The stars of South Australian music took centre stage tonight as the 2025 South Australian Music Awards (SA Music Awards) celebrated another year of extraordinary talent, creativity, and achievement.
Presented by MusicSA, the SA Music Awards were held for the first time at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre, and brought together artists, industry leaders, and music fans for a spectacular evening honouring the very best of the state’s contemporary music scene.
aleksiah and DEM MOB led the night’s honours, each taking home four awards across the Major, Industry, and People’s Choice categories, a remarkable achievement for two of the state’s most influential acts.
aleksiah, who also won four SA Music Awards in 2024, once again proved her status as one of Australia’s most exciting new voices, taking home three Major Awards for Best Song for her track “Clothes Off”, Best Solo Artist, and Best Release for her EP “Cry About It”, along with the People’s Choice Pop Award.
On winning four awards, aleksiah said; “Winning four awards this year is honestly a huge surprise I’m so grateful. It’s a real honour to be recognised again, and I want to share as much love and appreciation as possible with all the other nominees.
Eight awards in two years is pretty surreal. but in the grand scheme of things I just feel privileged that people are connecting with the music I’ve released. I’m now in my third year of putting music out into the world, and I just hope to keep getting better, learning more, and growing with every project.”- aleksiah
Nationally celebrated First Nations hip hop group DEM MOB continued their extraordinary success as they took home four awards, now amassing 10 SA Music Awards in just three years (five in 2023, one in 2024, and four this year).
In 2025, the group collected Best Regional Artist and Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Artist in the Major categories, along with Best Music Educator in the Industry Awards and the People’s Choice Award for Hip Hop.
On winning the awards DEM MOB said; “We’re really stoked to win four awards, it’s humbling, super exciting, and a huge honour. Words can’t even explain what it means to have won four this year, let alone ten over the past three years.”
“The Education Award means the most to us. Seeing kids get the chance to learn, create, and express themselves through hip hop, that’s the essence of DEM MOB. It’s how we got here, and working with the next generation of musicians from the APY Lands is the greatest reward of all.”
Oscar the Wild and Ella Ion also claimed two awards apiece, with Oscar the Wild, who were recently announced as the local support for AC/DC at the bp Grand Final concert, winning Best Group and the People’s Choice Award for Rock, and Ella Ion taking home Best New Artist and the People’s Choice Award for Folk.
Also taking out two award is Adelaide Beer & BBQ Festival, recognised twice with the festival taking out both Best Large Music Festival for their Adelaide edition and Best Regional Music Venue, Festival or Music Event, for their Limestone Coast-based festival.
Other highlights included effie isobel winning Best Music Video for “Moon Made”, Lion Arts Factory named Best Live Music Venue, and celebrating those behind the scenes, Hannah Louise was awarded Best Manager, Mario Späte and Lucinda Machin jointly received Best Studio Engineer/Producer, and Wizard Tone Studios were recognised as Best Studio.
Music SA CEO, Christine Schloithe, said: “The SA Music Awards continue to showcase the brilliant talent emerging from South Australia. This year’s winners are a collection of remarkable artists, businesses and professionals, who are not only shaping the sound of our state, but stamping their mark on the national industry.”
Minister for Arts Andrea Michaels MP said the Malinauskas Government was proud to celebrate another successful year of South Australian music.
“Congratulations to the incredible SA Music Awards winners and finalists for 2025,” she said.
“All of you have made an important contribution to South Australian music this year and it’s wonderful to celebrate your achievements.
“As Australia’s only UNESCO City of Music, a designation we have now held for 10 years, the Malinauskas Government is committed to supporting our state’s incredible musicians and growing the South Australian music sector for the future.”
2025 SA MUSIC AWARDS WINNERS
MAJOR AWARDS
Presented by Moshtix
Best Song
Presented by Wonderlick
aleksiah (Clothes Off)
Best New Artist
Presented by WOMADelaide
Ella Ion
Best Regional Artist
DEM MOB
Best Solo Artist
Presented by Hindley Street Music Hall
aleksiah
Best Group
Presented by Moshtix
Oscar the Wild
Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Artist
Presented by Feel Good Nunga Radio PBA FM
DEM MOB
Best Release (EP/Album)
Presented by Against The Grain
aleksiah (Cry About It)
INDUSTRY AWARDS
Presented by The Music
Best Cover Art
Presented by Version Design
TOWNS (Dan Steinart)
Best Large Music Festival
Presented by Event Rigging Solutions
Adelaide Beer & BBQ Festival
Best Live Music Photograph
Elise De Simoni (Amyl and the Sniffers)
Best Live Music Venue
Presented by AHA
Lion Arts Factory
Best Live Technician
Presented by Adelaide Backline & Production Hire
Luke Hancock
Best Manager
Presented by ThreeD
Hannah Louise
Best Music Educator
Presented by Carclew
DEM MOB
Best Music Video
Grace Stewart (Moon Made – effie isobel)
Best Regional Music Venue/Festival/Event
Presented by AHA
Limestone Coast Beer & BBQ Festival
Best Small Festival
Presented by Woodville Town Hall
Porch and Recreation
Best Studio
Presented by Northern Sound System
Wizard Tone Studios
Best Studio Engineer/Producer
Presented by Novatech
Mario Späte & Lucinda Machin
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Presented by The Note
Blues & Roots
Presented by Derringers
Laura Hill
Country
River Rose
Electronic
Presented by StoreDJ
TONIX
Experimental & Art
Violet Harlot
Folk
Ella Ion
Heavy
Presented by Froth and Fury Festival
Raccoon City
Hip Hop
Presented by The Gov
DEM MOB
Jazz
Presented by 10 Gallon Hat
Live Slug Reaction
Pop
aleksiah
Punk
Presented by UniBar
LOLA
Rock
presented by The Austral
Oscar the Wild
Soul/Funk/RnB
WANDERERS