From Katie Noonan and Minnie Marks to Cora, mou and Zorrovian, the 2026 Sunshine Coast Music Awards finalists captured just how broad the Coast’s music scene has become.
The awards brought together established artists, rising acts, songwriters and live performers from across the region. Rather than just give you another roll call, here is a quick introduction to the music finalists and the sounds behind the names.
You can also see the full Sunshine Coast Music Awards finalist list, including venues, studios, artwork and industry categories.
Meet the 2026 music finalists
8 Ball Aitken
8 Ball Aitken is a blues, swamp-rock and alt-country artist known for fiery guitar work, roots-driven songwriting and a big live sound. A seasoned touring musician, his music draws on blues traditions while keeping one foot firmly in contemporary Australian roots music.
Adam James
Adam James is a Quandamooka and Kabi Kabi singer-songwriter whose work moves through country, blues, jazz and soul. Storytelling and culture sit at the centre of his music, giving his songs a strong sense of place, identity and lived experience.
Al Bartholomew
Al Bartholomew is a Torres Strait Islander musician based on Kabi Kabi Country, bringing together acoustic rock, soul, reggae and folk. His live performances are grounded in strong vocals and rhythmic guitar, with a warm, roots-focused sound.
Alys Ffion
Alys Ffion is a Sunshine Coast singer-songwriter known for intimate folk-pop and finely detailed songwriting. With songwriting experience in Nashville and credits connected to artists including Taylor Moss and Jimmy Barnes, she brings a polished writer’s instinct to deeply personal music.
Buttermello
Buttermello are a four-piece Sunshine Coast indie-rock band pairing bright melodies, guitar-pop hooks and an energetic live sound. The band has built a growing following through releases and touring across Queensland and New South Wales.
Che Burns
Che Burns is an independent singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist blending soulful vocals with guitar-led songwriting and contemporary production. His music moves easily between indie, pop and electronic influences while keeping strong melodies and emotion at the centre.
Chris Cobb
Chris Cobb is a Papua New Guinea-born, Sunshine Coast-based singer whose sound draws from country, soul and rock. He reached a national audience after earning a four-chair turn on The Voice Australia, introducing his powerful vocal style to viewers around the country.
Cora
Cora is an emerging Sunshine Coast pop-rock artist mixing sharp hooks, honest lyrics and early-2000s attitude. Her debut single “(boy)cott” quickly became a defining early release, helping establish her as one of the Coast’s young artists to watch.
Deline Briscoe
Deline Briscoe is a Yalanji woman of song whose powerful voice brings together traditional Yalanji singing with gospel, jazz, soul and blues. Her work is deeply connected to culture and storytelling, creating music that is both contemporary and grounded in tradition.
Elke Louie
Elke Louie is a young Gympie indie-folk singer-songwriter making intimate, emotionally direct music. Her debut EP Lavender introduced a thoughtful songwriting style built around gentle arrangements, personal lyrics and a quietly distinctive voice.
Frank & Louis
Frank & Louis are Sunshine Coast brothers making harmony-rich pop shaped by years of performing together. Their songwriting leans into melody and emotional connection, while their early career has already included back-to-back appearances as triple j Unearthed High finalists.
Jemzel
Jemzel is a Filipino-Australian independent artist and producer whose music blends indie, pop, rock, folk and soul. Working with a strong DIY approach, Jemzel turns personal experiences into layered songs that feel intimate, expressive and genre-fluid.
Jesse Taylor
Jesse Taylor is a Sunshine Coast indie-folk artist writing warm, sun-drenched songs inspired by travel, surfing, campfires and coastal life. His music has an easygoing acoustic feel, with storytelling and a strong sense of place running through his work.
Katie Noonan
Katie Noonan is one of Australia’s most acclaimed and versatile singers, with a career spanning pop, rock, jazz, classical and experimental music. From george and Elixir to an extensive solo career, her work has consistently crossed genres while showcasing her distinctive voice and musicianship.
Layla Havana
Layla Havana is a First Nations singer-songwriter from Peregian Beach creating soulful folk-pop with a strong emphasis on voice and storytelling. Her development through the Eumundi School of Music and live performances alongside established Australian artists has helped shape a confident young performer.
Linc Phelps
Linc Phelps is a Gympie-raised singer-songwriter whose music brings together country, roots, soul and Americana. His songs lean into classic storytelling, lived-in vocals and a timeless approach to songwriting that feels equally at home in a pub, theatre or festival setting.
Marshall Hamburger
Marshall Hamburger is a Doonan singer, songwriter and pianist who came to national attention after winning Australian Idol in 2025. Since then, he has become one of the Sunshine Coast’s most recognisable young performers, combining strong vocals with piano-led pop and soul influences.
Minnie Marks
Minnie Marks is a blues-rock singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known for ferocious guitar playing, foot-drumming and commanding live performances. Years of touring in Australia and overseas have built her reputation as one of the region’s most dynamic roots musicians.
mou
mou is an Eumundi-based indie, folk and experimental artist with a prolific and highly individual catalogue. The project moves between lo-fi textures, alternative songwriting and more exploratory sounds, creating music that sits comfortably outside neat genre boundaries.
Nana’s Pie
Nana’s Pie are a Sunshine Coast alt-indie rock trio with surfy roots, melodic songwriting and a strong live following. DIY touring, national support slots and festival appearances including Big Pineapple Festival have helped build the band beyond their home-town scene.
Pat Tierney
Pat Tierney is a lap-slide guitarist and roots troubadour whose music draws from folk, blues and soul. His understated musicianship, warm vocals and thoughtful songwriting have made him a distinctive presence in the Australian roots scene.
Raw Ordio
Raw Ordio are a Sunshine Coast electronic live act fusing house production with saxophone, percussion, vocals and improvisation. Their sets bridge DJ culture and live musicianship, creating a dancefloor-focused sound that feels spontaneous, energetic and built for a crowd.
Zorrovian
Zorrovian is a Sunshine Coast producer, DJ and musician working across drum and bass, breakcore and experimental electronic music. Atmospheric production, nostalgic textures and videogame-influenced sounds give the project a distinct identity within the Coast’s emerging electronic scene.
Song of the Year
- Alys Ffion — “Secret”
- Buttermello — “Low”
- Che Burns — “Devil Like You”
- Cora — “(boy)cott”
- Jesse Taylor — “I Can Feel It”
Artist of the Year
Katie Noonan, Linc Phelps, Minnie Marks and Nana’s Pie.
Rising Star
Cora, Chris Cobb, Marshall Hamburger, mou and Zorrovian.
Young Artist of the Year
Cora, Elke Louie, Frank & Louis, Jemzel and Layla Havana.
Live Act of the Year
8 Ball Aitken, Katie Noonan, Marshall Hamburger and Raw Ordio.
Musician of the Year
8 Ball Aitken, Katie Noonan, Minnie Marks and Pat Tierney.
Indidge Award
Adam James, Al Bartholomew and Deline Briscoe.
What happened on awards night?
The 2026 Sunshine Coast Music Awards were held at The Shed in Palmview on June 7. Katie Noonan took home Artist of the Year, Live Act of the Year and Musician of the Year, while Marshall Hamburger won Rising Star, Frank & Louis won Young Artist of the Year, Deline Briscoe won the Indidge Award and Che Burns won Song of the Year for “Devil Like You”.
