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Here are all the winners of

2019’s J Awards

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Broadcasting live from triple j’s 15^th annual J Awards, we are beyond excited to reveal that Matt Corby, Tones and I, Sampa the Great and Heidi Lenffer are the recipients of 2019’s awards. In what has been a huge year for Australian music, each of the winners have been recognised for their abundant creativity, originality and hard bloody work.

It is with great pride that triple j, Double J, triple j Unearthed and Rage congratulate all the winners and nominees for smashing it out of the park this year. It’s no secret that we love Australian music… With this lot on offer, how couldn’t we?!

Check out the 2019 J Award winners below, and previous winners here.

triple j Australian Album of the Year – Matt Corby, Rainbow Valley
On Matt Corby’s second album Rainbow Valley, he creates an extraordinary world that you can’t help but lose yourself in. With natural beauty and sonic adventures, the record is impossible to fault in its vision. It’s patient and lush, soulful and confident, next level magical and chock-full of undeniable grooves. And when we say Corby created it, we mean it. He plays every instrument on the record and again proves that he’s one of the most talented vocalists in Australian music. 

triple j’s Music Director, Nick Findlay, says ‘While Matt Corby’s debut album Telluric wrestled with his new-found fame, on Rainbow Valley he is clearly an artist at his peak. With effortless confidence and richly-textured songwriting, Matt shows his undeniable skill and vision as a musician. The finished result is nothing short of brilliance, making it a very deserving winner for the 2019 J Award.’

Double J Australian Artist of the Year – Sampa the Great
We’ve known Sampa The Great is a star for years now. But in 2019 she made her most profound and important statement to date. The Return is Sampa’s debut album, following on from a couple of mixtapes that announced her as the future of hip hop in this country. The album is at once an epic artistic statement and a clear and concise explanation of who she is as an artist and a person. Outside of the album, Sampa’s music videos are among the finest of the year, from any country and any genre. Her live shows get better and better, and it’s clear the she is at the beginning of a career that could a greatly impact the future of hip hop in this country.

Unearthed Artist of the Year – Tones and I
There isn’t an Aussie artist who’s had a bigger 2019 than Tones And I. Heck, she probably owns that boast for any artist in the world this year, such has been the startling and, honestly, insane rise of the solo artist who’s gone from busking in Byron Bay to appearing on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show, with a performance at the 2019 AFL Grand Final in between. Uploading her first single ‘Johnny Run Away’ to Unearthed in Feb as a complete unknown and following it up with ‘Dance Monkey’, Tones’ impact has been immediate; that off kilter pop sound and a one of a kind voice have set her apart from everyone else making music today.

triple j and Rage Australian Music Video of the Year – Sampa the Great’s ‘Final Form’, directed by Sanjay De Silva
After being nominated in 2018 (for ‘Black Girl Magik’), Sampa The Great and director Sanjay De Silva return to take out the J Award for the rousing visual showcase that is ‘Final Form’.  Shot on location between Zambia and Botswana, where Sampa was born and raised, the video is bursting with colour and expression, and parades everything from traditional Nyau dancers to the bustling Kamwala markets. The Queen herself serves up a variety of stunning looks as she spits fierce, unapologetic bars in a muscular joint about pushing to become the greatest version of yourself.  

You Done Good Award – Heidi Lenffer
For Australian acts wanting to tour around the country or overseas, there are big environmental consequences that come with flying. This year, Cloud Control’s Heidi Lenffer stepped up to try make a difference to the footprint she was creating. Rather than sit by, she founded FEAT., a world-first initiative giving local artists the chance to invest money into renewable, solar energy to offset their touring output. The importance of touring for artists won’t dwindle any time soon. But with FEAT., Heidi has given musicians a means to act on the future of our world, while not compromising their own. Heidi’s done good, real good. 

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2019 J Award nominees:

triple j Australian Album of the Year
G Flip, About Us
Hatchie, Keepsake
Hayden James, Between Us
Hilltop Hoods, The Great Expanse
Holy Holy, My Own Pool Of Light
Matt Corby, Rainbow Valley [winner]
Northlane, Alien
Sampa the Great, The Return
Stella Donnelly, Beware Of The Dogs
Thelma Plum, Better In Blak

Double J Australian Artist of the Year
Julia Jacklin
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Nick Cave
Sampa the Great [winner]
The Teskey Brothers

Unearthed Artist of the Year
Adrian Eagle
George Alice
Spacey Jane
The Chats
Tones And I [winner]

triple j and Rage Australian Music Video of the Year
Briggs ‘Life Is Incredible’ {Ft. Greg Holden} Director: Dylan River
Flume ‘Hi This Is Flume’                                    Director: Jonathan Zawada
Sampa the Great ‘Final Form’                         Director: Sanjay De Silva [winner]
The Chats ‘Identity Theft’                                Director: Matt Weston
Thelma Plum ‘Better In Blak’                          Director: Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore

You Done Good Award
Dylan Alcott
Heidi Lenffer [winner]
Harry the Poo Roadie
NIMAs
Sarah Aarons

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