

More than 30 awards were presented by the night’s MC, Jane Gazzo, and the likes of Dem Mob, Nancy Bates, Tilly Tjala Thomas, and Wanderers, performed throughout the night.

Elsy Wameyo took home five awards from her six nominations, including Best Song for ‘River Nile’, Best Release for ‘Nilotic’ EP. . . Plus Best Solo Artist, and Best Music Video.

“Elsy in recent years has become one of South Australia’s biggest musical exports and this is just another achievement on a long list of awards and accolades for her,” Music SA CEO Christine Schloithe says.

“Wameyo, who recently supported Adelaide’s own Hilltop Hoods on their national tour and performed at some of the biggest festivals in the country including Dark Mofo, Vivid, and WOMADelaide, along with being billed to play this year’s Falls Festival, is the perfect example of how to carve a burgeoning musical career from Adelaide and we are excited to watch Elsy’s career grow.”



The state’s First Nations prowess was on full display at the awards ceremony too. Electric Fields took home two gongs – one for Best Group and another for Pop Artist Of The Year. Fellow First Nations artist Tilly Tjala Thomas made history, as the maiden winner of Best Regional Artist, while folk and hip hip duo Marlon x Rulla was awarded Best Aboriginal Or Torres Strait Islander Artist.

Punk rockers LOLA received Best New Artist, and the likes of Motez, Ukulele Death Squad and We Move Like Giants picked up People’s Choice Awards.

A highlight of the SAM Awards was the acknowledgment of four special awards, honouring those who have made a significant contribution to the SA music industry: The APRA AMCOS Emily Burrow APRA AMCOS Award (Molly Rocket), the Neville Clark Award (Thessa Burdon from SAE and Lucinda Machin from TAFE), the UNESCO Collaboration Award (Adelaide Guitar Festival), and the MusicSA Community Award (Northern Sound System).



“The South Australian Music Industry, led by MusicSA, is an incredibly thriving community full of talented artists across and an industry we will continue to support,” Premier Peter Malinauskas says.

“To date, the SA government has supported the industry through event grants of up to $50,000 for SA-based businesses, venue grants of $5,000 for upgrades to help to cater for live music performances, and through the ‘See it LIVE’ campaign, providing more opportunities for artists and revitalising South Australia’s night-time economy.

“The music industry is vital to the South Australian economy and we congratulation all the winners and finalists at the 2022 SAM Awards.”

South Australian Music Awards 2022 Winners

Major/Industry Awards Winners

Best Song
Elsy Wameyo - River Nile

Best New Artist
LOLA

Best Regional Artist
Tilly Tjala Thomas

Best Aboriginal Or Torres Strait Islander Artist
MARLON X RULLA

Best Group
Electric Fields

Best Solo
Elsy Wameyo

Best Release
Elsy Wameyo – Nilotic

Best Studio
Wundenberg's Recording Studios

Best Studio Engineer/ Producer
Elsy Wameyo

Best Live Technician
Lachlan Sheehan

Best Major Festival / Event
Spin Off Festival

Best Small Festival / Event
Space Jams

Best Manager
Sian Walden (Little Acorn Music)

Best Venue
Jive

Best Regional Venue / Activation
Big Easy Radio

Best Cover Art
Paloma Ellery (SONS OF ZÖKU - SÜN)

Best Music Video
Elsy Wameyo & Richard Coburn (Elsy Wameyo - Nilotic)

Best Innovation
Porch Records

Best Music Educator
Adelaide Youth Orchestras

Special Awards Winners

Emily Burrows Award - APRA AMCOS
Molly Rocket

Neville Clark Award
Thessa Burdon (SAE)
Lucinda Machin (TAFE)

UNESCO Collaboration Report
Adelaide Guitar Festival: Origination

MusicSA Community Award
Northern Sound System

People's Choice Awards Winners

Blues And Roots
Cal Williams Jr.

Country
Ella & Sienna

Electronic
Motez

Experimental
SONS of ZÖKU

Folk
Ukulele Death Squad

Heavy
SwordfishTrombone

Hip Hop
We Move Like Giants

Jazz
The Shaolin Afronauts

Pop
Electric Fields

Punk
Teenage Joans

Rock
TOWNS

Soul/Funk/Rnb
WANDERERS