Phil Jamieson, Vanessa Amorosi, Jimi the Kween and more join the Needle In The Hay 2026 judging panel.
Needle In The Hay is back for 2026, and this year’s judging panel is stacked with some of the most respected names across Australian music, radio, production, live events and artist development.
Built to spotlight emerging artists and turn standout singles into limited 7-inch vinyl releases, Needle In The Hay has become a launchpad for the next wave of Australian talent. Past winners and alumni include Tones and I, Spacey Jane, Haiku Hands, The Lazy Eyes, The Buoys, and most recently, 2025 winner Wild Gloriosa.
This year, all finalists will have their submissions heard by a nine-person panel featuring Grinspoon frontman Phil Jamieson, powerhouse vocalist Vanessa Amorosi, Grammy-nominated and ARIA-winning producer Adrian Breakspear, drag artist and pop force Jimi The Kween, broadcaster Andy Trieu, Ableton’s Tom Cameron, producer and mix engineer Fletcher Matthews, producer and composer Lucy Blomkamp, and artist manager, booking agent and tour manager Candace Krieger.
Together, the panel brings decades of experience across songwriting, live performance, production, broadcasting, touring and artist development – offering emerging musicians the kind of industry attention that can genuinely help move a project forward.
The grand prize will see one winning single pressed to 7-inch vinyl by Zenith Records, with 250 copies produced. On top of that, more than $50,000 in runner-up prizes will be up for grabs, including studio time, gear, plug-in packages and industry support.
Finalists will be announced in November 2026.
