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Thelma Plum

Thelma Plum
Thelma Plum performing in April 2023
Background information
Birth nameThelma Amelina Plumbe
Born (1994-12-21) 21 December 1994 (age 30)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
OriginDelungra, New South Wales, Australia
GenresFolk[1]
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • guitarist
  • musician
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2012–present
Labels
Websitethelmaplum.com Edit this at Wikidata

Thelma Amelina Plumbe (born 21 December 1994), known professionally as Thelma Plum, is an Aboriginal Australian singer, songwriter, guitarist and musician from Delungra, New South Wales. Her debut album, Better in Blak, was released on 30 July 2019 and peaked at number 4 on the ARIA Albums Chart.

Plum has received various accolades, including for Best Cover Art at the 2019 ARIA Music Awards for Dennis Pfitzner's artwork.

Early life

Thelma Amelina Plumbe[3] was born on 21 December 1994[4][user-generated source] in Brisbane.[5] She is a Gamilaraay woman[6] from Delungra, New South Wales. Plum graduated from the Music Industry College, Brisbane[7] and spent most of her early life in that city.[8]

Career

2012–2017: Triple J Unearthed and early EPs

Plum in 2016

In May 2012, Plum uploaded the tracks "Blackbird" and "Father Said" onto Triple J Unearthed and in July 2012, won the inaugural Triple J's National Indigenous Unearthed Music competition[6] and was nominated for a Deadly award for Most Promising New Talent.[9] "Father Said" was released in November 2012 as her official debut single. Plum released her debut extended play, Rosie, in March 2013[10] and followed with her second EP, Monsters (July 2014).[11][12] By that time she had relocated to Melbourne.[5]

Plum appeared at Womadelaide in 2014 and 2019,[13] has toured around Australia[11] and has been on rotation nationally on Triple J.[10][14][8]

2018–2021: Better in Blak

Plum released her debut album, Better in Blak, in July 2019.[15] The video for the single, "Better in Blak", was nominated for Film Clip of the Year at the National Indigenous Music Awards.[16][17] In October 2019 she came at No. 7 in Happy Mag's list of "The 15 Australian female artists changing the game right now."[18] At the ARIA Music Awards of 2019 she received six nominations and won Best Cover Art for Emilie Pfitzner's work on her album.[19]

The Better In Blak album became a collection of anthems for Blak women.[20]

In January 2020, Plum became the highest ranking Indigenous artist ever in the Triple J Hottest 100, when "Better in Blak" charted at number 9.[21] Two months later, she was diagnosed with COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic.[22]

In May 2020, Plum released a cover of Powderfinger's "These Days".[23] In October, she performed at the 2020 AFL Grand Final.[24]

2022–2023: Meanjin and When Rosie Met Monsters

In July 2022, Plum announced the forthcoming release of her third EP, Meanjin, alongside its second single "When It Rains It Pours".[25]

Meanjin, is Plum's "love letter" to Brisbane and was written on her balcony in lockdown due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.[20]

Plum's Meanjin EP won Album Of The Year at the 2023 National Indigenous Music Awards.[26]

In November 2022, Plum announced the forthcoming release of When Rosie Met Monsters, compiling the EPs Rosie and Monsters together on vinyl, CD and cassette.[27]

2024: I'm Sorry, Now Say It Back

In November 2023, Plum released "We Don't Talk About It", the first new music in over twelve months.[28] Her second studio album I'm Sorry, Now Say It Back was released in October 2024.

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected details about release date and label
Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications
AUS
[29]
Better in Blak 4
I'm Sorry, Now Say It Back
  • Released: 18 October 2024
  • Label: Warner Music Australia
  • Formats: CD, digital download, LP, streaming
 7
[31]

Compilation albums

List of compilation albums, with selected details about release date and label
Title Details
When Rosie Met Monsters
  • Released: 25 November 2022[27]
  • Label: Warner Music Australia (5419740238)
  • Formats: CD, digital download, LP, streaming
  • Note: Compiles EPs Rosie and Monsters

Extended plays

List of extended plays released, with selected details about release date and label
Title Details Peak chart positions
AUS
[29]
Rosie
  • Released: 15 March 2013[32]
  • Label: Footstomp (STOMPER005)
  • Formats: CD,[33] digital download, streaming
 —
Monsters
  • Released: 4 July 2014[34]
  • Label: Warner Music Australia (5419626612)
  • Formats: CD,[35] digital download, streaming
 —
Meanjin
  • Released: 12 August 2022[25]
  • Label: Warner Music Australia (5419724168)
  • Formats: CD, digital download, 10" LP, streaming
 28

Singles

As lead artist

List of singles, with year released, selected chart positions, certifications, and album name shown
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
AUS
[36] 		NZ
Hot
[37]
"Father Said"[38] 2012 — — Rosie
"Around Here"[39] 2013 — —
"Dollar"[40] — —
"How Much Does Your Love Cost"
(original or Dugong Jr remix)[41][42] 		2014 — — Monsters
"Monsters"[43] — —
"Young in Love"[44] — —
"Any Other Name"
(with Horrorshow, Jimblah, and Urthboy)[45] 		2015 — — Non-album singles
"Clair de Lune" 2018 — —
"Clumsy Love" — — Better in Blak
"Not Angry Anymore"[47] 2019 — —
"Better in Blak" 89 —
  • ARIA: 2× Platinum[46]
"Homecoming Queen" — —
"These Days"[23] 2020 — — Non-album single
"Backseat of My Mind"[48] 2022 — 40 Meanjin
"When It Rains It Pours"[25] — —
"The Brown Snake"[49] — —
"We Don't Talk About It"[28] 2023 — — I'm Sorry, Now Say It Back
"Nobody's Baby"[50] 2024 — —
"Freckles"[51] — —
List of singles, with year released and album shown
Title Year Album
"No One"
(Golden Features featuring Thelma Plum)[52] 		2015 XXIV
"Ticket to Heaven"
(Alice Ivy featuring Thelma Plum)[53] 		2020 Don't Sleep
"Go to War"
(Briggs featuring Thelma Plum)[54] 		2020 Always Was

Other charted songs

List of non-single chart appearances, with year released and album name shown
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
NZ
Hot
[55]
"Don't Let a Good Girl Down" 2019 35 Better in Blak

Awards and nominations

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually. Plum has been nominated for two awards.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2020 "Better in Blak" APRA Song of the Year Nominated [56][57]
herself Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year Nominated
2021 herself Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year Nominated [58]
2023 "Backseat of My Mind" APRA Song of the Year Shortlisted [59]

ARIA Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Thelma Plum won an award from six nominations in 2019.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2019 Emilie Pfitzner for Thelma Plum - Better in Blak Best Cover Art Won [19][60][61]
Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore for Thelma Plum – "Better in Blak" Best Video Nominated
Better in Blak Album of the Year Nominated
Best Female Artist Nominated
Best Pop Release Nominated
Breakthrough Artist Nominated
2021 Thelma Plum – Homecoming Queen Tour Best Australian Live Act Nominated [62]
2022 Meanjin Best Solo Artist Nominated [63]
Best Pop Release Nominated
The Meanjin Tour Best Australian Live Act Nominated

Australian Music Prize

The Australian Music Prize (the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2019 Better in Blak Album of the Year Nominated [64]

Australian Women in Music Awards

The Australian Women in Music Awards is an annual event that celebrates outstanding women in the Australian Music Industry who have made significant and lasting contributions in their chosen field. They commenced in 2018.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2019 Thelma Plum Songwriter Award Nominated [65]

J Awards

The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2012 herself Unearthed Artist of the Year Nominated
2019 Better in Blak Australian Album of the Year Nominated [66]
"Better in Blak" Australian Video of the Year Nominated

National Indigenous Music Awards

The National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs) is an annual awards ceremony that recognises the achievements of Indigenous Australians in music. Thelma Plum has won two awards.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2013 Thelma Plum Best New Talent Won
2015 "How Much Does Your Love Cost?" Song of the Year Won
2019 Better in Blak Album of the Year Nominated
"Better in Blak" Song of the Year Nominated
2020 Thelma Plum Artist of the Year Nominated [67][68]
"Homecoming Queen" Song of the Year Nominated
2022 Thelma Plum Artist of the Year Nominated [69][70]
"Backseat of My Mind" Song of the Year Nominated
2023 Meanjin (EP) Album of the Year Won [71][72]
"The Brown Snake" Film Clip of the Year Nominated

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2019 herself Live Voice of the Year Nominated [73][74]
Queensland Live Voice of the Year Won
2023 Thelma Plum Best Pop Act Won [75][76]

Queensland Music Awards

The Queensland Music Awards (previously known as Q Song Awards) are annual awards celebrating Queensland, Australia's brightest emerging artists and established legends. They commenced in 2006.[77]

Year Nominee / work Award Result (wins only) Ref.
2013 "Rosie" Indigenous Song of the Year Won [78][79]
2020 Better in Blak Album of the Year Won [80]
2023 "Backseat of My Mind" Pop Award Won [81]
Song of the Year Won

Rolling Stone Australia Awards

The Rolling Stone Australia Awards are awarded annually in January or February by the Australian edition of Rolling Stone magazine for outstanding contributions to popular culture in the previous year.[82]

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2023 Meanjin Best Record Nominated [83]

Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition

The Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition is an annual competition that "acknowledges great songwriting whilst supporting and raising money for Nordoff-Robbins" and is coordinated by Albert Music and APRA AMCOS. It commenced in 2009.[84]

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2013 "Breathe in Breathe Out" Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition 3rd [85]
2020 "Better in Blak" Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition 1st [86]

References

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  4. ^ @thelmaplum (21 August 2021). "Hot girls get vaxxed". Retrieved 1 September 2021 – via Instagram.
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  55. ^ Peak chart positions in New Zealand:
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