Ninajirachi Dominates 2026 AIR Awards Nominations
The annual celebration of Australia's independent music community will be presented Thursday, July 30 at Adelaide Town Hall, for an invite-only industry event.
Black News 
Ninajirachi could fill her boots at the 2026 AIR Awards, for which the EDM star and her support cast are shortlisted in 10 categories included the coveted independent album and single of the year.
With the release last year of her debut full-length album, I Love My Computer, the electronic music producer and DJ has been flying high both on the international festivals and awards circuits. Along the way, Ninajirachi (real name: Nina Wilson) nabbed three wins at the 2025 ARIA Awards, won the Australian Music Prize for album of the year, J Awards, the NSW Music Prize for breakthrough artist, and took out second place in the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition for “iPod Touch.” On the live front, she realized a dream by performing at Coachella 2026, with another North American tour to come.
Expect another gold rush at the AIR Awards, to be presented Thursday, July 30 at Adelaide Town Hall, for an invite-only industry event.
Also on the night, Ninajirachi’s label home, Nina Las Vegas’ NLV Records, is shortlisted for independent label of the year, one of the top categories. NLV Records will square off with ABC Music, Astral People Recordings, College Of Knowledge and Mushroom Music.
Other nominees, announced today, May 14, include Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers, Spacey Jane, Jem Cassar-Daley, Confidence Man, FISHER, John Butler, Keli Holiday, and Stella Donnelly.
Produced by The Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR), the awards were first established in 2006 as an effort to “recognize, promote, and celebrate the success of Australia’s Independent Music sector.”
The trophies will once again be handed out on the penultimate evening of AIR’s Indie-Con Australia Conference and A2IM’s Indie Week Australian Edition, presented this year at Mercury Cinema and Nexus Arts from July 29 – 31.
“The South Australian Government is proud to support Indie‑Con Australia and the AIR Awards,” comments minister for arts Kyam Maher MLC, “and to welcome nominees, industry leaders and delegates from across Australia and around the world to South Australia.”
As previously reported, AIR has, for the first time, split its dance and electronic recognition into more clearly defined lanes. A new best independent dance/club single category will spotlight club-driven tracks — including house, techno, trance, drum & bass and garage — with eligibility requiring a DJ service component.
Meanwhile, best independent electronic single fetes electronic releases not designed primarily for club settings, separating festival-floor material from broader electronic artistry.
The category formerly known as best independent dance or electronica album or EP category has been renamed best independent electronic album or EP to align with the updated single framework.
See the full list of AIR Awards nominations below.
| Best Independent Blues And Roots Album Or EP John Butler – Prism Folk Bitch Trio – Now Would Be A Good Time Liz Stringer – The Second High Melbourne Ska Orchestra – The Ballad Of Monte Loco Sons Of The East – Sons Best Independent Jazz Album Or EP Natalie Gauci – Pictures Of Mars Phia – When I’m Holding You, I’m Holding Me Temporary Blessings – Sumbisori The Cat Empire – Bird In Paradise Touch Sensitiive – In Paradise Best Independent Classical Album Or Ep Andrea Lam – Piano Diary Australian String Quartet – Vanessa Perica, String Quartet No.1 No Feeling Is Final Joseph Tawadros – The Forgotten Path To Humanity Rose Riebl – Dust William Barton, Omega Ensemble – Gift – Our Breath Of Life Best Independent Children’s Album Or EP Diver City – Weekend Baby Emma Memma – Dance Island Party Justine Clarke – Mimi’s Symphony Teeny Tiny Stevies – Brain Fart The Wiggles, The Tree Of Wisdom – The Tree Of Wisdom Best Independent Country Album Or Ep Emily Lubitz – Two Black Horses Hayley Jensen – Country Soul Imogen Clark – Choking On Fuel Ruby Gill – Some Kind Of Control Wade Forster – Gooseneck Party Best Independent Soul/Rnb Album Or EP Bumpy – Kanana Cookin’ On 3 Burners – Cookin’ The Books Don West – Give Me All Your Love Felivand – My Body’s My True North Wilsn – Bloom Best Independent Pop Album Or EP Georgia Knight – Beanpole Montaigne – It’s Hard To Be A Fish Stella Donnelly – Love And Fortune The Tullamarines – Safety Blanket Way Dynamic – Massive Shoe Best Independent Rock Album Or EP Playlunch – Sex Ed Spacey Jane – If That Makes Sense Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers – Glory The Belair Lipbombs – Again The Southern River Band – Easier Said Than Done Independent Marketing Team Of The Year Mushroom Music – Bliss N Eso, The Moon (The Light Side) Nlv Records, The Orchard – Ninajirachi, I Love My Computer Playlunch, Abc Music – Playlunch, Keith Secretly Group – Folk Bitch Trio, Now Would Be A Good Time The Annex – Ocean Alley, Love Balloon Independent Music Video Of The Year Ball Bass John – Ninajirachi, Fuck My Computer Bridgette Winten, Folk Bitch Trio – Folk Bitch Trio, Cathode Ray Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore – Miss Kaninna, Backstreets Tas Wilson, James Adams – Jem Cassar-Daley, Kiss Me Like You’re Leaving Jasper Van Daatselaar – Way Dynamic, People Settle Down Independent Mix, Studio Or Mastering Engineer Of The Year Becki Whitton, Timothy Harvey, Hannah Cameron – Ruby Gill, Some Kind Of Control Leon Zervos – Ocean Alley, Love Balloon Michael Carpenter – Imogen Clark, Choking On Fuel Stephen Mowat – Wilsn, Bloom Thomas Purcell Pka Wave Racer – Ninajirachi, I Love My Computer Breakthrough Independent Artist Of The Year – Presented By PPCA Folk Bitch Trio Georgia Knight Rageflower Rona. Yes Boone Best Independent Hip Hop Album Or EP Bliss N Eso – The Moon (The Light Side) Devaura – Vol 1. Learning In Public Elsy Wameyo – Wameyo Jamaica Moana – Bud & Deni Teether & Kuya Neil – Yearn Iv Best Independent Electronic Album Or EP Essendon Airport – Mor Mel Blue – No More Jackets Please Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer Rona. – It’s All Here (EP) Shouse – Collective Ecstasy Best Independent Dance/ Club Single Confidence Man, Jade – Gossip DJ Pgz And Yikes – Ouss Ouss Fisher – Stay Shouse – Sunrise Vv Pete – Wassa Feat. Utility, Formation Boyz Best Independent Electronic Single Cosmo’s Midnight – 45 Keanu Nelson – Place Where I Go / Kapi Ngalyananni Ninajirachi – Ipod Touch Robert Baxter & Sweatbaby – Icy (Take It Off) The Superjesus & The Journey – Something Good Best Independent Punk Album Or EP Press Club – To All The Ones I Love Private Function – ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Radio Free Alice – Empty Words Ep These New South Whales – Godspeed Wet Kiss – Thus Spoke The Broken Chanteuse Best Independent Heavy Album Or EP Battlesnake – Dawn Of The Exultants And The Hunt For The Shepherd Hands Like Houses – Atmospherics Npcede – Npcede The Maggie Pills – Hearts Induring Lingering Loss Thornhill – Bodies Independent Album Of The Year Folk Bitch Trio – Now Would Be A Good Time Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer The 046 – Legacy In Motion The Belair Lipbombs – Again Way Dynamic – Massive Shoe Independent Song Of The Year Jem Cassar-Daley – Kiss Me Like You’re Leaving Keli Holiday – Dancing2 Ninajirachi – Ipod Touch Playlunch – Keith Way Dynamic – Miffed It Independent Label Of The Year ABC Music Astral People Recordings College Of Knowledge Mushroom Music NLV Records Independent Publicity Team Of The Year Cult Logic – Ocean Alley, Love Balloon Mushroom Music – Bliss N Eso, The Moon (The Light Side) Mushroom Music – Wilsn, Bloom Twnty Three – Folk Bitch Trio, Now Would Be A Good Time Twnty Three – Ninajirachi, I Love My Computer Independent Producer Of The Year Angus Stone – Dope Lemon, Golden Wolf Benjamin Stewart – Slowly Slowly, Forgiving Spree Dylan Young – Way Dynamic, Massive Shoe Nick DiDia – Ocean Alley, Love Balloon Nina Wilson – Ninajirachi, I Love My Computer |
