The Australian Women In Music Awards Introduces 'Women In Heavy Music' Category

Today, on International Women’s Day, the nominations open for the prestigious Australian Women in Music Awards (AWMA), class of 2023.

All 18 nomination categories are open today and fall under Leadership, Artistry, Production, Advocacy and Media umbrellas.

Nominations close on 26 April, with the Award Ceremony, Concert and Conference to be held in Meanjin/Brisbane on 26 and 17 September. The AWMA team will announce the 2023 Australian Women in Music Awards and Conference Program soon. You can nominate yourself or someone you know here.

This year, the AWMA has announced an exciting new category, the Inaugural Women In Heavy Music category, which Founding Executive Producer and Program Director Vicki Gordon said has been “created in direct consultation with industry to reflect the depth and breadth of influence women are having on music in this country.

“Powerful female figures, artist managers, booking agents and label managers are putting their stamp on a genre that’s been historically male-dominated. Women have become a driving force for Heavy Music across many sub-categories, from folk to black metal, and we look forward to shining a light on their extraordinary contribution.”

This is fantastic news, as Australia has one of the strongest heavy music scenes in the world, with women, transgender women and non-binary, or gender-nonconforming people making some of the most exciting music in the country right now.

In the image above, we have the anthemic Aussie rock band, The Beautiful Monument, Blood Command (featuring Melbourne’s Nikki Brumen), the electrifying Amy Taylor from Amyl And The Sniffers, nu-metal, electronic fusion Brisbaneites RedHook, and Jaguar Jonze (aka Deena Lynch). 

Now, some readers may object to Deena’s presence, but when you consider her “Spaghetti Western Rock Music,” as her songs have been described, and her powerful advocacy when her detractors demand she shut her mouth, she's actually metal AF.

Here at Kill Your Stereo, we also love RVG, Body Type, Dispossessed, Moaning Lisa, WAAX, Pinch Points, and many more. 

Who’s getting your vote for the Women In Heavy Music category?