Joff Bush has won two of Queensland’s highest musical honours for his whimsical yet poignant soundtrack on the Bluey children’s cartoon.
Mr Bush’s work on the episodes Cricket and Dance Mode won the Music for Screen Award and the Children’s Music Award, respectively, at the 2024 Queensland Music Awards on Wednesday night.
The Queensland Conservatorium graduate is the main musical mind behind the Bluey soundtrack, which became the first children’s album to reach top of the charts in Australia.
Song of the year
This year the coveted Song of the Year category was taken out by Gymbaynggirr Bundjalung artist Jem Cassar-Daley for her single King of Disappointment.
The 23-year-old pop songwriter is a familiar face on the Brisbane live music circuit and the daughter of country musician Troy Cassar-Daley and TV presenter Laurel Edwards.
Her Song of the Year win will be further celebrated by a plaque on the Fortitude Valley Walk of Fame in Brunswick Street Mall.
Album of the Year went to the Brisbane pop group Cub Sport for Jesus at the Gay Bar, which was based on the 2021 poem The Backwater Sermons, by Jay Hulme.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to veteran James Blundell, described by QMusic as arguably the most influential Australian male country artist of his generation.
Mr Blundell said he was very grateful to receive the award.
“It is an acknowledgement of survival,” Mr Blundell said.
“I say to all the young artists I work with that longevity is a major part of the equation.
“You can be fabulous for a nanosecond but to sustain a career, well you’ve got to be a bit more interesting.”
Showing the world how it’s done
The Queensland Music Awards are the state’s annual celebration of local talent, produced by QMusic with support from the Queensland government and ABC Radio Brisbane.
QMusic chief executive Kris Stewart said he was impressed by this year’s line-up.
“The talent that comes up on that stage every year never ceases to amaze me,” Mr Stewart said.
“Tonight was a display of Queensland artists showing the rest of the world how it’s done and having their hard work rewarded.”‘
By popular vote, the Metro Venue of the Year went to The Fortitude Music Hall, Regional Venue of the Year to Kings Beach Tavern, Festival of the Year to Gympie Music Muster and Accessible Venue of the Year to Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct.
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