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With three nominations, Genesis Owusu leads the pack heading into triple J’s 2026 J Awards, while Ecca Vandal, Julia Jacklin and Miss Kaninna are among the two-time nominees.
Owusu is a hard man to beat. In a career spanning just three albums, the genre-blurring artist has already collected the Australian Music Prize, the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, AIR Awards, seven ARIAs, and he claimed triple j’s coveted J Award for Australian album of the year in 2021 with his debut Smiling With No Teeth.
The Ghana-born, Canberra-raised artist can fill his boots once again with triple j’s Australian album (Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge), Australian live act, and music video of the year (“Stampede,” directed by Isaac Brown).
Ecca Vandal is up for live act and album of the year (for Looking For People To Unfollow); Jacklin has chances for album of the year (The Gem) and music video of the year, jointly presented with ABC’s music video program Rage (for “The Hardest Thing,” directed by Danny Cohen); and Miss Kaninna is in the running for live act and music video of the year (for “Backstreets,” directed by Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore).
This year, triple j is handing out trophies in five categories: Australian album of the year, Unearthed artist of the year, Double J artist of the year, Australian music video of the year, and Australian live act of the year.
Nominations in each category are shaped by triple j staff, while the final judging panel of each award consists of the music and on-air teams at triple j, Unearthed, Double J and rage.
All counted, 23 Australian artists and four directors are in the hunt. Winners announced on air Thursday afternoon, Nov. 12, to kick off Ausmusic Month on triple j, Double J and Unearthed. Read more here.
2026 J Award Nominees:
Unearthed Artist of the Year
DEVAURA
KAYPS
Public Figures
Swapmeet
The Tullamarines
triple j Australian Album of the Year
Bugs – HEAD NOISE
Ecca Vandal – LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO UNFOLLOW
Genesis Owusu – REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE
Julia Jacklin – The Gem
Kayps – BUNUBA BABY
Nerve – Growing Pains
South Summit – RUN IT BACK
Swapmeet – Mount Zero
Sycco – Look Up
Troye Sivan – She’s the Best
Australian Live act of the Year
Ecca Vandal
Genesis Owusu
Miss Kaninna
Ninajirachi
Tame Impala
triple j & Rage Music Video of the Year
Drifting Clouds – “Rarrandharr” – Directed by Matt Sav
Elektronik Girl Epic - ”I Love Stealing From Woolies” – Directed by Elektronik Girl Epic
Genesis Owusu – “STAMPEDE” – Directed by Isaac Brown
Julia Jacklin – “The Hardest Thing” – Directed by Danny Cohen
Miss Kaninna - ”BACKSTREETS” – Directed by Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore
Double J Australian Artist of the Year
The Avalanches
Eddy Current Suppression Ring
Mulga Bore Hard Rock
Rowena Wise
Vika & Linda
