Thelma Plum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thelma Plum
Thelma Plum performing in April 2023
Background information
Birth name	Thelma Amelina Plumbe
Born	(1994-12-21) 21 December 1994 (age 29) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Origin	Delungra, New South Wales, Australia
Genres	Folk
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter guitarist musician
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	2012–present
Labels	Footstomp Warner Music Australia
Associated acts	Paul Kelly Briggs

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 father is lore-man Paul Winanga-li Gii Spearim. 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 was born on 21 December 1994 in Brisbane. She is a Gamilaraay woman from Delungra, New South Wales. Plum graduated from the Music Industry College, Brisbane and spent most of her early life in that city.

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 and was nominated for a Deadly award for Most Promising New Talent. "Father Said" was released in November 2012 as her official debut single. Plum released her debut extended play, Rosie, in March 2013 and followed with her second EP, Monsters (July 2014). By that time she had relocated to Melbourne.

Plum appeared at Womadelaide in 2014 and 2019, has toured around Australia and has been on rotation nationally on Triple J.

2018–2021: Better in Blak

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

The Better In Black album became a collection of anthems for Blak women.

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. Two months later, she was diagnosed with COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

2022–present: 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".

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

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

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.

In November 2023, Plum released "We Don't Talk About It", the first new music in over twelve months.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Extended plays

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Other charted songs

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.