The National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs) will return to the Darwin Amphitheatre in Garramilla/Darwin with a live performance bill led by Yolŋu rapper, dancer and artist Baker Boy.

The 2026 NIMAs will be held on Saturday, August 8, bringing together First Nations artists from across the country for a night of live music, awards and cultural celebration.

Baker Boy, also known as Danzal Baker OAM, returns to the NIMAs stage after releasing his second studio album, DJANDJAY, in October last year.

The album was named after his grandmother and a Yolŋu spiritual figure, and included collaborations with Briggs, Haiku Hands, Thelma Plum and Emma Donovan.

Baker Boy welcomed his return to the event.

"Pumped to be heading back up North for the NIMAs, it's always deadly seeing all the mob come together and celebrating our talent," he said.

"Not gonna lie, I'm pretty keen to get my hands on some mud crab, true god."

Electric Fields will also perform, with the electronic duo bringing together Zaachariaha Fielding's vocals and Michael Ross' production.

Fielding often sings in traditional languages of the Anangu people, with the duo's music drawing on soul, pop, electronic soundscapes and storytelling connected to the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands.

Western Aranda woman Casii Williams will add a Central Australian presence to the lineup.

The third-generation musician from Ntaria/Hermannsburg first performed at the Yipirinya Festival at age 10 and has since moved into electronic music, with 'Fallin Down' and 'How Can I' gaining triple j airplay and national community radio support.

Proud Yorta-Yorta, Wurundjeri and Wemba-Wemba man BRIGGS will appear through his project BIG NOTER, shifting from hip-hop into the hardcore, punk and metal sounds that influenced him.

Stiff Gins, made up of Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta woman Kaleena Briggs and Yuwaalaraay woman Nardi Simpson, will also join the bill.

The long-running duo have performed together since 1997 and are recognised as Australia's longest performing Indigenous female group.

Their latest album, Crossroads, was named a finalist in the NSW Music Prize for Best First Nations Album.

Torres Strait Islander artist Zipporah, a proud Samu and Suy woman from Saibai Island, will perform after releasing her debut mixtape NAUNGU URUI.

Her work blends R&B, soul and jazz with stories of culture, identity and lived experience.

Noongar woman and Naarm/Melbourne-based artist Bumpy will round out the lineup with a sound shaped by soul, funk, jazz and folk.

Her debut album Kanana was named in the Top 10 Albums of 2025 by Rolling Stone and Double J.

The NIMAs will again combine live performances, award presentations and cultural celebration at the Darwin Amphitheatre.

Recent NIMAs alumni include Hall of Fame inductee Jessica Mauboy, BARKAA and 3%.

The event will take place during a week of First Nations arts and culture in Garramilla, alongside the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards and the National Indigenous Fashion Awards.

The wider program runs from August 5 to 11.

Tickets for the National Indigenous Music Awards are on sale through Darwin Festival, with full price tickets listed at $48, concession tickets at $44 and children under 12 free.

Gates open at 6pm, with the event starting at 7pm at Darwin Amphitheatre, George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens.