With 18 major award categories that are voted on by industry members, 2023 South Australian Music Awards spotlight the diverse and incredible local talent on display within the state.
"South Australia is at heart a creative state and the music talent coming out of this state is incredibly exciting and I don't envy the panel of independent judges this year," shares Music SA CEO, Christine Schloithe."MusicSA is very proud to host these awards each year on behalf of the South Australian contemporary music industry and we wish everyone all the best in all categories."
Read the list of 2023 SA Music Award nominees.
We'll be profiling a number of this year's nominees with our Spotlight On series, that continues with Lucas Day, who is nominated for Best Solo Artist.
Day is a musical all rounder with the ability to support himself with his guitar, foot-drums and voice. After releasing his debut album, 'Swell', in 2022, Lucas expanded to a four-piece band to help him bring new sonic ideas to life.
The result is a blend of high-energy blues and rock continuing to be the backbone of the sound he creates. Beyond this, Lucas draws inspiration from artists such as Paul Kelly, Pinegrove, John Mayer, Hozier and Foo Fighters.
What's the elevator pitch version of your 2023 so far?
So far this year, I've taken on some exciting gigs, focused on artistic development and spent MANY hours recording new music! 2023 has been all about growing as an artist, falling in love with my ever-changing sound and solidifying my place in the music landscape.
I played some incredible shows both solo and with my band – the highlight was whacking the foot-drums and guitars in the car and heading out west with Adelaide Guitar Fest's On The Road.
The latter half of this year, I've spent doing my favourite thing – writing and recording my next project. Hours and hours dedicated to honing lyrics, experimenting with instrumentation and song arrangements, and demoing dozens of songs at my dodgy home studio on the Fleurieu Peninsula. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Biggest moment creatively you/ the band have had in 2023?
In January I had to take a few weeks off singing because of a vocal injury, which was basically torture to a foghorn like me, but those quiet moments gave rise to something new. A place of deeper listening; swimming in new releases from local talents and abroad.
When I could finally sing like myself again (dare I say better than before) I had new ideas and new ways to get my sound across. It's safe to say the songs born out of this time are some of my best yet – not biased or anything.
Being a creative, artist, musician can be a lonely existence, so what does it mean to be nominated for a South Australian Music Award?
In an emotional sense, being listed amongst such incredible artists broadens your perspective, so even for the most recluse music makers, you can be introduced to some truly inspirational musicians, all creating within your very own state.
And in a more practical way, when you go to the Awards and feel the electricity of hopeful people, all riding the same waves of 'life as an artist', it's game-changing. Putting faces to names and people to social media pages can shift mindsets from a competitive industry to one of abundance and camaraderie. Personally, being a finalist for best solo artist gives me a huge surge of energy. It's not something that defines who I am, but it helps me get to where I wanna be.
Fast forward to the awards ceremony; if your name is read out as winner who are you mentioning-thanking in your speech?
I'd be thanking the paramedics for bringing me back to life because my heart would have STOPPED. But then in all seriousness, I'd thank the other incredible musicians in the category for the inspiration to keep following this crazy dream.
I'd thank my parents for my first guitar in reception. I'd thank my bandmates, Anthony, Max and Pete, for their advice and guidance. And I'd thank my loving partner Rach, for scraping me off the floor when I'm having a bad brain day, for keeping me sane when my inner-critic is going off and for listening to me play the same song for hours on end, just to get the chorus lyrics right.
How can folks best support independent musicians-bands?
First up, define what kind of part you wanna play. If you're a casual fan and listening to their tunes brings you joy, then do that. If you're still hankering to show your support, share them with a few friends and go to their next gig.
If you are in a position to support them financially, buy some merch, buy their music on Bandcamp, or just ask them directly how you can help. We're all just people, and the best thing about that is that people can change lives.
When an artist has the support of a few dedicated human beings, it can be enough to help them do incredible things. So if that's the part you wanna play, I love that!
2024 is just around the corner; anything special you're brewing in the background you can share?
As I alluded to earlier, I've started recording the next batch of tracks. I'll be nurturing them until they are happy, healthy and golden brown. And when I have all my ducks in a row, I'll be on that juicy release strategy rollout to make a decent splash. And if all else fails, I'll have another collection of songs for my mum to do the housework to.
What makes South Australian music unique?
It's the Goldilocks Effect: the scene is large enough so that you can learn and develop from some of the best in the business who are pushing boundaries and making waves, while at the same time small enough to be able to connect with other musos on a personal level, sharing struggles and finding strength in community.
Also, different genres merge and blend, much like the beautiful landscape going from hills to plains, city to sea. A vital ingredient that gives rise to something special with every new South Australian artist, band, event and release.
The 2023 SA Music Awards will be staged at Woodville Town Hall (Adelaide) on 8 November.
