Hip-hop powerhouse BARKAA was awarded the First Nations Music Prize at the inaugural NSW Music Prize Awards on Monday.

Her second EP, 'Big Tidda', has cemented the Malyangapa and Barkindji rapper's place as one of the most powerful voices in Australia's contemporary music landscape.

BARKAA took home the First Nations Music Prize and $40,000 for 'Big Tidda' - a fierce and unapologetic album celebrating Blak joy, love and identity. Featuring tracks such as 'Preach', 'Alinta' and 'Big Mood', the 2024 release narrates BARKAA's trials and tribulations with punchy lyricism and seamless sound.

"Getting accolades in the industry is like a beautiful thing, even though all our accolades and everything always come from Community, first and foremost," BARKAA told National Indigenous Times.

"You know, I already get my wins within my mob and within my people, but it's nice to have that little tap on the shoulder and be like, you're doing great - it's deadly."

Compared to her previous release, the strongly political 'Blak Matriarch', the Big Tidda is a personal story of growth and positivity BARKAA believes is vital in combating stereotypes and labels.

"I think as Blak women, we tend to get labelled as the angry Blak woman, which I am, and I'm allowed to be. But I think it's beautiful to be able to showcase my joy, to showcase the fun side. Because Blak joy, we're allowed to have it," she said.

Having also recently won 'Best Hip Hop/Rap Release' at the 2025 ARIA Awards, BARKAA has established herself as a leading female figure in the Australian rap scene.

"Being nominated amongst so much talent, so many amazing people from so-called New South Wales making music right now, and it's just beautiful to see and be here amongst my peers, especially coming fresh off an ARIA win, it's unreal," she said.

Her win is representative of the thriving First Nations talent in NSW, setting the tone for a night celebrating creative excellence and cultural pride.

"It's amazing to look around and see all Blak faces. It truly feels time for Blak excellence in the music industry, and here in NSW, we're leading the way," proud Wiradjuri woman, Fuzzy Operations Managing Director and Sound NSW's advisory board chair, Adelle Robinson, said.

"It makes me think of the late 80s and early 90s, when a small dance studio called NAISDA in Redfern was nurturing people like the Page Brothers, Christine Anu and Francis Rings. It was where the seed for Bangarra Dance Company was planted. And I feel like we're in a similar time now in New South Wales."

The New South Wales Music Prize is a new annual initiative delivered by Sound NSW which celebrates the creativity and contributions to contemporary music from across the state. The $160,000 prize pool is split across three categories: NSW Music Prize, NSW First Nations Music Prize and NSW Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

Established by the NSW Government, the Prize recognises the significance of music and performance in NSW's cultural life and the pressures on the music sector from rising costs and competition from overseas artists. It aims to honour and incentivise NSW artists while inspiring the next generation of emerging talent.

"When we first imagined the New South Wales Music Prize, we really wanted a moment to celebrate our local artists and the important stories they tell, because if we don't celebrate them, who will, but telling these stories is not cheap," Sound NSW head Emily Collins said.

"Recording and releasing music costs 1000s and 1000s of dollars, and it might be years before you see returns. So as an investment in our artists, our storytellers and the future music, they'll make the three awards tonight a significant cash prize."

NSW Minister of Music and the Night-time Economy, John Graham, said the Prize also offers a vital opportunity to revitalise NSW's fading nightlife.

"We've got to rebuild from what we've lost, from accommodation of bad policy, from the pandemic and from the challenges of streaming American music. Now we've started that work. We're supporting musicians to tour and record. We've tripled the amount of venues booking live music. We're investing directly in our dedicated live music initiatives," he said.

"Tonight, we're delivering the first-ever New South Wales Music Prize. For the many events, they know exactly who Australian artists are, who's from Sydney or who's from New South Wales. We really want to change that, and you're helping start that change here tonight. So we know there's more to do.

"We want to do everything we can so that all of the musicians in the room here tonight and all of the musicians who will be here in this room in the years to come have the same shot at success."

The inaugural NSW Music Prize marks a promising shift for local artists, with BARKAA's win underscoring the growing recognition of Blak storytellers and the bright future ahead for the NSW music scene and nightlife.

NSW Music Prize finalists

• 3% (Kill the Dead)

• BARKAA (Big Tidda)

• Kobie Dee (Chapter 26)

• Ninajirachi (girl EDM)

• ONEFOUR (Look At Me Now)

• Party Dozen (Crime in Australia)

• RÜFÜS DU SOL (Inhale / Exhale)

• Shady Nasty (Trek)

• SPEED (Only One Mode) (WINNER)

• Vv Pete & Utility (Varvie World)

NSW First Nations Music Prize finalists

• 3% (Kill the Dead)

• BARKAA (Big Tidda) (WINNER)

• Djanaba (Did I Stutter?)

• Stiff Gins (Crossroads)

• Ziggy Ramo (Human?)

NSW Breakthrough Artist of the Year finalists

• Don West

• Ninajirachi (WINNER)

• Royel Otis

• Shady Nasty

• SPEED