Baker Boy leads 2026 NIMAs return to Darwin
The National Indigenous Music Awards will return to the Darwin Amphitheatre in Garramilla/Darwin on August 8, headlined by Yolŋu rapper, dancer and artist Baker Boy.
The awards night will combine live performances, presentations and cultural celebration, bringing together First Nations artists from across Australia.
Key Points
- National Indigenous Music Awards return to Darwin on August 8
- Baker Boy headlines after releasing second album DJANDJAY in October
- Electric Fields, Casii Williams, BRIGGS, Stiff Gins, Zipporah join lineup
- Bumpy completes bill, with Kanana in 2025 Top 10 Albums
- Event features live performances, awards and cultural celebration
- Tickets via Darwin Festival: $48 full, $44 concession, under-12s free
- Week of First Nations arts in Garramilla runs August 5 to 11
Event returns to Darwin Amphitheatre
Baker Boy, also known as Danzal Baker, will lead the live performance bill. He returns to the NIMAs stage following the October release of his second studio album, DJANDJAY, which was named after his grandmother and a Yolŋu spiritual figure. The album included collaborations with Briggs, Haiku Hands, Thelma Plum and Emma Donovan.
“Pumped to be heading back up North for the NIMAs, it’s always deadly seeing all the mob come together and celebrating our talent,”Baker Boy said.
Recent NIMAs alumni include Hall of Fame inductee Jessica Mauboy, BARKAA and 3%. The awards night continues a tradition of showcasing leading and emerging First Nations artists on one stage.
Lineup highlights
Alongside Baker Boy, a cross-section of artists will perform at the Darwin Amphitheatre, spanning electronic, hip-hop, punk, metal, soul, jazz, folk and more. The lineup features established names and rising voices:
- Electric Fields will perform, with Zaachariaha Fielding’s vocals paired with Michael Ross’ production. Fielding often sings in traditional languages of the Anangu people, and the duo’s music draws on soul, pop, electronic soundscapes and storytelling connected to the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands
- Western Aranda woman Casii Williams will add a Central Australian presence. The third-generation musician from Ntaria/Hermannsburg first performed at the Yipirinya Festival at age 10 and has since moved into electronic music, with ‘Fallin Down’ and ‘How Can I’ gaining triple j airplay and national community radio support
- Proud Yorta-Yorta, Wurundjeri and Wemba-Wemba man BRIGGS will appear through his project BIG NOTER, shifting from hip-hop into the hardcore, punk and metal sounds that influenced him
- Stiff Gins, made up of Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta woman Kaleena Briggs and Yuwaalaraay woman Nardi Simpson, will also join the bill. The long-running duo have performed together since 1997 and are recognised as Australia’s longest performing Indigenous female group. Their album, Crossroads, was named a finalist in the NSW Music Prize for Best First Nations Album
- Torres Strait Islander artist Zipporah, a proud Samu and Suy woman from Saibai Island, will perform following her debut mixtape NAUNGU URUI. Her work blends R&B, soul and jazz with stories of culture, identity and lived experience
- Noongar woman and Naarm/Melbourne-based artist Bumpy will round out the lineup with a sound shaped by soul, funk, jazz and folk. Her debut album Kanana was named in the Top 10 Albums of 2025 by Rolling Stone and Double J
Tickets, schedule and cultural week
Tickets for the National Indigenous Music Awards are on sale through Darwin Festival, with full price tickets listed at $48, concession tickets at $44 and children under 12 free. The event will take place at the Darwin Amphitheatre, George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens, with gates opening at 6pm and the show starting at 7pm.
