The SoundMerch Australian Music Prize has named Ninajirachi the winner of its 21st annual award, recognising the most creative and artistically significant Australian album of the year. Ninajirachi takes home the coveted title for her album I Love My Computer, along with the $50,000 cash prize.
For an artist who started making beats on the Central Coast in her early teens, the win marks a moment that goes far beyond chart placements and streaming milestones. Speaking on the honour, Ninajirachi shared, “Thank you so much to the Australian music prize for awarding me this year, this truly means a lot to me!! I’m so proud to have produced an Australian album. I Love My Computer drew from my growing up on the central coast and the Australian dance music I heard in my childhood. To sincerely contribute to the awesome story of Australian music was one of my highest hopes. I hope I can keep making albums and telling stories forever. Thank you so much, I’m so honoured to receive this award.”
It has been a rapid acceleration for Ninajirachi. While she first caught national attention when Glass became a triple j Unearthed High finalist track, 2024 has turned her into one of Australia’s most important new electronic voices. The single F**k My Computer acted as the trigger for a breakout year, pulling global ears toward her glitch-pop and IDM-leaning production. I Love My Computer continues that aesthetic, pairing futuristic textures with hyper-sweet melodies and emotional vulnerability across standout tracks including iPod Touch, Delete and All I Am.
With eight ARIA nominations behind her, millions of streams across platforms and an ever-growing community around her sound, this AMP win adds another milestone to a career still very much on ascent.
The Australian Music Prize continues to be one of the most respected awards in the country, judged solely on creative merit rather than commercial performance. Past winners have included groundbreaking works like The Avalanches’ We Will Always Love You, Genesis Owusu’s Smiling With No Teeth, King Stingray’s self-titled debut and RVG’s Brain Worms, placing Ninajirachi among elite company.
AMP founder and Prize Director Scott B Murphy said, “The AMP process favours originality and Nina’s album is certainly that! I thank the team of judges who have put so much effort into choosing I Love My Computer as our 21st winner, the Shortlist was very strong so choosing a winner wasn’t easy.”
2025 Australian Music Prize Finalists
Ninajirachi I Love My Computer – WINNER
Folk Bitch Trio Now Would Be A Good Time
Floodlights Underneath
Mudrat Social Cohesion
Bleak Squad Strange Love
Tropical Fuck Storm Fairyland Codex
Ruby Gill Some Kind Of Control
Mia Wray Hi, It’s Nice To Meet Me
Divide & Dissolve Insatiable
The AMP judging process is thorough. Each participating judge, comprising musicians, retailers and music voices, must listen to every allocated album in full, report any conflicts and deliberate through stages of review before meeting in person to decide the final winner. Since launching in 2005 with first winners The Drones for Wait Long By The River And The Bodies Of Your Enemies Will Float By, the AMP has stood as a beacon for artistic integrity and discovery.
This year’s ceremony is hosted by Ryan Clapham, also known as DOBBY, a past shortlisted artist now continuing his involvement as a judge. Sponsors including JB Hi-Fi, Mushroom Music, EMI, Sony and principal partner SoundMerch help fund the award, with Music Australia supporting for the second consecutive year.
Ninajirachi Tour
With momentum in full swing, Ninajirachi begins a run of dates at the end of November. The tour will take her across Australia, New Zealand and the United States, including a performance at Coachella.
Late November – Australia
December – New Zealand
Early 2025 – USA including Coachella
Venue-specific dates are pending and will be announced shortly.
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