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 30) 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

Thelma Amelina Plumbe (born on December 21, 1994), known as Thelma Plum, is an amazing singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Delungra, New South Wales, Australia. She is a Gamilaraay woman. Her first album, Better in Blak, came out in July 2019. It was very popular, reaching number 4 on the Australian music charts.

Thelma Plum has won many awards for her music. One special award was for the best album cover art at the 2019 ARIA Music Awards.

Early Life and Beginnings

Thelma Plum was born in Brisbane on December 21, 1994. She grew up mostly in Brisbane. She is a proud Gamilaraay woman, with family roots in Delungra, New South Wales. Thelma studied music at the Music Industry College in Brisbane, which helped her start her career.

Music Journey

Starting Out: 2012–2017

Thelma Plum performing in 2016

In May 2012, Thelma Plum shared her first songs, "Blackbird" and "Father Said," on a platform called Triple J Unearthed. This platform helps new Australian artists get noticed. In July 2012, she won the first-ever Triple J's National Indigenous Unearthed Music competition. This was a big step for her!

Her first official song, "Father Said," was released in November 2012. After that, she released two short albums, called EPs: Rosie in March 2013 and Monsters in July 2014. Around this time, she moved to Melbourne to continue her music career. Thelma also performed at big music festivals like Womadelaide and toured all over Australia. Her songs were often played on the national radio station Triple J.

Breakthrough Album: Better in Blak (2018–2021)

Thelma Plum released her first full album, Better in Blak, in July 2019. The music video for the song "Better in Blak" was nominated for an award. This album became very important for Blak women, with many songs becoming like anthems.

In January 2020, "Better in Blak" reached number 9 on the Triple J Hottest 100 list. This was the highest spot an Indigenous artist had ever reached! A couple of months later, she got sick with COVID-19.

In May 2020, Thelma Plum released a cover of the song "These Days" by the band Powderfinger. She also performed at the 2020 AFL Grand Final, which is a huge Australian sporting event.

New Music: Meanjin and When Rosie Met Monsters (2022–2023)

In July 2022, Thelma Plum announced her third EP, Meanjin. This EP is like a "love letter" to Brisbane, her hometown. She wrote it while staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanjin won the Album Of The Year award at the 2023 National Indigenous Music Awards. In November 2022, she also released When Rosie Met Monsters. This was a special collection that put her first two EPs, Rosie and Monsters, together on vinyl, CD, and cassette.

Latest Album: I'm Sorry, Now Say It Back (2024)

In November 2023, Thelma Plum released a new song called "We Don't Talk About It." Her second studio album, I'm Sorry, Now Say It Back, was released in October 2024.

Music Releases

Thelma Plum has released several albums and EPs. Here are some of her main works:

Studio Albums

• Better in Blak (Released: July 12, 2019)
  • This album reached number 4 on the Australian charts.
• I'm Sorry, Now Say It Back (Released: October 18, 2024)
  • This album reached number 7 on the Australian charts.

Compilation Albums

• When Rosie Met Monsters (Released: November 25, 2022)
  • This album combines her early EPs, Rosie and Monsters.

Extended Plays (EPs)

• Rosie (Released: March 15, 2013)
• Monsters (Released: July 4, 2014)
• Meanjin (Released: August 12, 2022)
  • This EP reached number 28 on the Australian charts.

Popular Songs (Singles)

Thelma Plum has released many popular songs. Some of them include:

• "Father Said" (2012)
• "Clumsy Love" (2018)
• "Better in Blak" (2019)
• "Homecoming Queen" (2019)
• "These Days" (2020)
• "Backseat of My Mind" (2022)
• "We Don't Talk About It" (2023)
• "Nobody's Baby" (2024)
• "Freckles" (2024)

Awards and Recognitions

Thelma Plum has won many awards for her amazing music. These awards celebrate her songwriting, singing, and overall contribution to music.

ARIA Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are Australia's biggest music awards. Thelma Plum won one award from six nominations in 2019.

National Indigenous Music Awards

These awards celebrate the achievements of Indigenous Australians in music. Thelma Plum has won three of these important awards.

Other Awards

Thelma Plum has also been recognized at other awards, including:

• APRA Awards: Nominated for her songwriting.
• Australian Music Prize: Nominated for Album of the Year.
• Australian Women in Music Awards: Nominated for Songwriter Award.
• J Awards: Nominated for Unearthed Artist of the Year and Album of the Year.
• National Live Music Awards: Won Live Voice of the Year for Queensland and Best Pop Act.
• Queensland Music Awards: Won Indigenous Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Pop Award, and Song of the Year.
• Rolling Stone Australia Awards: Nominated for Best Record and won Best Single for "Freckles".
• Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition: Won first place for "Better in Blak" in 2020.