Finalists For QMusic’s Annual Suite of $15,000 Scholarships Announced
The awards feature four annual legacy honours, presented by QMusic and proudly supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, celebrating the contributions of legendary music and cultural icons: Billy Thorpe, Carol Lloyd, Dennis ‘Mop’ Conlon, and Grant McLennan.
This year’s finalists feature a dynamic mix of Queensland’s rising stars and acclaimed names, like 18-year-old indie-pop powerhouse ixaras, hip-hop standout Miles Nautu, genre-blending songstress CLOE TERARE, Butchulla Songman Fred Leone and soundscape architect Sampology.
Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said supporting the promising careers of Queensland’s home-grown music artists is crucial to developing and sustaining a thriving live music sector.
Minister Langbroek:
The Crisafulli Government is proud to invest in these scholarships, which champion the work of emerging and established contemporary music artists, while honouring the legacy of four Queensland music icons.
This year’s outstanding finalists are each contributing to a vibrant arts and cultural scene across the state, as they bring their own stories to Queensland’s rich contemporary music heritage.
Previous scholarship winners include Sam Hales (The Jungle Giants), Ayla, Danny Harley (The Kite String Tangle), Dean Brady, Beckah Amani, Greta Stanley, Hope D, Sahara Beck, Moreton, and Jeremy Neale.
GRANT MCLENNAN FELLOWSHIP
Established in 2007 by Queensland Government, in honour of Grant McLennan’s enduring influence on contemporary music and songwriting, the fellowship is designed to expose recipients to travel to New York, London, or Berlin to be immersed in a foreign and vibrant music culture. The 2025 finalists for the award are Tia Gostelow, Sampology, Hazel Mei and Wolfe Peterson.
DENNIS ‘MOP’ CONLON SCHOLARSHIP
This Dennis ‘Mop’ Conlon Scholarship is in recognition of the enormous contribution Uncle Mop made to the so-called Australian music industries. Presented for the first time in 2023, the annual $15,000 scholarship provides the opportunity for an emerging Indigenous Queensland artist to develop and record a song or series of songs, to support and develop their ongoing career. The 2025 finalists for the award are Fred Leone, CLOE TERARE, Rudy Matoy and Sunny Luwe.
BILLY THORPE SCHOLARSHIP
The Billy Thorpe Scholarship, named in honour of the great Australian rock musician Billy Thorpe, provides the opportunity for an emerging artist or band to record with an established producer and receive career planning from industry pillar Chugg Entertainment. The 2025 finalists for the award are ixaras, Sari Abbott, Miles Nautu and Radium Dolls.
CAROL LLOYD AWARD
The Carol Lloyd Award honours the contributions of the late Carol Lloyd and all she made to the Queensland music, particularly her contributions to supporting emerging female identifying or non-binary artists. The 2025 finalists for this award are Dizzy Doolan, Ghost Mutt, Caro Francis and Dana Gehrman, one of which will be awarded with $15,000 to support record a full-length album or tour an EP.
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